Only the RNDAC, not the RNHP.
even ifi did update some units with 3.5 TRRS to 4.4mm
a few high end DAPs featured the 3.5 TRRS ā¦
venture elctronics builds good quality adpaters (bought my 3.5 TRRS > to 4PIN XLR there) and you can choose many other endings(source/male/female/plug) here: Adapter Cables Venture Electronics å¾®ēæ¼é³é¢
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This adapter just got delivered today. The packaging is very extra:
Itās essentially an oversized Altoids can with a window. Youkamoo is really upping the game on adapter packing. Whodathunkit?
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Seems normal, mine came like that as well lol
I was a bit surprised. Iāve ordered XLR-to-2.5mm trrs from the same outfit and it got sent in an envelop with the adapter inside a static bag.
Here is my amateur (and somewhat long, sorry) review of the Hip-Dacā¦
TL; DR -> The Hip-Dac is likely the top dog in this product category at this price point ā IF you fall into a somewhat narrow range of use cases. iFi has addressed some ergonomic issues that plague this product category, but not some others. The presence of the balanced output is both a big pro and a somewhat smaller and potentially confusing con. The Hip-Dac sounds quite good with a warm sound signature. It sounds really good when itās driving a balanced headphone/iem that has a brighter signature but can sound too dark if itās driving neutral-to-darker ones.
I write this with several hours of listening to the Hip-Dac from both the unbalanced and balanced outputs. For additional context, the Hip-Dac is the 3rd of these flask-styled portable DAC/amps Iāve owned and have significant experience with. The first two were the Fiio E18 and the Topping NX4-DSD. Why am I on my 3rd such device outside of just being an audiophile nerd? The E18 developed software issues inside a year causing my Windows 10 laptop and my Android phone both to freak out in weird ways. The Toppingās micro-USB connection is FRAGILE and quickly loosened to the point where connection was regularly dropping from my phone. So on with the Hip-Dac details alreadyā¦
Ergonomics & Build:
I canāt really add much that @epic225, @ZeosPantera, and others have already said in terms of positives, but have comments on the issues the Hip-DAC has not solved. The Hip-DAC a well built, robust feeling device, and the color is fun without being too flashy. The recessed male type A USB connector is a big positive feature, though. The recess cutout is large enough to accomodate a wide range of female USB type A jacks, too. I have yet to find a USB extension that doesnāt fit. They probably do exist, but I havenāt found one yet. I have been able to plug it into my phone, plug in headphones, stick the phone & dac in my coat pocket, and go for long walks without jostling a cable to the point that the connection drops (the dog was also a huge fan of this phase of testing). That was a big problem with my NX4. iFi seems to have licked that particular problem. However, itās still not a pocket friendly solution:
(Crappy photo quality due to having to use my Kindle Fire tablet to take the picture. Please donāt ask why I didnāt just use my phone for the photo 
) There are wires sticking out both ends of the Hip-Dac. That USB OTG cable pictured is not the stock wire and is LESS stiff than the stock wire, yet still holds up one end of the phone all by itself. A 90 degree balanced adapter would help some, but thatās a lot to slide in and out of a pocket. It works in the pocket of my winter coat, but in the summer can I put that in the hip pocket of my jeans and walk around without carrying it in hand? Doubtful. But this is not an issue specific to the Hip-Dac. This is an ergonomic problem this product category has yet to figure out as general rule, it seems. On one particular walk the snow was melting and there was mud and puddles everywhere. The dog got filthy. I had to text home to have them get a towel ready to wipe her down before she got mud everywhere. Fumbling the phone, Hip-Dac, wires, and trying to text while holding onto one end of a leash was a challenge. So an area for improvement in this product category ā at least until true wireless tech reaches truly equal quality levels ā is to figure out how to make these devices more actual OTG-mobile friendly. Thus, this is not a specific complaint about the Hip-DAC, more just a comment on one ergonomic area the Hip-DAC has not solved. Or do I just deeply misunderstand the use case of these devices? If I do, please tell me and explain why.
One potential appeal of the Hip-DAC is MQA. I did not test this because Iām no longer a Tidal user. Also, in response to the iFi Zen DAC thread on this forum and issues that showed up with its slow switching between different sample rates, I had no issues with that when playing through a Windows 10 laptop.
