ifi Zen DAC and Headphone Amp Review

[iamjamesh]

It sounds (mostly) wonderful in Tidal, although the Tidal app itself can be touchy (particularly the FireTV/AppleTV based apps). The desktop app, it should be said, DOES have occasional cutouts on MQA material (whether this is Tidal or the iFi Zen's limitation is unclear - suspect it is the VERY high bitrate material, such as "2L - The Nordic Sound", which is purportedly 352kHz), which is EXTREMELY annoying, but it is SO satisfying to see the Zen light up magenta when MQA is bitstreamed into it (THOUGH I would VERY much like to know what bit-rate is actually being achieved after the Zen performs it's "unfold" - one of life's great mysteries, and would make it easier to detrmine if higher bitrates of MQA post unfold are more likely to have dropouts). Another area in need of improvement is the "balanced" outputs, which have audible buzz/distortion, so I will stick to the "unbalanced"...
I may also stick to Amazon Music, as Tidal is inferior for all but Atmos music on my Apple/FireTV.

*UPDATE* - I set the buffer setings to a more generous buffer size (32768) and the USB Streaming mode to "Standard", and I don;t hear any more dropouts with MQA from Tidal...

 

[M83]

but it does't play DSD

Not fussed about that personally. Both PCM & DSD have their own shortcomings anyway.

 

[LoyK]

I just bought iFi Zen Dac and am comparing it with my E30 + Magni Heresy Combo at the moment (Hifiman Ananda).
Some first impressions:

• Built quality and knob/poti are really nice for the price
  • The volume poti feels better than on the Heresy
• The Zen Dac is a bit louder on RCA and headphones out when you add the 5V power ( I cannot test 4.4 balanced out at the moment but I guess it has also more power with 5V). I guess that is why the measured power is quite a bit lower than the spec.
  • EDIT: This is only true when you connect the Zen Dac via USB2.0 cable. With the supplied (but way too short) USB3.0 cable the volume does not change -> it gets more power via USB3.0 cable.
• It drives the Ananda well even on low gain and unbalanced out
  • When I add the Heresy it may sound a tad cleaner - but I would never be able to A/B the difference
• Truebass is fun on some tracks but is too much on others - I would love to able to switch between 2-3 levels of Truebass
• MQA rendering...the difference is very small and not better I guess. I would never trade my EQ profile for this.
  • (It only works bitperfect so you are not to allowed to use some software EQ in front.)
  • I flashed to GTO filter with firmware 5.3C

All in all I think this is a pretty cool device for its pricepoint - and I believe the measurements could have been better with added 5V DC supply.

 

[LaL]

I just bought iFi Zen Dac and am comparing it with my E30 + Magni Heresy Combo at the moment (Hifiman Ananda).
Some first impressions:

• Built quality and knob/poti are really nice for the price
  • The volume poti feels better than on the Heresy
• The Zen Dac is a bit louder on RCA and headphones out when you add the 5V power ( I cannot test 4.4 balanced out at the moment but I guess it has also more power with 5V). I guess that is why the measured power is quite a bit lower than the spec.
• It drives the Ananda well even on low gain and unbalanced out
  • When I add the Heresy it may sound a tad cleaner - but I would never be able to A/B the difference
• Truebass is fun on some tracks but is too much on others - I would love to able to switch between 2-3 levels of Truebass
• MQA rendering...the difference is very small and not better I guess. I would never trade my EQ profile for this.
  • (It only works bitperfect so you are not to allowed to use some software EQ in front.)
  • I flashed to GTO filter with firmware 5.3C

All in all I think this is a pretty cool device for its pricepoint - and I believe the measurements could have been better with added 5V DC supply.

@LoyK Have you tried firmware (5.2b)Limoncello yet??
You can notice the slightly longer decay on snare drum beats + piano notes,
it sounds more natural and less dry, music is more enjoyable.
►https://iFi-Audio.com/firmware/unified-firmware-for-various-products

 

[Haze]

My Zen Can has a fair bit of crosstalk. I thought it was faulty so I returned it but the new one is doing the same thing. If I plug out the right side of my HD650s and send audio to that channel I can clearly hear it in the left can. It's quite but it's clearly there. Could this be deliberate? Some kind of built in crossfeed?

 

[Jimbob54]

My Zen Can has a fair bit of crosstalk. I thought it was faulty so I returned it but the new one is doing the same thing. If I plug out the right side of my HD650s and send audio to that channel I can clearly hear it in the left can. Could this be deliberate? Some kind of built in crossfeed?

