iFi audio ZEN CAN

Ifi Zen Can or Can not?

The @iFi audio Zen can is the middle of the road headphone amplifier between the more affordable air range and signature. The amplifier is a straight up analog amplifier with all the inputs and outputs you might need in a modern, compact and powerful package. The amplifier offers RCA single ended and 4.4 balanced inputs, 6.5mm single ended and 4.4 balance outputs. It has 4 level of gains and a switch to move between inputs. There is also a button for the Xbass and 3D analog runnings which is basically a bass boost and a crossfeed respectively (later on that). I will not bother you with the specs and details since you can find all this information in Ifi’s website.




I used this amplifier as my desktop solution connected to a Chord Mojo 2 as the main DACs and using Roon to stream local files and music from Qobuz. All files were CD quality and above. To test the amplifier I used a wide range of headphones and IEMs such as the Sony IER-Z1R, the ultra low impedance Fiio FH5, Audeze MX-4, Audeze LCD-XC, Sennheiser HD800s and Sennheiser HD6xx.





In the modern age and for this price point, I find amplifiers to be very similar and what separate the good from the bad is power and overall performance in terms of distortion, noise etc. I really liked the volume knob and the quality of materials. This is a very well made amplifier with a very compact size to fit in every desk and situation. Considering the current price at £149 while on sale here in the UK, I would say that this is the European answer to Schiit Audio’s budget headphone amplifiers. I’ve owned a Magni+ for some time and currently it is at £135 which makes it a direct competitor. For me the Ifi Vs the Magni is like European Vs American cars. The American cars are powerful, loud but they lack a sense of sophistication and are made of very cheap materials. Thats what the Zen Can brings in comparison. Sophistication, flexibility and quality. In comparison the Magni feels cheap. Yes, both have power but the Zen Can offers another level of flexibility, connectivity options, power to spare with build quality that is miles ahead of the Magni.

I started listening with a bit of scepticism after reading some reviews regarding the measured performance of this amplifier and the stated inability to drive low impedance headphones. To be frank and straight that was not the case. In terms of power, either voltage or amps, the amplifier drove all my headphones and IEMs without any issue whatsoever. The gain switch did the trick every time and with high impedance headphones I used the 6db setting while with low impedance headphones and IEMs I opted for the 0db gain setting. It terms of noise floor there was noting. Just a clean and black background. It terms of power there was not an issue either by using the balanced or single ended output.





For comparisons I used the headphone amplifier from the Mojo 2, the RME ADI-2 Day FS and Shiit Magni+. In comparison the Zen Can is slightly warmer compared to the other amplifiers with euphonic nature. It has a clear and distinguishing difference with acoustic instruments like guitars and the way overtones and decay is projected. I don’t know which one is more neutral but what I can say is that the Zen Can sounded more like real music played in a room. I found also that the amplifier sounded slightly different when used with the single ended input vs the 4.4 balanced. When used with a balanced input the amplifier is at its best considering that this is a fully balanced design. The 4.4 input sounded cleaner and the simplest way is to describe it as brighter but not harsh or artificially boosted. It just like a vail has been lifted and the music comes across cleaner with greater instrument separation. Compare to the Magni, the Zen Can had more depth to the sound while the Magni was slightly wider. Especially between the two I don’t think it is a matter of sound quality but flexibility, features and connectivity. From that point of view I am afraid there is no comparison since the Zen Can is on another league.

What has t be mentioned here is the Xbass and 3D analog equalisation. The Xbass, like the 3D, is a fully analog implementation. The Xbass is a very nicely done bass shelf from 200hz all the way down to sub bass. I truly and honestly enjoyed this button with the HD800s and HD6xx. I call it the magic button and for me this is the defect boost for these two headphones. From the other hand the 3D is a crossfeed implementation which combines left and right channel. The result is a slightly more specious presentation where the imaging is not very well defined but you don’t get this natural instrument separation especially with albums badly mastered where left and right channel are separated to the extreme. Overall these are two very useful settings and if you own the 6XX or 800s that the Xbass will be your best friend.






So, at £149 right now on sale, you get a super powerful amplifier, with a lot of flexibility, great features in a small footprint with exceptional build quality. This is form me the best bang for the buck headphone amplifier I’ve used and by far the best value proposition in the budget entry class. To outdone this performance in amplification you will have to spend way more money with questionable return. To put the money where my mouth is I’ve asked Ifi to issue an invoice because this little amplifier is not going anywhere. From now this is my defect desktop amplifier for everyday use.

