I'll preface this by saying this is my first desktop amp/DAC, so take what I say for what it is, but man do I love this thing. The sound, provided by the Burr Brown chipset, is just sublime. Detailed, rich, and smooth without coloring the sound too much. The gain should handle most cans no problem - with the gain turned on while powering my Sennheiser HD 660's I never even had to go past 12 o'clock.
The build quality is unreal for the price. Absolutely everything is metal and the whole thing feels totally solid. The volume knob is beautifully milled and finished and is a joy to turn. The fact that the volume knob is backlit with different-colored LEDs that correspond to the audio file type? Splendid.
The bass-boost can be a bit much sometimes, but through my Audeze LCD-X, it's like crack. It adds a ton to the sub-bass without tainting the mids too much. It definitely lends itself to certain styles of music. This thing can also decode MQA and it does so flawlessly, with none of the issues I've seen reported in other MQA DACs (chopping off the first bit of each track, audible clicks between tracks, etc).
Drawbacks? The USB type B input is kinda weird, I wish it was USB-C. Also, there's no on-off switch which might be annoying to some people. I work from home so it doesn't bother me at all. These are extremely minor quibbles in my book.
This is a fantastic amp/DAC for a beginner such as myself, and I am utterly addicted to how it has unlocked the potential of my headphones and the music I am passing through them. The value is just incredible.
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About iFi
You love music, so that’s why we create products that improve sound quality and eradicate noise, distortion and hiss.
With our vast catalogue of devices, you can bring the live experience into your home. Or if you prefer your music on-the-go, we deliver every cymbal crash and pluck of a string in clear isolation straight to your ears.
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iFi ZEN DAC
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Skeptic consumer
tl;dr holy crap >> Read this review through the lens of an engineer, musician, RA hobbyist, and nine-to-five desk/cubicle jockey. >> Suspend any audiophile vocabulary--you won't find it here--pretend we are speaking like normal humans. >> My investment in hi-fi audio ends with FLAC. Save the DSD/DXD/MQA 'high-fi-ving' for your loved ones.My needs for such a device were:1) Portability; singular unit--no stacking or interconnecting; self-powered optional2) Functionality; plug in = profit. No driver magic, dongle dances, or forum scouring for secret settings3) Performance; Do I like the sounds coming out of my headphones? (Yes or No--pass/fail assessment)4) Price; <$200--I don't buy in to the allure of the 1% gain for 10x price (see #3)ifi Zen DAC = #needsMet#Pros:-$130 USD (amazing given the included features)-solid build-atypical aesthetics; ie not a box, volume knob is dope (as they say), indicator lights are pleasing-**unbalanced HD600 cans sound terrific (only pair I own)-single USB 3.0 power/comm-plugged into Windows 10 laptop, PC, and tablet: worked immediately-plugged into Android (via OTG USB-C): worked immediately-no external power used at any point**I have nothing to say about balanced outputs as I don't have a 4.4mm cable. Nor did I plug into any speakers. This is all based on standard headphone use. I will be building a custom cable--'cause I'm a nerd--and I'm curious what balanced has to offer me. ifi did make it pretty obvious this was a key feature. Will update soon.#Gripes: (we're getting really into the nitty gritty here) In case ifi is listening ;-)-front panel buttons rattle (pick it up, gentle shake) sounds like something loose inside. Totally normal, I assume.-no other inputs beside usb 3.0 (does not affect my use but may bother others)-I wish it was 30-40% smaller. Like, it is clearly not in the same category as the 'portable' units, but because it can be powered and driven from a single phone connection, it is capable of being portable. Something closer to palm sized would greatly enhance this aspect. I've seen photos of the interior--most of this enclosure is empty space.-I did test the knob indication with some sample files (neat). But I would have liked some customizability with these colors. I'd bet this is an RGB source, yet we're limited to just 5 colors? Can't I map color to bit depth instead of sample frequency? Or to file type? Food for thought.-did not see the point of updating firmware to 5.3c *shrug*-NO POWER SWITCH. Shouldn't bother me as much as it does. Workaround is disabling USB power in BIOS.#Final thoughts:I did not expect my entry into standalone audio amplification to succeed this succinctly. I advise you listen to the critics who best match your use cases. For your own discernment, demo the actual devices--not just datatables and forum junkies <3.UPDATE: Added photo of the de facto "office setup"Since initial review, I have built my own balanced cable and am quite enjoying the extra head room on the HD600s. I have even gone without the power match for certain sessions (low noise environments).I also realized ifi had other plans in development for a more portable product. A close cousin to the Zen Dac, the Hip-DAC, recently released. This makes their design choices on the Zen a lot more clear (in hindsight) and my "gripes" rather moot :)Thanks for reading.
