Ifi Zen Can....has this unit been measured here yet?

[Popscene]

Sorry, it was a mistake, i meaned no sound at low volume, a typical problem on low end products with potentiometers.
I got the same problem with 3.5mm output.

 

[raif71]

What do you mean by No volume on left channel ? Maybe it's the 4.4 jack problem. did you put it in till the end. 4.4mm is a tricky thing, Sometimes you need to push it in really strong. Anyway I don't have volume problem with Zen Can. Hiss noise is a ground loop issue(solved easy)

Yes, I agree with this... a hard push is needed to securely attach the 4.4mm. Anyways if @Popscene has problems with left channel, perhaps he got a defective unit. I have no problems with the Zen Can and so far no noise. I connect mine to Ifi Zen Dac via 4.4mm male to 4.4mm male cord and uses 4.4mm headphone out.

 

[raif71]

Sorry, it was a mistake, i meaned no sound at low volume, a typical problem on low end products with potentiometers.
I got the same problem with 3.5mm output.

You mean, you like to listen at low volume but the amp won't let you? Next time I will try listening mine at low volume but mostly I like to listen mine loud if not at normal level.

 

[vins555]

I've checked now low volume - on my unit I don't have any problem with low volume channel imbalance. It's perfect even on lowest volume on both 4.4 and 6.3.
Check input connection.

 

[vins555]

Bytheway lately I tried cheap 5v power supply from aliexpress(3$) with Zen Can and result was very bad- strong noise like squeak even on mute. So never try cheap power supply . I think Ifi must sell Zen Can with ipower.

 

[raif71]

Bytheway lately I tried cheap 5v power supply from aliexpress(3$) with Zen Can and result was very bad- strong noise like squeak even on mute. So never try cheap power supply . I think Ifi must sell Zen Can with ipower.

I got my Ifi Zen Can with Ipower but I use cheap 5V power supply with the Ifi Zen Dac.

 

[Popscene]

Thanks for the advice but I tried with other rca cables and on the 3.5mm input : same result.

Did anyone notice the problem of input isolation ? You can hear first input playing when second input is selected.

 

[raif71]

Thanks for the advice but I tried with other rca cables and on the 3.5mm input : same result.

Did anyone notice the problem of input isolation ? You can hear first input playing when second input is selected.

I have not notice this but I only have 1 input, just the ifi zen dac.

 

[Veri]

This thing sure seems to be plagued by noise issues. Read reports of people using 4.4mm input with noise until they connect RCAs too which fixes it. Sounds like bad grounding plane / bad design...

 

[vins555]

I've checked the internals of Zen Can. Now I think is it really balanced? Because of volume potentiometer, is dual with 6 pins. While all other balanced amps use quad potentiometer or potentiometer has nothing to do with this. So the 4.4mm output has more power then 6.3mm. But is dual mono fully balanced?
Who can answer my question?

 

[HEPBO3AH]

I'd love to see the review. I'm at the crossroads where Heresy is out of stock and I'm deciding between waiting, getting ATOM or getting iFi Zen Can for my Aeon RT

 

[odyo]

My opinion is that its good for high impedance sennheiser's especially hd800s comes with 4.4mm balanced cable. Amp performs at its best around that impedance with bal out. Xbass feature is quite good too.

I dont recommend it for sensitive headphones and iems.

 

[Wegi76]

I dont recommend it for sensitive headphones and iems.

I`d agree to that. Why? My unit has the channel imbalance issue too. I you have to operate headphones with the volume knob low, this will be an issue. But obviously not every unit (i.e. vins555) has this problem. So maybe bad luck.

 

[HEPBO3AH]

I got it in the end. I'm very happy. It drives the Aeon loudly enough that the 100% volume on 0db gain is not something I could listen to. I keep the knob at around 3 with the 50% volume in the system normally and for music I may go up to 100% system volume but I do not touch the knob!

XBass goes well with Aeons as I feel their bass doesn't have as much "oomph" as I'd like normally. At least this way the choice is on the user side and it's a cool toggle.