Or just shonky design. Who knows? (seriously, unless there is a crossfeed button/ setting there should be no crossfeed)- I assume thats the same with any headphones? Some designs I believe may give a bit of natural crossfeed through the headband vibrations but I cant see how it would be significant.

EDIT- actually, Im confused reading your post again. You unplug the right cup, leave left connected, put on headphones, play and there is sound coming out of the left cup? So far , so good.

What do you do to only send the right channel out of the amp (for the left to pick it up)? I could do that in Roon by disabling the left "speaker" but dont know what you are using? Or are you taking the left hand interconnect out of the back of the Zen Can so it only receives right audio to amplify?

 

[Haze]

Well I did a quick RMAA test because that is the only way I have of testing it and this is what the Zen Can's crosstalk looks like.

 

[LoyK]

I checked crosstalk on my Zen Dac and when I max the volume on high gain I can hear something in the other channel at very low volume.
It is about the same with my Topping/Schiit combo though.

 

[Haze]

So here is my question. Knowing that the Zen stack has crossover issues and worse measurements than the Tone Atom stack why does it sound better and more "real" to me?

 

[Jimbob54]

So here is my question. Knowing that the Zen stack has crossover issues and worse measurements than the Tone Atom stack why does it sound better and more "real" to me?

More distortion.

 

[Veri]

So here is my question. Knowing that the Zen stack has crossover issues and worse measurements than the Tone Atom stack why does it sound better and more "real" to me?

This is gonna sound odd but I never liked my Atom amp much nor was I a big fan of the O2, while I loved Drop 789, Topping L30, A90. Can't really say what the O2 and the Atom did wrong. Maybe the flimsy build put me off? I prefer aluminium housing and heftier pot. In any case you should use what you are comfortable with and that is that. Have never experienced the Zen stuff so no idea about sounding more "real", haha. That seems doubtful.

 

[Jayzqa]

I bought this for pure interest and I can confirm that Amir’s measurements go hand by hand with this.

With HD600 it has actually really fun sound with compressed pop music but with more eloquent material you can hear that it distorts like hell. Compared to jds labs element it’s just a sad experience. (Element is more expensive but still)

BUT then I launched a game with bass boost turned on and was smiling.

If ifi would write ”gaming” on the amp and name ”true bass” to ”l33t bass” this would be best gaming product in the earth. I’m oddly satisfied with this with pure gaming purposes.

 

[Haze]

More distortion.

But the distortion while worse is still blow the range of human hearing.

 

[Jimbob54]

But the distortion while worse is still blow the range of human hearing.

So you need to properly determine if you can actually hear a difference while stripping away visual cues and difference in output levels. Which means proper blind testing. Or just accept that your eyes and brain are probably tricking your ears.

Because there isnt much wiggle room here. If under proper testing you can tell the difference then the difference should be apparent in the measurements. Assuming yours performs the same as the one measured.

If under proper testing you can't tell the difference, then there either isn't one, or at least not one you can detect.

Long story short, either test properly and then investigate or live in blissful ignorance.

 

[raif71]

So here is my question. Knowing that the Zen stack has crossover issues and worse measurements than the Tone Atom stack why does it sound better and more "real" to me?

I like the Zen stack too but the Zen Can has not been measured here yet so maybe can't comment whether measurements is good or not.

 

[Tom11111]

I'm looking at buying an amp for Sennheiser HD 560s, will this be a good amp for a budget of around £140?

I currently have a scarlet 2i2 3rd gen but I think the zen dac will be an upgrade?

 

[Gurkerl]

I'm looking at buying an amp for Sennheiser HD 560s, will this be a good amp for a budget of around £140?

I currently have a scarlet 2i2 3rd gen but I think the zen dac will be an upgrade?

I doubt that the Zen Dac will be an upgrade, or make any noticeable difference, apart from the trubass maybe.

 

[Haze]

Here is a question. Ifi says the balanced output on the back of the Zen Can can be used to connect it to non-balanced speakers. How? Can you adapt balanced to single ended?

 

[LaL]

'

 

[LaL]

Here is a question. Ifi says the balanced output on the back of the Zen Can can be used to connect it to non-balanced speakers. How? Can you adapt balanced to single ended?

►https://Amazon.com/dp/B07WSR85MB