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

[TechEnthusiast]

If you are in US and still within return period, you can send it to me for testing and if it doesn't work well, I can send it back to them.

Unfortunately my return window has narrowed and it must be shipped back to them by the end of the week. This is why I have been hounding this forum to help me make a "sound" decision.

 

[wasnotwasnotwas]

I don't think it has a dedicated preamp function.

Correct. It's an always on pass through from the rca inputs (not the xlr feed). Not volume controlled.

@TechEnthusiast your problem is you think you need power that in reality you almost certainly don't. But you're not asking the right questions here. So tell us what hp you currently own, what's the most ludicrously zany spec hp you might ever get and what kind of eq / digital attenuation do you typically use. You have the e30 dac, yes? do you use it at full output or variable output?

Edit OK you have the Sundara? And you maxed the L30 in high gain with them? Which must either have been incredibly loud or you have some digital attenuation in your signal chain. You mentioned in one post about adjusting volume settings at source for the L30? Please explain. You mean the windows volume slider? And what about if you have your source player /Windows at 100%

And you've got or had the L30, zen can and monolith 778 (the all in one)? I think you are expecting magic from a device that's very simple. I'd be amazed if you blind tested those 3, level matched if you could tell the difference.

 

[TechEnthusiast]

Correct. It's an always on pass through from the rca inputs (not the xlr feed). Not volume controlled.

@TechEnthusiast your problem is you think you need power that in reality you almost certainly don't. But you're not asking the right questions here. So tell us what hp you currently own, what's the most ludicrously zany spec hp you might ever get and what kind of eq / digital attenuation do you typically use. You have the e30 dac, yes? do you use it at full output or variable output?

Edit OK you have the Sundara? And you maxed the L30 in high gain with them? Which must either have been incredibly loud or you have some digital attenuation in your signal chain. You mentioned in one post about adjusting volume settings at source for the L30? Please explain. You mean the windows volume slider? And what about if you have your source player /Windows at 100%

And you've got or had the L30, zen can and monolith 778 (the all in one)? I think you are expecting magic from a device that's very simple. I'd be amazed if you blind tested those 3, level matched if you could tell the difference.

All sound the same level matched. I have established that. Actually I prefer the E30 dac over the one in the 788. As for the max out on the L30 it occurred during YYZ from Rush on Amazon (Ultra HD). There was a part where Zen and 788 hit it right for me and the L30 just could not get there. That is until I cheated and pushed it with 5 or 6 db gain with a preamp in software. When you say variable gain on E30 vs fixed what am I missing...I have always used the remote to control the db. Also that song is more attenuated the a lot of other selections on Amazon.

 

[raif71]

Since I have the Zen Stack and the L30/E30 stack. My setup on the desk will probably be Zen and Topping stack for headphones plus the Topping stack will also be connecting to the active monitors. Once in awhile, I will take the atom, Fiio k5 pro and topping d50s/a50s ouf of their boxes for a spin.

 

[wasnotwasnotwas]

All sound the same level matched. I have established that. Actually I prefer the E30 dac over the one in the 788. As for the max out on the L30 it occurred during YYZ from Rush on Amazon (Ultra HD). There was a part where Zen and 788 hit it right for me and the L30 just could not get there. That is until I cheated and pushed it with 5 or 6 db gain with a preamp in software. When you say variable gain on E30 vs fixed what am I missing...I have always used the remote to control the db. Also that song is more attenuated the a lot of other selections on Amazon.

So on that rush track, e30 was at full volume and you went over 0db in Windows?

You can set the e30 so it disables the volume (dac mode vs preamp mode) , no different to having it at max though. Just making sure you hadn't turned anything down before the amp.

That track must be really low.

 

[TechEnthusiast]

Since I have the Zen Stack and the L30/E30 stack. My setup on the desk will probably be Zen and Topping stack for headphones plus the Topping stack will also be connecting to the active monitors. Once in awhile, I will take the atom, Fiio k5 pro and topping d50s/a50s ouf of their boxes for a spin.

You certainly have a Family plan their. Of those units do you hear any differences when level matched?

 

[raif71]

You certainly have a Family plan their. Of those units do you hear any differences when level matched?

Not really but I feel that the L30/E30 has cleaner sound than the zen stack. It's hard for me to level match as I'm bias to the volume level. Whenever I feel as though I'm going to run out of headroom, I'll have to pick the zen stack as the favorite but don't fret, these two stacks will be on the desk (when I get one). I know which stack to pick when I listen to low volume classical music though.

 

[TechEnthusiast]

So on that rush track, e30 was at full volume and you went over 0db in Windows?

You can set the e30 so it disables the volume (dac mode vs preamp mode) , no different to having it at max though. Just making sure you hadn't turned anything down before the amp.

That track must be really low.

Yeah, that track is low, and yes it was well over the 0db on APO EQ. It is for only a short part of the song (2:10-2:25) that I feel that urge to crank it up past what the L30 can do. I just did it and 5 db did the trick. For that same span the Zen Can achieves this at max gain and 2-3 o'clock. That is the only advantage with the zen besides that Xbass which can be achieved to some degree with the APO eq. It is funny how all of these amps sound the same with different architectures from different brands with different ratings when level matched. It gets me to wonder what all the fuss is about the A90 and devices like it. Is it just more of this or would there be that Zeos moment that all of the subjective reviewers claim is there? I may have to try it for myself to see. Aside from that quest, I feel that either of these devices would be a great choice.