There is channel imbalance at very low volume, I don't think that is avoidable without shelling out a lot of money.
The image shows the absolute minimum vs a point at which I 100% cannot perceive imbalance. Maybe I could push it lower but I'm too lazy to make an effort.

 

[LaL]

Just wondering....I think that this amp is unbelievable...and is only $169. I compared it to a Topping L30 and that seemed like a toy in comparison. It actually runs even with my Monolith 788 that is now going back as well as that Topping. The Topping is very good on it's own but for close to the same price not even. The only problem with the Zen Can is it's unstackability. Just wish they put a Dac in it and made it a pre-amp.

I got it in the end. I'm very happy. It drives the Aeon loudly enough that the 100% volume on 0db gain is not something I could listen to. I keep the knob at around 3 with the 50% volume in the system normally and for music I may go up to 100% system volume but I do not touch the knob!

XBass goes well with Aeons as I feel their bass doesn't have as much "oomph" as I'd like normally. At least this way the choice is on the user side and it's a cool toggle.

There is channel imbalance at very low volume, I don't think that is avoidable without shelling out a lot of money.
The image shows the absolute minimum vs a point at which I 100% cannot perceive imbalance. Maybe I could push it lower but I'm too lazy to make an effort.
View attachment 123953

Yeah, volume knob starts at 7 o'clock
and the channel imbalance is gone by 8 o'clock.

 

[Haze]

Quick question. Do you think ifi clams about how powerful the Zen Can is can be believed? 1600 mW at 32 Ohms single ended is a heck of a lot off a 5V 2.5A power supply.

 

[LaL]

Quick question. Do you think ifi clams about how powerful the Zen Can is can be believed? 1600 mW at 32 Ohms single ended is a heck of a lot off a 5V 2.5A power supply.

I run it Balanced and it drives HD600+Sundara so well. (11.0V / 1890 mW @ 64 Ohm)
Not sure why iFi use the higher 64 Ohm for the Balanced specs, instead of 32 Ohm, seems like they're understating its power.
I don't use their supplied gimmicky iPower 2.5amps , it does something weird, it compresses the sound.
Also, I think the Amp actually want's to draw more power, I got a higher amp psu from Amazon.
The new Signature Zen-Can now comes with an upgraded white 3amp iPower supply.
I think it sounds excellent for $149, high gain with the Sundara is so good, it just lifts the low end differently compared to the other 3 lower gain settings. Volume is already extremely loud at 10 o'clock. Also their analog X-Bass boost button works so well with many different headphones is subtle but really helps the bass on the HD600 without distortion.
If you get it from Amazon and don't like, you have 30 days to return it.
https://Amazon.com/gp/product/B08F39N9J1
4 amp psu►https://Amazon.com/gp/product/B07YJDS71K

 

[sacguy231]

I am returning my Zen Can, just got it yesterday. Sound was good, and the build seems nice, but it has a substantial channel imbalance until the volume pot is around 10 o'clock. iFi even has a page addressing it: https://ifi-audio.com/faqs/channel-imbalance. I get that analog pots can have imbalance/tracking issues, but usually in my experience it's just in the first small portion of the control, and all my other amps resolve any imbalance tracking well before 9 o'clock (let alone the 10 o'clock on my unit). Kinda bummed, I actually really liked the X-bass feature. Could I live with the imbalance? Yeah, I suppose, but having that much of the volume pot be unusable to me tarnishes my view of the unit.

 

[vins555]

why do you need less then 10 o'clock?

 

[ifshebreathesshesa]

I`d agree to that. Why? My unit has the channel imbalance issue too. I you have to operate headphones with the volume knob low, this will be an issue. But obviously not every unit (i.e. vins555) has this problem. So maybe bad luck.

Fresh off a ban on another forum for talking back to iFi(sponsored there) because they refused to honor warranty for their product and the forum rep also was useless but doing damage control by commenting smug smiley faces with "how can I help" crap everywhere I even mentioned the amp was bad.... Had something rattling around in the Zen CAN and when I went over 12 O'Clock it instantly switched to huge channel imbalance in my right side being much louder... brb they wanted me to operate with the knob between 10 and 12 only.... bunch of clowns IMO
Also like the Xbass but hate the company.