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iFi Zen DAC - HiFi Desktop Digital Analog Converter with USB3.0 B Input/Outputs: 6.3mm Unbalanced / 4.4mm Balanced/RCA (Unit Only) (Unit Only)

4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 1,498 ratings

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Brand iFi
Mounting Type Plug Mount,Tabletop
Interface Type USB
Product Dimensions 6.22"L x 3.93"W

About this item

  • ✅ UPGRADE YOUR SYSTEM - With this state of the art compact Digital Analogue Converter for home audio, office, or desktop use, you will hear a difference and clarity in your audio system whether you use speakers or headphones
  • ✅ EASY CONNECTIVITY - Connect via USB3.0 (USB2.0 compatible) input from your USB source such as a computer or Digital Audio Player (DAP). Output to headphones, active speakers, or amplifier with 6.3mm Unbalanced / 4.4mm Balanced / RCA connections
  • ✅ HIGH RESOLUTION AUDIO - Hear familiar songs in a whole new light with rich detail and warm natural tones created by the Burr Brown True Native digital to analogue converter which can process any hi-res audio format up to PCM 24/384, DSD256, DXD 384kHz, and renders MQA all without additional conversion so you can listen exactly as the artist intended. Also perfect for upgrading the sound for streaming services such as Spotify, Tidal, Qobuz, and Amazon Music
  • ✅ TECH PACKED - With technology like: Variable analogue volume control, PowerMatch adjustment for iEMs/On & Over Ears, and TrueBass to add bass to iEMs, you can listen to your music with smoother, cleaner, playback
  • ✅ STYLISH AND SMART DESIGN - Military Grade Aluminum makes up a sturdy and sleek exterior. The smooth curves and edges will bring a sense of peace and tranquility to your home or office

Product details

  • Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
  • Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 10.9 x 6.2 x 2.4 inches; 1.08 Pounds
  • Item model number ‏ : ‎ ZEN-DAC
  • Date First Available ‏ : ‎ October 19, 2019
  • Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ Abbingdon Music Research
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07YZK5MDS
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 1,498 ratings

From the brand


Product Description

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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
1,498 global ratings

Customers say

Customers like the sound quality, build quality, value, and clarity of the electronic signal converter. For example, they mention that it makes an audible difference, the bass is tight and deep, and that the build quality is top notch. They appreciate the clarity, saying that it's well defined and crisp. That said, some complain about the ease of use and performance.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

119 customers mention97 positive22 negative

Customers like the sound quality of the electronic signal converter. They say the sound is full, natural, and tight. The bass is deep, but not sterile. The DAC is clean sounding, and everything now sounds clearer and more defined. It makes an audible difference, and improves tonality, detail, and sound stage. The noise experienced in this combination is superb and very different, and it adds a ton to the sub-bass without tainting the mids too much.

"...Holy Crap! Talk about being transported to another universe, the soundstage is crazy, I can hear every little detail on each song and with True-bass..." Read more

"...It's clean, smooth, warm, detailed, etc. with a quiet background and absolutely improves the sound quality by all objective and subjective measures..." Read more

"...It adds a ton to the sub-bass without tainting the mids too much. It definitely lends itself to certain styles of music...." Read more

"...Sound-wise, from the moment you turn it on (and by the way, make sure you have the latest firmware which will be the case if you order one new now)..." Read more

78 customers mention73 positive5 negative

Customers are satisfied with the quality of the electronic signal converter. They mention that the build quality is top notch, it's built like a tank, and the knob is buttery smooth. The sound quality is great, clear, and musical, not thin or overly analytical. Overall, customers describe the DAC as a very competent performer and a great little device.

"...It is extremely well made. Very solid aluminum enclosure, the buttons all feel well made and they are also metal, and the inputs and outputs offer a..." Read more

"...I don't go full out basshead, so I will absolutely be satisfied by the boost it provides. I expect most people to be satisfied as well...." Read more

"...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...." Read more

"...It's built like a tank - so there!..." Read more

47 customers mention45 positive2 negative

Customers find the value of the electronic signal converter to be excellent. They say it does exactly what it says it does, is powerful, and is one of the cheapest MQA dacs. Customers also say that the feature set is excellent for the price, and it helps lower budget type headphones. They like the build quality, sound, and price of the product.

