ifi Zen CAN Review (Headphone Amp)

[solderdude]

That is common practice.
To have the volume control (at normal listening levels) between 10 and 12 'o clock.
This way you can still go plenty loud and when the sound has to be very soft (almost fully CCW) it will still play on both channels about equally loud.

The gain buttons on most amps can be used to achieve this when one has various sensitivity headphones or sources with very different output voltage (say E.U. phone headphone out to some DAC's output well over 2V)

 

[Nkam]

That is common practice.
To have the volume control (at normal listening levels) between 10 and 12 'o clock.
This way you can still go plenty loud and when the sound has to be very soft (almost fully CCW) it will still play on both channels about equally loud.

The gain buttons on most amps can be used to achieve this when one has various sensitivity headphones or sources with very different output voltage (say E.U. phone headphone out to some DAC's output well over 2V)

I thought they posted that so users wouldn’t get channel errors. Or imbalanced channels at a higher gain setting.

if I put the amp to the 0db position the bass and impact are smaller than when at the same volume with the gain button on 6db. It sounds much better with the gain button at 6db.
is that normal ?

Thanks again

 

[solderdude]

I thought they posted that so users wouldn’t get channel errors. Or imbalanced channels at a higher gain setting.

Yes, that is the reason. For the same reason it makes sense to use a gain switch so that when you have the volume control somewhere between 10 and 1 'o clock at your 'normal' listening level you have a good 'travel' with the volume control without running out of max. volume and getting into the less usable volume control range near the CCW position.
There is nothing special about '11 'o clock' position.

if I put the amp to the 0db position the bass and impact are smaller than when at the same volume with the gain button on 6db. It sounds much better with the gain button at 6db.
is that normal ?

Try the following:

Set the volume so it sounds good at 0dB position.
Then stop de music, set the gain switch to +6dB and use the volume slider on the PC to 50% (or -6dB) and switch the music back on.

Then stop the music again, set to 0dB and increase the volume on the source back to 100% (or 0dB) and listen again.

The differences should be gone. If not (placebo is a nasty thing) let someone else do these operations without you knowing what setting they are in and blind test. The differences will be undetectable.

One should only compare comparable situations.
When just flipping the switch to +6dB the louder setting will always sound fuller/bassier/clearer.

 

[Nkam]

Yes, that is the reason. For the same reason it makes sense to use a gain switch so that when you have the volume control somewhere between 10 and 1 'o clock at your 'normal' listening level you have a good 'travel' with the volume control without running out of max. volume and getting into the less usable volume control range near the CCW position.
There is nothing special about '11 'o clock' position.



Try the following:

Set the volume so it sounds good at 0dB position.
Then stop de music, set the gain switch to +6dB and use the volume slider on the PC to 50% (or -6dB) and switch the music back on.

Then stop the music again, set to 0dB and increase the volume on the source back to 100% (or 0dB) and listen again.

The differences should be gone. If not (placebo is a nasty thing) let someone else do these operations without you knowing what setting they are in and blind test. The differences will be undetectable.

One should only compare comparable situations.
When just flipping the switch to +6dB the louder setting will always sound fuller/bassier/clearer.

for some reason the slider thing doesn’t work. It gets way too low on 50.
ill try it tomorrow and figure out the diff.

it seems most logical to keep the gain button at +6db since it’s comfortable to listen at 11-12 o’clock
at 0db I have to turn the volume up really high to get the same results.
or rather the volume knob is unresponsive at 0db

thank you sir

 

[solderdude]

It gets way too low on 50

Depends on many things (windows version or other operating system)
There are players like VLC player etc where you can simply adjust the gain in dB.

it seems most logical to keep the gain button at +6db since it’s comfortable to listen at 11-12 o’clock
at 0db I have to turn the volume up really high to get the same results.
or rather the volume knob is unresponsive at 0db

That's exactly what the gain switch is for. So you can set a usable volume range at 'normal' listening levels. Depends on the headphone sensitivity and source output voltage.
Those determine where the gain switch has to be set to to get a good usable volume range with a good adjustability of the volume control.
Especially when using digital EQ with a negative pre-amp a higher gain setting would be most usable.

 

[Nkam]

Depends on many things (windows version or other operating system)
There are players like VLC player etc where you can simply adjust the gain in dB.



That's exactly what the gain switch is for. So you can set a usable volume range at 'normal' listening levels. Depends on the headphone sensitivity and source output voltage.
Those determine where the gain switch has to be set to to get a good usable volume range with a good adjustability of the volume control.
Especially when using digital EQ with a negative pre-amp a higher gain setting would be most usable.

thanks so much for the help.

im quite enjoying the Zen Can Sig.

I wonder do super expensive or even better spec headphone amps sound that much better? Hard for me to believe.
its just an amplifier. Not the space shuttle. Lol

why I have all benchmark gear for my speakers and call it a day.

 

[salmo]

Nice review! I didn't use ifi zen can, but I had a possibility to use some time ifi zen air can (so it's cheaper brother). I guess they are similar in SE output aspect - it's not the greatest one but either it's not disaster. The best part of it is super smooooooth knob, I love it! They are also widely available in Europe with good prices - Ifi zen air can is for like ~100-110 USD in Poland (and for example for atom amp 2 we must pay here over 250 USD). So to sum up - ifi zen can is not the best option but we can consider if zen AIR can as an amp, if we live in Europe.

 

[JerryKeyz]

Thanks for reviewing this. I've seen more of your reviews, mostly I'm satisfied. I'd like to comment in this case: I almost exclusively listen with low impedance Grado headphones on this one, Gain setting at 12dB. Grado RS1X, SR325E and a few others. Sound is impeccable, absolutely nothing to complain about. 6dB setting also works well, but the sound is less opening up. So your "conditional recommendation for high impedance headphone use only" makes no sense. About the crosstalk: maybe it was done on purpose? Some manufacturers do even integrate a manual crossfeed, like for example SPL, in order to fill up the gap that normally is not there when listening to regular loudspeakers. I did some testing with channel separation and some very good recordings, there's not much to worry about, except perhaps the measuring result you showed.
What would highly interest me: comparison between Zen Can, Zen Can 3 and Zen Can Signature in terms of crosstalk. Do they actually measure differently?

 

[JerryKeyz]

Thanks Amir. Seems like the good single ended amps in this price range offer far better performance. I would look to Schiit, Topping, JDS, and some others first.

I have Schiit and Topping. I do confirm this plays way above Magni+ or Vali. In terms of detail and dynamics it's comparable to Asgard. I have a Topping L50 as well, this is a "joke" compared to a Zen Can. The sound is flat and uninspiring.

 

[pioterd]

Grado RS1X, SR325E

These models have 32-38ohm impedance and efficiency 99dB/1mW and sensitivity above 110dB/1V. VERY EASY to drive and with relatively easy combination of impedance-efficiency. ZenCan problems, if there are any, starts to occur around 25ohm and lower impedances on really high volumes (above 105dB-110dB SPL). Crosstalk is done as good as it is sufficient. 3d/Xspace implementation may vary between various iterations of ZenCan but not much. I have "classic" ZenCan reviewed here, and Signature version (2023, without any "branding EQ", just standard Xbass and Xspace) - both are great. Even though @Thorsten Loesch recommended 5V/4A supply, I would say that 2.5A is already good enough for 99% headphones on the market if you do not need SPL peaks higher than 105dB.