[sunjam]

Congrats on the launch and thank you iFi for supporting (voluntarily or involuntarily) MQA. Any rational, well-adjusted child or nominally functioning member of society can figure out what they like or don’t like.

However, if you’re being held against your will, blink twice…

LOL.... 100% agreed with your comment.

However, people like us....oh sorry, I should say, to be exact, like me, on a famous Audio Science based Review forum, would be considered as mentally blocked if you just have a different viewpoint.

For example,

They said you should hear no difference between two DACs that are "measured as audiably transparent". If you have any other viewpoint from this, you are mentally blocked.

BTW, I noticed that they don't configure the system to support the thinking icon when I first used their system and I didn't know why <== as I was thinking.....

After a few dicussions with them, I know why they don't support thinking there. Oh... well.... I meant the icon.

 

[iFi audio]

Still no sign of Zen DAC 3 in the EU.

@iFi audio One of the things I love about IFI products is that they have always supported both UAC1 and UAC2 audio. Could you please confirm if the Zen DAC 3 supports UAC1 as well ? This is needed for it work with consoles like PS5.

I have asked for clarification on the stock issue thanks for your patience!

Regarding UAC1 and 2 as far as I know this is correct regarding supporting PlayStation use. But I will verify and post back.

Cheers!!

 

[iFi audio]

LOL.... 100% agreed with your comment.

However, people like us....oh sorry, I should say, to be exact, like me, on a famous Audio Science based Review forum, would be considered as mentally blocked if you just have a different viewpoint.

For example,

They said you should hear no difference between two DACs that are "measured as audiably transparent". If you have any other viewpoint from this, you are mentally blocked.

BTW, I noticed that they don't configure the system to support the thinking icon when I first used their system and I didn't know why <== as I was thinking.....

After a few dicussions with them, I know why they don't support thinking there. Oh... well.... I meant the icon.

At least in iFi threads, all viewpoints are tolerated here, right up until the point where they infringe on someone's happiness!

Cheers!!

 

[sunjam]

At least in iFi threads, all viewpoints are tolerated here, right up until the point where they infringe on someone's happiness!

Cheers!!

I really enjoy your presence here. All I can see is that you are indeed trying to help people instead of giving out mis-leading info like the other site as shown below:

e.g.

And too bad... some people do believe it after seeing comments like this (even if they can really hear the difference between different DACs)...
If you insist that you can hear a difference in the thread, those senior members of the site would use a unfalsible claim to make you conform with their view like:

"If they measure as transparent, they sounds the same; if not, it is either your brain is fooling you or a poorly construction filter in the DAC is causing it"

If you attempt to discuss more by showing them more facts, they would just shut you up (by stopping you from replying) and considered you as mentally blocked. LOL.

To me, measurement is just one thing. Most importantly is that the DAC reproduce great music. In fact, I believe that anyone who are interested in iFi products would use their ears to help them to select the products instead of their eyes.

To be honest, I am considering to get a Zen DAC but cannot make up my mind between V2 and V3. I am waiting people like the developer of HQPlayer to test it for DSD512 before I could make up my decision (but that's just a reference point)

(BTW, sorry for a bit off topic, I created a blog to try to debunk some similar mis-leading, pseudo science claims related to audio science, hifi, etc. It is pretty new (just for a few days). Here is the link Debunk Pseudo Scientific Claims (no-pseudo-science.blogspot.com). Check it out if you are interested).

 

[iFi audio]

I really enjoy your presence here. All I can see is that you are indeed trying to help people instead of giving out mis-leading info like the other site as shown below:

e.g.



And too bad... some people do believe it after seeing comments like this (even if they can really hear the difference between different DACs)...
If you insist that you can hear a difference in the thread, those senior members of the site would use a unfalsible claim to make you conform with their view like:


If you attempt to discuss more by showing them more facts, they would just shut you up (by stopping you from replying) and considered you as mentally blocked. LOL.

To me, measurement is just one thing. Most importantly is that the DAC reproduce great music. In fact, I believe that anyone who are interested in iFi products would use their ears to help them to select the products instead of their eyes.

To be honest, I am considering to get a Zen DAC but cannot make up my mind between V2 and V3. I am waiting people like the developer of HQPlayer to test it for DSD512 before I could make up my decision (but that's just a reference point)

(BTW, sorry for a bit off topic, I created a blog to try to debunk some similar mis-leading, pseudo science claims related to audio science, hifi, etc. It is pretty new (just for a few days). Here is the link Debunk Pseudo Scientific Claims (no-pseudo-science.blogspot.com). Check it out if you are interested).

There was a time when I used to look at specifics, but I found my enjoyment of the music was fading as it seemed it was not the place for me!

Be glad you are here. and most of all enjoy the music! Arguments can be found on all sides, as well as common ground, but only in the Music, not the measurements!

Cheers!! and Welcome!

 

[iFi audio]

Still no sign of Zen DAC 3 in the EU.

@iFi audio One of the things I love about IFI products is that they have always supported both UAC1 and UAC2 audio. Could you please confirm if the Zen DAC 3 supports UAC1 as well ? This is needed for it work with consoles like PS5.