Thank you for Reading

AA

Equipment used

Headphones:
Meze 99 Classics
Sennheiser/Drop HD6XX (My Reference)
Sennheiser HD800S (Classical, Acoustic, Jazz)
Sennheiser HD25 (On the go, undistractable, great Isolation with punchy sound)
Grado SR80e (Used for calls, video conferences and podcasts)
Audeze LCD-MX4 (Dynamic, Powerful and Visceral sound. Pop, EDM, Electronica, Techno)
Audeze LCD-X (2020) (I am still figuring this out)
Audeze LCD-XC (2021) (My closed back reference)

IEMs:
Sony IER-Z1R (My Reference)
Fiio FH5 (it works with nice bass)
Blon BL-03 (it works)
TruthEar Zero (also works)


Music Used:

1. Melanie De Biasio - Your Freedom is the End of Me
2. Hans Zimmer - Mountains
3. Gillian Welch - The Way it Goes
4. Florence & The Machine - Ship to Wreck
5. Dire Straits - Water of Love
6. Antonio Vivaldi - Winter Concerto in F minor
7. Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake, Swan Theme
8. Biig Piig - Roses and Gold
9. Amber Rubarth - Hold On
10. Billie Eilish - Everything I wanted
11. Metallica - Enter Sandman
12. Led Zeppelin - Ramble on
13. Beyonce - Daddy Lessons
14. Kenny Burrell - Chitlins Con Carne
15. Dave Brubeck - Take Five
16. Air - Talisman
17. Bombino - Iyat Na Hay
18. GoGo Penguin - Totem
19. Hans Theessink - St. James Infirmary
20. Céu Acustic0 (Complete Album)

Source

Mac mini using Roon

The Zen can as well as Zen DAC come in a attractive box with most of the accessories you might need.
The build quality is exceptional, all metal construction and a very cool shape to mimic a Zen stone pile, inputs and outputs are plentiful and far more than anything else in its price range. Inside the box one finds a warranty card, a quick start guide, purple RCA cable, 5V wall power supply adapter and a slim line 6.3mm adapter.

The volume knob is perhaps the best one I've used so so far, very smooth and not cheap feeling. The usual lower volume imbalance on most Amps is so minimal it not noticeable. The four step gain is a welcome feature Xbass is well implemented and ads a tasteful amount of bass, details without over doing it. The 3D effect gives a little more openness to the sounds boost the mids and treble slightly as well, it should be noted that these are not filters but an analog circuit.


The sound in general is balanced/neutral with some warmth mostly its true to its source without adverse coloration.
Bass: presents itself well defined with good texture and control, the both Sub-Bass and Mid-Bass are respectively clean, nothing is emphasized until you hit that Xbass button.
Mids: are clear with a pleasant hint of warmth, nothing is added here just well done clean and detailed mids.
Treble: is neutral and has a good extension , more so with a balanced connection. Still its has good clean highs without harshness I found on some other amps.

The device has a enough power to bring life to the HD650 and Fostex T50RP without distortion or having to run max power, indeed it should run most headphones without an issue. IEMs are great but while the Zen has a low ground noise it is not recommended for very sensitive low power IEMs, I would recommend DD IEMs over the 12 Ohm rating and hybrid and BA IEMs 32 Ohms and up.

Conclusion: ifi has made some iconic audio products and the Zen Can is no exception.
Great build quality, sound and performance with a very usual design I personally like. It worked well everything from headphones to IEMs. The Zen Can and Dac offer a great performance to price ratio, together the work so well complimenting each other.

About me:
Music lover and earphone enthusiast, most of my previous reviews are in spanish.

Disclaimer: iFi graciously lent me the Zen Can in exchange of my opinion

Gear used: Sennheiser HD560s, Fostex T50RP, Hifi boy OSV3, Zen Can and Ifi´s own 4.4-4.4 cable

About iFi:
iFi audio is a company with headquarters in the UK that since 2012 has launched more than 30 high quality audio products with one aim in mind "to improve your music enjoyment." You can find more in https://ifi-audio.com/about-ifi/

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