Sound:
The Hip-Dac definitely has a warmer tilt to the sound, likely due to the Burr Brown implementation. The amp may also tilt warmer, but thereās no way to test the amp and the dac separately (no line out or line in). Itās signature is the warmest out the three portable amp/DACs with which I have significant experience. I tried Ikko OH-10, Tin T3, HiFiMan/Massdrop HE-4XX, Senn/Massdrop HD-6XX, and Beyerdynamic DT 880 600 ohm. The warm signature complements brighter cans/IEMs really well. The OH-10 (pronounced V signature), HE-4XX (less V than OH-10 with slight W signature), and DT-880 (neutral-bright signature) can all sound sibilant when driven with an analytical amp (think Atom or THX here). To my ear, sibilance was only ever an issue through the Hip-DAC when the recording itself was really sharp. For example, Alanis Morissetteās You Oughta Know just IS sibilant. The Hip-Dac makes that less objectionable, but doesnāt remove it. Otherwise, many of my other sibilance tests came up roses. However, there is less āairā to the sound here than even other portable DAC/AMPs. The NX4 has lots of power, but is also treble ear-murder at times, as an example. This lack of air became problematic on the HD-6XX. The 6XX is reknowned for itās neutral-warm signature and it just sounds dark, veiled, and lifeless on the Hip-Dac. When Hip-Dac was paired with brighter cans, I didnāt notice poor imaging or soundstage, but nor were either of those things reference caliber. Vocals sound pretty good as well. If anything they can at times just edge up to the line of shouty/honky, but only rarely and with certain vocalists. I should also disclose that Iām upper-mid sensitive and thus perceive shouty/honky faster than most. This aspect of the sound may not be an issue for most listeners.
The balanced performance does improve things like imaging and soundstage and noticeably increases the power. I donāt think Iād call it a ānight and dayā improvement, but it is noticeable. The overall warm sound signature remains too. I was hoping the balanced output would perk up the treble on the 6XX, it did not. However, using balanced out on my 4XX and going for a long walk was pure joy (at least from a listening perspective). The sound I got just walking around was wonderful, and definitely the best mobile sound Iāve been able to cobble together yet within my budget. I will be doing that as often as I can. Overall, however, the balanced output adds detail and improves separation. By comparison, the unbalanced output takes on a veiled character.
I agree with previous reviewers that the XBASS boost is well done. It does a great job of introducing more sub-bass and adding slam without bleeding into the vocals. Deep male vocals donāt take on a chesty character. And itās here where the power of the Hip-Dac shows up. Even with the XBASS enabled, the bass is always tight and controlled. The unit just SOUNDS powerful and under control - even if it may ultimately not measure to the same output level of the NX4 (it might though, I just donāt know). The XBASS can be too much with different songs and different headphones. But it is overall one of the better bass boosts Iāve heard.
One other gripe:
I do somewhat question the inclusion of the balanced out on a $150 portable DAC/AMP. A balanced cable for a HE-4XX costs about $60 on Amazon right now ($45 if you go New Fantasia - which, donāt) and thatās pretty close to going rate for balanced cables. Luckily I already had one, but had to get a $22 adapter to use it with the Hip-Dac. At those cable prices, using the Hip-Dac balanced doesnāt feel like Iām using a ābudgetā product anymore. I definitely appreciate the extra power output and cleaner sound, but Iām torn on whether iFi should have gone with the balanced or scrapped that and put the additional money into maximizing the performance of the SE output and included a line-out.
Bottom line:
IF you already have balanced capability for or are willing to spend money to get balanced-capable headphones/IEMs with bright-ish treble response and are looking for a relatively inexpensive OTG option, the iFi Hip-Dac is a homerun. If you need a mobile solution and want to start exploring the world of balanced over time, the Hip-Dac is also a solid option to build around. If youāre interested in the Hip-Dac just to have a budget entry into checking out MQA, I recommend caution. Synergy between amp and headphones is very important here, and the unbalanced performance is not spectacular. Yes, itās a true statement that synergy is important everywhere, but there is a world of difference in the sound here if the Hip-Dac is paired with darker headphones vs. brighter ones. However, if youāre very treble-sensitive, the Hip-Dac may be right for you even with darker than average headphones.
OK, Iāve said quite enough already. I hope someone out there finds these thoughts useful. Enjoy the music everyone!