 

[TechEnthusiast]

Not really but I feel that the L30/E30 has cleaner sound than the zen stack. It's hard for me to level match as I'm bias to the volume level. Whenever I feel as though I'm going to run out of headroom, I'll have to pick the zen stack as the favorite but don't fret, these two stacks will be on the desk (when I get one). I know which stack to pick when I listen to low volume classical music though.

I get that moment that you are talking about, but have you ever put the Zen and L30 on the E30 and A/B'd them? I think you may get the same results as me. I think that the Zen Dac adds some color, not sure though, but it is what I have read in other reviews.

 

[raif71]

I get that moment that you are talking about, but have you ever put the Zen and L30 on the E30 and A/B'd them? I think you may get the same results as me. I think that the Zen Dac adds some color, not sure though, but it is what I have read in other reviews.

I may have paired the two amps with E30. To me, both stacking sound good.

 

[wasnotwasnotwas]

Yeah, that track is low, and yes it was well over the 0db on APO EQ. It is for only a short part of the song (2:10-2:25) that I feel that urge to crank it up past what the L30 can do. I just did it and 5 db did the trick. For that same span the Zen Can achieves this at max gain and 2-3 o'clock. That is the only advantage with the zen besides that Xbass which can be achieved to some degree with the APO eq. It is funny how all of these amps sound the same with different architectures from different brands with different ratings when level matched. It gets me to wonder what all the fuss is about the A90 and devices like it. Is it just more of this or would there be that Zeos moment that all of the subjective reviewers claim is there? I may have to try it for myself to see. Aside from that quest, I feel that either of these devices would be a great choice.

I dont have the Sundara but have other HP with similar resistance and sensitivity and that surprises me, But anyway, if there is nothing attenuating the digital signal (volume levelling maybe?) then for some of your music and levels of listening, maybe the L30 isnt enough.

 

[edahl]

@amirm I have one extra I'm planning to sell that Amazon sent me by mistake and let me keep. I also have the iPower 5V supply that comes with the launch edition that alone retails for 50 GBP. If you get back to me before I sell them, and if I get them (or something else cool lol) back from you, I can send them to you. I'd send you both the stock power supply I got with the first Can and the iPower, but I need to keep one since I'm using it. At any rate I think comparing the iPower 5V with a random one you might have around would be interesting, since the "launch edition" peddling 50 GBP power supplies has a somewhat fomo vibe to it.

One thing I noticed is that at 12 gain and max volume on the amp and my interface (Focusrite 2i2 3rd) on RCA I get audible noise (didn't dare pump audio through it lest I kill something). I wonder if that goes away from running everything balanced.

 

[Foscot]

@amirm I have one extra I'm planning to sell that Amazon sent me by mistake and let me keep. I also have the iPower 5V supply that comes with the launch edition that alone retails for 50 GBP. If you get back to me before I sell them, and if I get them (or something else cool lol) back from you, I can send them to you. I'd send you both the stock power supply I got with the first Can and the iPower, but I need to keep one since I'm using it. At any rate I think comparing the iPower 5V with a random one you might have around would be interesting, since the "launch edition" peddling 50 GBP power supplies has a somewhat fomo vibe to it.

One thing I noticed is that at 12 gain and max volume on the amp and my interface (Focusrite 2i2 3rd) on RCA I get audible noise (didn't dare pump audio through it lest I kill something). I wonder if that goes away from running everything balanced.

Did Amir end up getting it? I really want to see the measurements on this unit.

 

[edahl]

Did Amir end up getting it? I really want to see the measurements on this unit.

I still have one. Let me make an effort to figure out the proper channels, as I understand things easily gets lost in a forum.

 

[Foscot]

I still have one. Let me make an effort to figure out the proper channels, as I understand things easily gets lost in a forum.

So there's still hope! I hear the best way to reach Amir directly is by DM. You can try that. Hopefully it works out!

 

[edahl]

So there's still hope! I hear the best way to reach Amir directly is by DM. You can try that. Hopefully it works out!

Since I live in Norway we concluded it's better if someone in the US provide him with one I hope someone does!

 

[Foscot]

Since I live in Norway we concluded it's better if someone in the US provide him with one I hope someone does!

Ah, that's understandable. I live in Denmark myself, so I understand the pain of sending things abroad

 

[raif71]

Maybe Z can send to A

 

[Popscene]

I bought and i have to admit it's a pretty disappointing product that suffers of numbers problems of misconception.

At first, here is how I use it :
Inputs :
- RCA : SMSL Sanskrit 10th v2
- 3.5mm : Vinyl player.

Output :
- 4.4mm pre : RCA to my ncore power amplifier,
- 4,4mm headphones : ATH-MSR 7b

Here are the problems :
- No volume on left channel at (not that) low volume,
- High noise once the volume is higher,
- Lower volume of left channel when using 3d,
- Can hear (a low) sound of source 1 (if still playing) when source 2 or 3 is selected.

So i absolutely NOT recommand to buy this product, despite the outragiously good reviews.

 

[vins555]

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)