• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

ifi Zen DAC and Headphone Amp Review

dealpapa

Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2021
Messages
34
Likes
6
if I have (rca to amp and speaker), and headphone connect to this dac at the same time. Will they working at the same time?
 

FireLion

Active Member
Joined
May 25, 2018
Messages
243
Likes
98
Does anyone know about stuttering issues on the v1?

A fiend of mine said he had issues and hadn't been able to troubleshoot it. I suggested checking for a firmware update.
 

mbp1

New Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2021
Messages
4
Likes
0
With HIFIMAN HE400SE, would you recommend the Ifi Zen DAC V2 or Schiit stack?
By "Schiit stack" I mean the Modi DAC and the Magni 3+ or Heresy (I can't tell the difference)
 

mbp1

New Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2021
Messages
4
Likes
0
no more love to ifi. they increase price from 160 to 190. we go buy topping
That's temporary on Amazon. It'll be $159 again...
Edit: and you didn't mention which specific Topping product(s)
 
Last edited:

dealpapa

Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2021
Messages
34
Likes
6
That's temporary on Amazon. It'll be $159 again...
Edit: and you didn't mention which specific Topping product(s)
lol you must work for us gov and fed, tell us that the price increase is temp.
 

mbp1

New Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2021
Messages
4
Likes
0
lol you must work for us gov and fed, tell us that the price increase is temp.
Sorry, just going off assumption based on past price (and that holds no weight whatsoever). Maybe the change is permanent, maybe not.
What is the Topping product you speak of?

chrome_3d9EG9IcQu.png
 

dealpapa

Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2021
Messages
34
Likes
6
Sorry, just going off assumption based on past price (and that holds no weight whatsoever). Maybe the change is permanent, maybe not.
What is the Topping product you speak of?

View attachment 166720
Topping DX3Pro+
you can even get from aliexpress for 185
 

chrispdx

Member
Joined
May 10, 2021
Messages
8
Likes
6
With HIFIMAN HE400SE, would you recommend the Ifi Zen DAC V2 or Schiit stack?
By "Schiit stack" I mean the Modi DAC and the Magni 3+ or Heresy (I can't tell the difference)
Consider the newish iFi ZEN CAN Signature HFM with filter option tuned specifically for HIFIMAN cans including yours.
 

mbp1

New Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2021
Messages
4
Likes
0
Consider the newish iFi ZEN CAN Signature HFM with filter option tuned specifically for HIFIMAN cans including yours.
I actually already bought a Schiit stack :confused:
Might buy something from Ifi in the future to have something to compare against.
 

chrispdx

Member
Joined
May 10, 2021
Messages
8
Likes
6
Hi Everyone,

I purchased an ifi ZEN DAC (v1) in March and was very happy and extremely satisfied with both good looking exterior and clear, transparent and dynamic sound of this DAC during the very first weeks when I used the unbalanced headphones output on front and RCA outputs on the backside only.

But I have also purchased appropriate adapter cables for utilizing the balanced outputs to achieve even better sound quality and then I have discovered a serious problem.

Almost each output is okay (incl. balanced out on the backside) but the balanced headphones output on the front panel produces extremely high distortion on both right and left channels, independently from the bit-rate of the source, output volume level and button settings. The music can be heard using this output is terribly distorted and washed away, which is especially obvious in case of solo piano records. The cable and headphones have to be okay since, using the same cable and headphones, the unbalanced output on the back is fine as well as the other outputs.

I have Sennheiser HD598 headphones (50 Ohm impedance) which I love and have not realized any issue with this headphones so far therefore I asked ifi-Audio to replace (and upgrade for extra charge of course) this DAC but the new v2 has the same problem!!!

According to the official iFi-Audio site:

********************

Headphone Section
Output Power (@1% THD)4.4mm Pentaconn (BAL)
330mW@32 Ohm; 6.6V@600 Ohm;
16 Ohm - 600 Ohm Headphone

6.3mm S-BAL (SE)
230mW@32 Ohm; 3.3V@600 Ohm
16 Ohm - 600 Ohm Headphone

**************

So my 50 Ohm Sennheiser HD598 has to fit both unbalanced and balanced headphones outputs (16 Ohm < 50 Ohm < 600 Ohm) but the support office of iFi-Audio did not help me. (They wrote: my headphones is not compatible with ZEN DAC...)
However, it is extremely strange to me that no one else could hear this failure (I could find just one same error report on the internet so far).

Is there someone to explain me what the problem is?


Thanks in advance!
Please share specifically what “appropriate adapter cables for utilizing the balanced outputs” you purchased. There are outfits selling adapters that claim to turn unbalanced to balanced, but rarely is this actually the case. Also take it to your local shop and try the balanced headphone output with a truly balanced cable/cans (remove the adapter as a test). What are you using with the balanced output on the back to determine that it works fine?
 