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Nice review.
4.4mm is being adopted as the new industry standard for Balanced Output. Most headphone manufacturers when including balanced cables are switching to 4.4mm over XLR, Sennheiser is a good example of this. Theyāve switched out XLR for 4.4mm on their headphones that ship with a balanced option (the HD800s is one example). HD 660s also ship with an additional 4.4mm cable.
Thanks!
You are correct in that the industry is moving toward 4.4mm as the balanced standard. I probably should have been a little clearer. My sorta-irritation at the inclusion of balanced in this product isnāt about 4.4mm specifically, itās more an issue of balanced connectivity being disproportionately costly at the Hip-Dacās price point. If youāre spending HD800s money on headphones, itās unlikely youāre taking it mobile and if you are itās probably with an amp well over $150. The 660s is probably right on that price line where many who own it would consider powering it with a Hip-Dac. However, most <$500 headphones either arenāt balanced or donāt come with a balanced cable. In that case, adding $60 for a balanced cable (40% of the Hip-Dacās price) essentially turns the Hip-Dac into a ~$210 purchase. While that still may be somewhat cost effective, it feels, well, unbalanced, if youāll pardon the pun.
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Understood.
My guess is they want it to be scalable. Start with the Hip Dac SE with the headphones you have now (value oriented), and as you upgrade your headphones, you can still use you Hip Dac. 
I think the balanced part is more about the IEM market, you can get 4.4mm balanced cables for most IEMās at a reasonable price.
FWIW i tried it with my ZMF headphones though balanced, and itās still a pretty good sounding portable amp/dac.
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The IEM market would make more sense. A quick search shows many IEM cable options for $30 or less. Including this little gem:
Specifically this part:
Cable Length: 30 feet feet
Color: MMCX 4.4mm
That humorous listing aside, your point stands. Thanks for sharing.
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When carrying your Dac/dap combo around gets to be too cumbersomeā¦ 
well written and I second the 6xx on Burr Browns is a missmatch
and yes the ergonomics with wired external DAC/Amps to your phone are a pain
the balanced thing is asked by customers these days ā¦ if it makes sense or not in this budget ā¦ we wonĀ“t find out anymore, as most (not with the Xduoo) come with some kind of balanced out.
I also think the Hip Dac is more mobile or on the desk solution for IEMs and if you already have some 2.5mm TRRS cables, there are cheap 20 bucks adapters or one could get a sub 20 cable with 4.4 connector.
What I can say is, I often felt(could be simply the increase in volume) especially with IEMs the positive differences(staging for example) with balanced over se.
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Hey, regarding the mismatch of the 6XX and the hip dac (kind of)ā¦
I am still new to this world of audiophiles but read several times now that the hip dac has a tendency to warmen the sound. Is this something that is drastically noticeable or is it more like a nuance that only trained audiophile ears can really hear?
I would use the hip dac mainly with the 58X.
With the hip dac itās pretty noticable and with the bass boost very noticeable, the hip dac is an especially colored device in terms of sound (most likely the most colored ifi amp I have heard actually, their other amps arenāt as colored as the hip dac). If this is a bad thing or not depends on the person and the headphones tbh, itās still enjoyable but with a 58x might be a bit too warm for some
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I agree with @M0N in that the shift towards warmth with the Hip-Dac is a more-than-subtle difference. If you like an open and airy sound then you would either need to pair the Hip-Dac with a bright-to-sharp headphone or not go with the Hip-Dac.
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Iāll third that sentimentā¦ maybe look at an xd05ā¦ I have the plus version and it was pretty nice with the 58x and has a bass boost as well @Bendeguz_B
58x is probably just fine with a small dongle dac too
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Hey, thanks for the quick answers!
I am actually looking for a portablen dac amp combo that is close to the hip dac but is neutral or has a emphasis in the midds (voices). I thought the Hip Dac would be the perfect fit. I loved the idea of the recessed USB port, size and look, but the coloring of the sound turns me off a little. I mostly listen to acoustic singer/songwriter or Soul/ Jazz Music.
Do you guys know of a something similar to the Hip Dac that brings the best out of the 58X?
Perhaps consider the ifi idsd nano black label, it should be a similar price and also give a bit warmer toned sound, but not as extreme as the hip dac, and also no need to recable to balanced as well
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