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2021
I'll preface this by saying this is my first desktop amp/DAC, so take what I say for what it is, but man do I love this thing. The sound, provided by the Burr Brown chipset, is just sublime. Detailed, rich, and smooth without coloring the sound too much. The gain should handle most cans no problem - with the gain turned on while powering my Sennheiser HD 660's I never even had to go past 12 o'clock.
The build quality is unreal for the price. Absolutely everything is metal and the whole thing feels totally solid. The volume knob is beautifully milled and finished and is a joy to turn. The fact that the volume knob is backlit with different-colored LEDs that correspond to the audio file type? Splendid.
The bass-boost can be a bit much sometimes, but through my Audeze LCD-X, it's like crack. It adds a ton to the sub-bass without tainting the mids too much. It definitely lends itself to certain styles of music. This thing can also decode MQA and it does so flawlessly, with none of the issues I've seen reported in other MQA DACs (chopping off the first bit of each track, audible clicks between tracks, etc).
Drawbacks? The USB type B input is kinda weird, I wish it was USB-C. Also, there's no on-off switch which might be annoying to some people. I work from home so it doesn't bother me at all. These are extremely minor quibbles in my book.
This is a fantastic amp/DAC for a beginner such as myself, and I am utterly addicted to how it has unlocked the potential of my headphones and the music I am passing through them. The value is just incredible.
The build quality is unreal for the price. Absolutely everything is metal and the whole thing feels totally solid. The volume knob is beautifully milled and finished and is a joy to turn. The fact that the volume knob is backlit with different-colored LEDs that correspond to the audio file type? Splendid.
The bass-boost can be a bit much sometimes, but through my Audeze LCD-X, it's like crack. It adds a ton to the sub-bass without tainting the mids too much. It definitely lends itself to certain styles of music. This thing can also decode MQA and it does so flawlessly, with none of the issues I've seen reported in other MQA DACs (chopping off the first bit of each track, audible clicks between tracks, etc).
Drawbacks? The USB type B input is kinda weird, I wish it was USB-C. Also, there's no on-off switch which might be annoying to some people. I work from home so it doesn't bother me at all. These are extremely minor quibbles in my book.
This is a fantastic amp/DAC for a beginner such as myself, and I am utterly addicted to how it has unlocked the potential of my headphones and the music I am passing through them. The value is just incredible.
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Top reviews from other countries
MTZ RAÚL
ES CASI UN REGALO POR SU DESEMPEÑO LO VOLVERE A COMPRAR SIN DUDA
Reviewed in Mexico on May 25, 2021Size: Unit OnlyVerified Purchase
ML
Excellent sound and great value. Even more goodness when paired with Zen CAN. Highly recommend!
Reviewed in Canada on January 5, 2021Size: Unit OnlyVerified Purchase
Fabrizio
Compatibilità immediata con PS4 (legacy, Slim e Pro)
Reviewed in Italy on September 14, 2021Size: Unit OnlyVerified Purchase
Dominik Gauk
No regret buying this
Reviewed in the Netherlands on July 27, 2021Size: Unit OnlyVerified Purchase
Amazon Customer
Unbalanced,non neutral sound with good amount of details.
Reviewed in India on March 6, 2021Size: Unit OnlyVerified Purchase
