This is the best streamer value for money I have heard. I A-B'd it directly with the Chord 2go/2yu and the Bluesound Node, and preferred the Zen Stream. I'm only moving on from it because I'm changing my 2-channel setup to an active speaker with built-in streaming. Includes original box and...

I used coax and now use only USB 1.5 meters to my Pontus II no DDC. Just straight from Zen stream to DAC.

https://ifi-audio.com/products/zen-stream/ But is quite same technology, adaptated at the digital outputs But I don't think that on the SPDIF is integrated all the elements of the Spdif iPurifier (reclocking with Super-fast 10Mhz Global Master Timing femto clock)...

Cool, I just wanted to make you aware of it, as soon as I saw your post I remembered someone had some issues, and I never heard if the found a resolution. Cheers!!

...spotify and tidal. But others reported no issue also. However I am ONLY going to use the SPDIF out of ZS, I may use a USB disc to see if anything changes in quality. search results for "ifi zen stream spdif noise" https://www.head-fi.org/search/12718726/?q=ifi+zen+stream+spdif+noise&o=relevance

External power is also a source of noise. I use my X-SPDIF 2 without one. To my ears, it sounds better than with the 9.0V iFi iPower X I purchased for it. Not going to waste as I use it to power the iFi Zen Stream with it since it is a bit cleaner than the one I got with the streamer.

Can I ask how you grounded it?

Hello, I had an Ifi Zen Stream. My dac is an Ares II. The sound was great. Much better than Node 2021 + Ares II. But I had a lot of problems with Zen Stream. So I returned it after 14 days. Now I'm thinking whether to take a good streamer, or let's say this X-SPDIF-3? And to connect this DDC...

Ok, so to summarize, when comparing directly usb and spdif, I confirm spdif is a bit better. No stupid cables, just serious inexpensive ones. By the way, I grounded the zen stream and this makes usb a tiny bit better, still not better than spdif though. I still can't play dsd directly from...

I have similar question, concerning to Ifi ZEN stream. My chain: Mano Ultra -> coax/Spdif -> DI20-HE -> I2S -> R8 (EC), LHY-OCK1 clock for DDC and DAC Mano is good streamer with a very good power supply. Now I'm looking for an alternate USB source, better then Mano. I have got an Ifi ZEN for...

If you have a really noise/bad old motherboard or laptop. Then get a ddc. If you have a modern motherboard that is optimized for audio, then try/compare with DDC. Try SPDIF/COAX out of your Zen Stream into your SMSL. I think you will have a better performance/quality. If you decide to buy DDC...

Yes, but those measurements are for SPDIF. Are there any comparisons for asynchronous USB that show a measurable difference?

The following is a list of digital to digital converters (and some similar components like the MScaler) that I've had in and tested. These are listed in order of RMS jitter level upto 100khz, but I would encourage you to look at the actual spectrum of jitter too. The number alone can't provide...

You mean that the I2S sounds better right? They did some improvements on the I2S port regarding power/noise

FWIW, I have a Pro-ject Stream Box S2. I've also listened to the rest of my digital front end (Audioquest Jitterbug noise filter, Stordiau Lush USB cable, Pontus II DAC) connected to the digital output of a $7.7k Naim NDX 2 network player. I could not hear anything noticeably better or worse...

Sorry, was too busy up to now. So the Zen Stream is one of the best sounding streamers up to 1k bucks potentially with the IFI built-in purifier technology if you pair it with a decent PSU. Am using an IFI iPowerX for around hundred bucks which is told to bring it to let's say 95% of what more...

I've completed my homework, in comparing SPDIF to USB output. Both feed into a Chord Qutest. Initially, like I mentioned, SPDIF sounded unconvincing but, thanks to your advice, I went back and tried to figure out why. Since I only had a BNC-BNC cable, I had to deploy an RCA adapter; suddenly my...

Nice :beerchug: I’ll look at the ”DC iPurifier”. Using the iFi Zen Stream (brilliant piece of kit!) and as I’ve understod it all relevant iPurifier tech is ”included”… I actually also used to have a SW-8 (with a LPSU) going into a streamer and then USB out to DAC. In my system I’ve gotten...

Thanks. Just checked the ifi ZS official page. It says it's MQA passthrough only. Maybe it's a license matter? I understand this as the ZS receives and pass the MQA masters data to the DAC without doing anything. If the DAC has MQA rendering ability, then the first unfold should be done by the...

have you solved the usb issue? I tried yesterday and I am literally disgusted how bad USB - Ifi-Stream sounded connected to the Chord Qutest, so badly even, If I didn't have something else to connect it to, I would have returned the Cutest for the worst sounding dac EVER. I tested with optical...

Yes, this is correct if you have the first unfold option enabled on the Zen Stream. If you have a full MQA decoding DAC, this first step is not necessary. Your settings for your Zen Stream throughout all the different modes. It is on par with the original. We always recommend folks adding a...

Wait wait wait I found something. As I disconnected the spdif cable, usb started to sound better!!! This must be due to ground loop via spdif cable..... I need to redo the homework, because usb now sounds great.....

Hello, I have been able to perform the first comparisons between Allo Digione (powered by Allo Shanti) and Zen Streamer, using BNC output on the former and RCA Coaxial on the latter. Coaxial cable is the same for both and both feed a Chord Qutest DAC, also powered by Allo Shanti. Spatial...

I don't have issues with missing the first seconds of a track. I added a spdif purifier 2 in the chain powered by 20x lt3045 + ipower x modded with silver and it scaled the music even more. Better blacks, more realistic pianos and much smoother.