The perfect gold-plated match!
For those with dedicated hi-res digital audio players (DAPs) that offer a 2.5mm balanced output.
Love your flagship DAP but want to raise the sound quality to the max?
The iEMatch2.5 will max out music quality on any DAP with a 2.5mm balnced output.
The perfect match 2.5
After we made the original iEMatch for smartphones, computers, DAPs and in-flights systems, we realised that we’d missed a section of you guys out!
And that will not do. So, the iEMatch2.5 is just like the original BUT it’s made for use with hi-res digital audio players, DAPs, sporting a 2.5mm balanced output.
Sensitive soul
Connect the iEMatch2.5 between them and your DAP for reduced background noise and hiss.
Some headphones are more sensitive than others so the iEMatch2.5 has both High and Ultra sensitivity settings to boost your sound. Choose which best suits your headphone.
Bringing your Bits back
It also provides a more open and transparent dynamic range and increases the usable volume range.
This means you can increase the digital volume and get back the resolution you lose by listening at less than full volume.
Rediscover the lost high-pitched note of the E-string or the low rumble of the bass drum.
Travelling companion
Take the iEMatch2.5 with you.
Pop the iEMatch2.5 into its handy velvet pouch with the included memory foam earplugs and aeroplane adapter and take it with you, wherever you go.
The perfect travelling companion.
To hear everything from the high-pitched jingle of a tambourine to the deepest rumble of a kettledrum, you need a wide dynamic range.
With great DACs, DAPs and headphones, the sound of EVERYTHING will be boosted, including the self-noise of the source AND the sound level.
Plus some higher-end headphones and IEMs add to this by being sensitive themselves.
To build a system around an expensive high-resolution headphone amplifier and then use it at a comfortable (not to mention safe) listening level means you have to turn the volume down to about 60% of its capacity. This will decrease both its dynamic range and audio quality.
It’s like watching HD TV with some of the pixels from the screen missing.
You lose around 2 Bits of resolution.
This device ‘attenuates’ the volume and safely enables you to crank up the digital volume on your DAP without painful consequences! This translates into more music information being conveyed, the best dynamic range and your missing bits regained for the full high-resolution music experience!
At the same time, it cuts out background noise, enhancing your listening enjoyment.
Did you know you normally lose at least 2 Bits of resolution when listening to your favourite tracks? This is because you can’t listen at full volume.
Using the iEMatch enables you to turn up the digital volume and get those 2 Bits back.
Choose from ultra or high sensistivity to fine tune your tunes!
Read our tech note to discover more.
It uses premium components from 6063-TS aluminium – magnesium alloy through to the signal transfer cable which is a 6N silver copper matrix.
Add in the gold plated TRRS-Balanced connectors and there you have it – game, set and iEMatch.
Support
| Ultra (-24dB) & High-Gain (-12dB) sensitivity adjustment |
| 6N silver/copper matrix wiring with FINAL6063-T5 aluminium-magnesium alloy shell |
| Gold-plated printed circuit board with audiophile components (eg MELF resistors) |
| Gold-plated 2.5mm male/female connectors |
| Input Impedance: | 16 Ohm |
| Output Impedance: | < 2.5 Ohms (High-Sensitivity) |
| < 1.0 Ohms (Ultra-Sensitivity) | |
| Weight: | 12.2g |
| Total Length : | 116mm |
| Warranty period: | 12months |
We’re working on it — check back soon!
Reviews
These are fantastic !!
These are absolutely fantastic. I have only tested these for the main reason that I purchased them for.. that is when I plug my headphones or earbuds into the roku remote. I need to keep my tv entertainment quiet off and on. I have really had fun trying all my headphones and earbuds out with the tv by plugging them into the roku remote. Generally I use all of them strictly for music with no issues. But plugging into the little dinky roku remote, I found out how bad great audio equipment can sound when hooked up to the wrong thing.
I grabbed this little device, iematch, and my tv listening world dramatically changed. Gone were the extra hiss and pops. No more turning the volume up so high to hear the voices that I felt I was hurting my hearing. I plugged the iematch into the roku remote and my headphones into the iematch .. tada!!! I had a great sound finally with the ability to turn the volume back down and hear the vocals clear as well as the background noise. This little device needs to come standard with the roku devices that have audio ports in the remote.
The iematch is just fantastic. I haven’t tested it in other scenarios, but I imagine I won’t be disappointed. I may have to purchase another so I can leave one with each application use.
(Click name to read original review)
Great product.
Works great. Does exactly what it’s supposed to do.
