Turn any elite wired earbuds into hi-res true wireless buds with this smart add-on – but brace yourself for the price

• The iFi GO Pod Max cost £599 / $599 (about AU$1,254)
• They add aptX Lossless and K2HD support to wired IEMs
• Separate Bluetooth, DAC and amp stages for hi-fi audio

The downside of even the best wired IEMs is that, of course, they're not wireless: in the search for the ultimate audio experience, lossy Bluetooth just doesn't deliver. But what if you could get hi-res wireless audio into those IEMs without the cables? That's what the iFi GO Pod Max delivers.

The GO Pod Max is a new flagship for iFi, designed specifically for the most demanding IEM owners. And while they're not exactly cheap, the specification justifies the price tag.

iFi GO Pod Max: key features and pricing

The GO Pod Max are made from precision-machined aluminum and include the Qualcomm QCC5181 chipset, which streams CD-quality audio without data loss over aptX Lossless. It also supports LDAC and aptX Adaptive.

You already know about aptX and LDAC, but you might not be familiar with K2HD. Developed by JVCKENWOOD, it's an audio mastering technology that first appeared back in 2007 with the promise of improving the sound of music at CD quality, delivering an experience that comes closer to the original master recording at up to 96kHz throughput.

In addition to the aptX Lossless and K2HD, the GO Pod Max has automatic impedance matching at 16-ohm, 32-ohm, 64-ohm and 300-ohm, built-in mics for clear calls, UV lights to sanitize your IEMs, and separate Bluetooth, DAC (in this case, a Cirrus Logic MasterHIFI) and fully balanced amp stages to deliver the best audio quality.

The GO Pod Max promise seven hours of playback, plus another 28 from the aluminum charging case, and they're IPX5 rated for water and sweat resistance. The interchangeable ear loops have 2-pin and MMCX connectors to cater for most IEMs, and there are also options including T2, Pentaconn Ear and A2DC ear loops.

The iFi GO Pod Max is available now with a list price of £599 / $599 (about AU$1,254).

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