Jimbob54

Grand Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Oct 25, 2019
Messages
11,066
Likes
14,697
Please share specifically what “appropriate adapter cables for utilizing the balanced outputs” you purchased. There are outfits selling adapters that claim to turn unbalanced to balanced, but rarely is this actually the case. Also take it to your local shop and try the balanced headphone output with a truly balanced cable/cans (remove the adapter as a test). What are you using with the balanced output on the back to determine that it works fine?
I would guess our friend has bought a 4.4 male to 3.5/6.35 mm female adapter and is running single ended headphones from a balanced output.

These don't, won't and shouldn't work. Sadly I think we've both seen some advertised that claim to.
 

G-rig

Active Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2021
Messages
177
Likes
44
Hi guys,

I'm still using the iFi Zen DAC (v1) with a Matrix M-stage headphone amp which pairs up nicely (but have a THX 789 coming, which has balanced inputs).

Currently using some Tara Labs Prism 300i RCA cables. Is it worth getting a 4.4mm pentaconn to dual XLR balanced cable? I realise that balanced cables have mostly been developed for long runs of cable to limit interference, reduce noise leak etc. Besides a neater setup (0.3m long would be ideal), is it worth the money? The iFi cable is about A$150 which is most of the cost of the unit so have ruled it out almost (the specs sound impressive, oxygen free blah blah), there are chinese handmade options on ebay etc at 1/3 of the price (not too much info on them).

It's always fun to try new stuff but agree that once you hit a certain minimum level of gear, upgrades often result in changes to sound as opposed to major sonic improvements, and the laws of diminishing returns. For such a shot cable length I don't think you'd hear any difference (unless the other cables were dodgy or of very cheap quality. Even the purple RCA that comes with it are probably fine but had the Tara labs sitting around.

Thanks,
 
Last edited:

LaL

Active Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2020
Messages
140
Likes
94
Hi guys,

I'm still using the iFi Zen DAC (v1) with a Matrix M-stage headphone amp which pairs up nicely (but have a THX 789 coming, which has balanced inputs).

Currently using some Tara Labs Prism 300i RCA cables. Is it worth getting a 4.4mm pentaconn to dual XLR balanced cable? I realise that balanced cables have mostly been developed for long runs of cable to limit interference, reduce noise leak etc. Besides a neater setup (0.3m long would be ideal), is it worth the money? The iFi cable is about A$150 which is most of the cost of the unit so have ruled it out almost (the specs sound impressive, oxygen free blah blah), there are chinese handmade options on ebay etc at 1/3 of the price (not too much info on them).

It's always fun to try new stuff but agree that once you hit a certain minimum level of gear, upgrades often result in changes to sound as opposed to major sonic improvements, and the laws of diminishing returns.

Thanks,

Get the $22 Balanced cable, it does sound a little better than the single ended.
https://Amazon.com/dp/B07WTQ9M9B
 

G-rig

Active Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2021
Messages
177
Likes
44
Get the $22 Balanced cable, it does sound a little better than the single ended.
https://Amazon.com/dp/B07WTQ9M9B
Yes, have been looking at that exact one, Amazon claim end of March or April (delivered to Aus). I've found the same one on eBay which would be the end of the month ( from China). It's probably the most I'd want to spend and looks tidy, the iFi one is pretty excessive cost and still too long.

Ta
 

G-rig

Active Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2021
Messages
177
Likes
44
Ordered the cable from eBay anyway, pretty neat solution with the 0.3m cable. Can always sell as a bundle down the track if upgrading
 
  • Like
Reactions: LaL

chrispdx

Member
Joined
May 10, 2021
Messages
8
Likes
6
Consider supporting a small company (with nice folks that answer the phone and respond to emails) based and making their cables in-house in Tyler, Texas ... Hart Audio Cables. I use their balanced TC-3: 4.4mm Pentaconn to Dual 3-pin XLR to connect the Zen DAC Sigv2 to Schiit Freya+ and it sounds great.
TC-3-R_300x.jpg
 

G-rig

Active Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2021
Messages
177
Likes
44
Those look really nice mate!
It's just a case of the shipping a fair bit (probably) if posted outside of the US (unless it's on Amazon).
No doubt it's better than the chinese one.

That little tube amp looks the goods too, nice stack being the same width.
The funny thin is the M-stage and iFi Zen both have stainless finishes so looks ok, just the M-stage is very deep
Ideally would like the same kind of stack but no rush.
Cheers,
 

Noodles

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2018
Messages
307
Likes
241
Location
Netherlands
So this is an update on my earlier rant on the V1 ... I never thought I would be writing these words, but here I go.
I own a V2 Zen DAC due to PS5 support on their 5.3 firmware. It works fine for the PS5.

Up to this point I had not used it on my noisy USB PC, until today. I plugged it in without the power adapter and my usually very noisy USB power did not translate as such on the V2. I used to have a V1 and that was absolutely abysmal.
I can still hear the faintest hint of ground loop noise if I plug in sensitive IEMs but not remotely close to what I had on the V1.
If I plug in the Power supply, it is all but gone.

I do not know what they changed except the XMOS chip, but apparently they have added additional filters (have not looked at schematics yet).

So ... credit where credit is due. Good job iFi ?!
 

G-rig

Active Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2021
Messages
177
Likes
44
Sounds like an issue with your setup my V1 perfect from PC via USB to 789
 
Top Bottom