"...3. Price/Value - I don't think there's anything out there that offers balanced/unbalanced, build quality AND MQA for the price point that this guy..." Read more

"...The value is just incredible." Read more

"...I think it performs very admirably for the price I paid (~130)...." Read more

"...The sound coming from the unit is very good, and the price is fine.However, when I plug in the headphones, the speakers do not cut out...." Read more

15 customers mention15 positive0 negative

Customers are satisfied with the clarity of the electronic signal converter. They mention that the sound is much more crisp and detailed, with incredible presence and separation. They also say that the mids are more clearly defined, and the bottom end is clear and separated. Overall, customers are happy with the performance of the product.

"...It's clean, smooth, warm, detailed, etc...." Read more

"...The sound, provided by the Burr Brown chipset, is just sublime. Detailed, rich, and smooth without coloring the sound too much...." Read more

"...you are greeted with a sound signature that is bold, with much depth. Bass is full, deep, and yet tight...." Read more

"...It really makes the bottom end clear and separated. not muddy at all...." Read more

10 customers mention10 positive0 negative

Customers are satisfied with the power of the electronic signal converter. They mention it's built solid, has more power to drive higher impedance headphones, and has the ability to power fairly hard to drive headphones. They also say the performance is more than expected for the price and gives a bigger boost than expected.

"...However, the TrueBass is still fantastic and gives a bigger boost than I expected...." Read more

"...It also has a Balanced output. And it has the power to drive fairly hard to drive headphones, like my He4xx, very well...." Read more

"...Having said all that, it does sound good, it is built solid, its pretty powerful and its likely one of the cheapest MQA dacs to boot, now that I..." Read more

"...I tried the Fiio K5 pro, but prefer this. The fiio is more powerful, but the dac sounded artificial by comparison...." Read more

8 customers mention8 positive0 negative

Customers like the appearance of the electronic signal converter. They mention that the volume knob is beautifully milled and finished, the design is simplistic, and it adds a nice depth and roundness to the output of their Android phone. The volume control is smooth, and the design allows it to be used as a pre-amp.

"...The volume knob is beautifully milled and finished and is a joy to turn...." Read more

"...The design is simplistic and but not boring enough to overlook. The knob is buttery smooth and does not feel cheap at all...." Read more

"...There is a more laid back, less harsh should I say more refined sound, more separation in the instruments although the sound stage remains about the..." Read more

"...I especially like the 12-sided, smooth-turning volume knob. The sound coming from the unit is very good, and the price is fine...." Read more

27 customers mention18 positive9 negative

Customers are mixed about the performance of the electronic signal converter. Some mention that it sounds fantastic, works nicely with the Raspberry's Linux OS, and is tight and very punchy. However, others say that it doesn't work right, refuses all output, and doesn' be useable with sensitive IEMs.

"...But in general it is really nice.The Volume knob turns very nicely, and the dial "Glows" depending on the Audio Resolution... As always..." Read more

"...Musically it was instantly recognize able as not working right...." Read more

"...-solid build-atypical aesthetics; ie not a box, volume knob is dope (as they say), indicator lights are pleasing..." Read more

"...Volume is adjusted in the system tray (same corner) for the current device; the most recent sound level is remembered for each device...." Read more

15 customers mention4 positive11 negative

Customers find the electronic signal converter difficult to use. They mention that there is no power button to turn the unit on or off, and the knob feels hard to turn. Some say that the button on the front feels rattly.

"...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...." Read more

"...-did not see the point of updating firmware to 5.3c *shrug*-NO POWER SWITCH. Shouldn't bother me as much as it does...." Read more

"...It also has a "truebass" button that slightly boosts the sub base and base response without distorting any other harmonics...." Read more

"...When I first got the unit, the knob felt hard to turn and has a lot of resistance near 11 o'clock. Not nearly as bad after using it...." Read more

Skeptic consumer
5 Stars
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.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Sound and Build
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.
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MTZ RAÚL
5.0 out of 5 stars ES CASI UN REGALO POR SU DESEMPEÑO LO VOLVERE A COMPRAR SIN DUDA
Reviewed in Mexico on May 25, 2021
2 people found this helpful
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ML
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent sound and great value. Even more goodness when paired with Zen CAN. Highly recommend!
Reviewed in Canada on January 5, 2021
Fabrizio
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Dominik Gauk
5.0 out of 5 stars No regret buying this
Reviewed in the Netherlands on July 27, 2021
Amazon Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars Unbalanced,non neutral sound with good amount of details.
Reviewed in India on March 6, 2021
3 people found this helpful
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