(Click name to read original review)
This for iem headphone- very good product
Not for overeaters – only iem
(Click name to read original review)
iEMatch(Es): The Refinement Of Sound
The iematch sound quality wise, provided a nice refinement with the added benefit of being a very good angle adaptor. The Iematch is very beautiful constructed with great materials and very beautiful. The meze cables have not any angle so they are really cumbersome when you connected them in the phone or my ipad so an adapter like this makes things so much easier. Actually, as my ipad can provide a lot of power to my Meze 99 I noticed a noticeable improvement in this scenario. Providing also a very useful angled version for this situation. So yes, iematch provides a very nice refinement to the sound in a simple scenario like this one.
(Click name to read original review)
Hiss-busting miracle worker in a magnesium suit
I’ve been wanting to get an iEMatch ever since the first one was released. I was surprised that iFi didn’t send me one to review, given how much we’ve worked together. I’ve got a few hiss monster DAPs in house, including my favourite DAP, the QP2R. Beyond the QP2R, the HiFiMAN SuperMini and the HiFiMAN MegaMini are hiss cannons. When iFi sent me the press release for the 2.5mm version of iEMatch, I had to get it. So, when I saw them at Sound & Vision 2018 in Bristol, I bought one on the spot.
(Click name to read original review)
It works well and keeps the depth of sound where intended
A great product. Nothing in the market rivals what this will do for your listening experience. If you are usin a balanced Headphone and a dac/amp or amp, this will take all of the hiss and crackle out of your sound. Amps have been known to add a hiss and crackle to your music. At the same time you are also gaining some volume and depth to the sound source. This is a problem that can be alleviated with the iematch 2.5. I’ve also use non-balanced version of this product, it too works well for what it is. They do not take anything out of your audio except for the hissing and cracking an amplifier will produce when amplifying your audio. I’d buy it again if I needed to but it seems this does the job very well. Using with CEntrance BlueDAC and a set of closed back Sennheiser 598 cs.
(Click name to read original review)
Compare
| iEMatch | EarBuddy | iEMatch2.5 | |
 |  | |
|
| Primary use | Sensitive headphones ($150>) | Sensitive headphones (<$150) | Digital Audio Players |
| 3.5mm Balanced | Yes | - | - |
| 3.5mm Single-Ended | Yes | Yes | - |
| 2.5mm Balanced | - | - | Yes |
| Ultra (-24dB) / High (-12dB) Sensitivity | Yes | - | Yes |
| High(-16dB) Sensitivity | - | Yes | - |
| 6N silver / copper matrix wiring | Yes | - | Yes |
| 6N copper matrix wiring | - | Yes | - |
| FINAL 6063-T5 aluminium-magnesium alloy | Yes | - | Yes |
| Input impedance | >16 Ohm | >16 Ohm | >16 Ohm |
| Output impedance | < 2.5 Ohms (High-Sensitivity) < 1 Ohms (Ultra-Sensitivity) | < 2.7 Ohms (High-Sensitivity) | < 2.5 Ohms (High-Sensitivity) < 1 Ohms (Ultra-Sensitivity) |
| Compatibility | 16 Ohm to 600 Ohm rated impedance 12.5 Ohm minimum impedance | 16 Ohm to 600 Ohm rated impedance 12.5 Ohm minimum impedance | 16 Ohm to 600 Ohm rated impedance 12.5 Ohm minimum impedance |
| Weight | 12.2g | 6g | 12.2g |
| Total length | 116mm | 116mm | 116mm |
IEMs
IEMs stands for In-Ear Monitors.
These fit inside your ear. You’ve been using them for years. You just called them something else.
You will also see these referred to as earphones, ear buds and CIEMs. CIEMs are Custom In-Ear Monitors – IEMs made specifically to fit your ear shape.
DAP (Digital Audio Player)
A DAP is a device like an iPod or an MP3 player that stores and/or plays back music digitally.
DAC (Digital-to-Analogue Converter)
DACs convert digital information, stored or streamed by computers, into music we can hear through speakers or headphones.
Every device that’s a source of digital sound has a built-in DAC (TVs, games consoles, CD players, phones, portable music players etc). Dedicated external DACs sound much better than standard DACs used in digital devices such as phones.
Balanced 'v' Unbalanced
Let’s talk headphone cables.
An unbalanced headphone cable has a left + and right + wire, for each respective side. The other, the third – wire is shared by both left & right channels. As this is shared, this gives rise to undesired coupling noise which is commonly referred to as ‘crosstalk.’
A balanced cable has the same left + and right +. But it has a separate left – and right -. With totally separate wiring ‘crosstalk’ is negligible.
Therefore, a balanced connection is the superior headphone wiring configuration.