Please check for stock when you can, it shows in stock on our end, and let me know if it is showing otherwise.

UAC1 and 2 are indeed supported!

Cheers!!

 

[Assationater]

To be honest, I am considering to get a Zen DAC but cannot make up my mind between V2 and V3. I am waiting people like the developer of HQPlayer to test it for DSD512 before I could make up my decision (but that's just a reference point)

Zen dac 3's SNR and DNR numbers are worse then v2's, so take that as you will.

 

[sunjam]

Zen dac 3's SNR and DNR numbers are worse then v2's, so take that as you will.

Thanks for pointing it out (and I think I noticed it earlier too https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ifi-audio-zen-dac-3-plug-in-world-out.972484/post-18077463 in this thread already)

However, the spec didn't specify under what condition it was measured (PCM, DSD, bitrate, etc..). I am planning to use the Zen DAC for my DSD512 (upsampled by HQPlayer) playback. The measurements hopefully will be DSD512 specific.

By the way, I am currently using a DAC that does not support DSD Direct. The developer of HQPlayer and some other people in the thread (https://community.roonlabs.com/t/best-native-dsd-dacs-for-use-with-hqplayer/132298/1776) found out that actually quite a few DACs that claim to support "DSD Direct" are indeed questionable after measurements (e.g. Topping E30 II). We are having quite a lot of related discussions on that thread if you would like to join.

One thing for sure is that all iFi with the BB chip are indeed supporting real DSD Direct. If you also want to have a real DSD Direct DAC (for sure), Zen DAC would be a great choice.

 

[Assationater]

Thanks for pointing it out (and I think I noticed it earlier too https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ifi-audio-zen-dac-3-plug-in-world-out.972484/post-18077463 in this thread already)

However, the spec didn't specify under what condition it was measured (PCM, DSD, bitrate, etc..). I am planning to use the Zen DAC for my DSD512 (upsampled by HQPlayer) playback. The measurements hopefully will be DSD512 specific.

By the way, I am currently using a DAC that does not support DSD Direct. The developer of HQPlayer and some other people in the thread (https://community.roonlabs.com/t/best-native-dsd-dacs-for-use-with-hqplayer/132298/1776) found out that actually quite a few DACs that claim to support "DSD Direct" are indeed questionable after measurements (e.g. Topping E30 II). We are having quite a lot of related discussions on that thread if you would like to join.

One thing for sure is that all iFi with the BB chip are indeed supporting real DSD Direct. If you also want to have a real DSD Direct DAC (for sure), Zen DAC would be a great choice.

im glad that ifi continues to supports DSD and MQA, at a price that wont make you go broke.

 

[sunjam]

im glad that ifi continues to supports DSD and MQA, at a price that wont make you go broke.

Exactly, by supporting MQA, it has one more checkbox checked (for me)

 

[iFi audio]

A big Thank you to Becky Scarrott of Tech Radar for the mention of our "two" new Zen 3 series pieces!

Tech Radar

Cheers!!

 

[nioh]

Please check for stock when you can, it shows in stock on our end, and let me know if it is showing otherwise.

UAC1 and 2 are indeed supported!

Cheers!!

Thank you for confirming both !
Order placed

 

[iFi audio]

Thank you for confirming both !
Order placed

Awesome! Thanks so much for the support!

Will keep an eye out for thoughts!

Cheers!!

 

[BS5711]

I really enjoy your presence here. All I can see is that you are indeed trying to help people instead of giving out mis-leading info like the other site as shown below:

e.g.



And too bad... some people do believe it after seeing comments like this (even if they can really hear the difference between different DACs)...
If you insist that you can hear a difference in the thread, those senior members of the site would use a unfalsible claim to make you conform with their view like:


If you attempt to discuss more by showing them more facts, they would just shut you up (by stopping you from replying) and considered you as mentally blocked. LOL.

To me, measurement is just one thing. Most importantly is that the DAC reproduce great music. In fact, I believe that anyone who are interested in iFi products would use their ears to help them to select the products instead of their eyes.

To be honest, I am considering to get a Zen DAC but cannot make up my mind between V2 and V3. I am waiting people like the developer of HQPlayer to test it for DSD512 before I could make up my decision (but that's just a reference point)

(BTW, sorry for a bit off topic, I created a blog to try to debunk some similar mis-leading, pseudo science claims related to audio science, hifi, etc. It is pretty new (just for a few days). Here is the link Debunk Pseudo Scientific Claims (no-pseudo-science.blogspot.com). Check it out if you are interested).

Not trying to argue, just politely putting forward a counterpoint.

Doesn’t audibly transparent mean that the analog output is absolute faithful to the digital input ?

If two different DACs do that with different internal components, the analog signal from both audibly transparent DACs will be identical and therefore the sound out of the connected amplifier will be identical, isn’t that literally the meaning of audibly transparent.

Not being funny but it sounds like you are arguing essentially with the statement “two devices that sound the same will sound the same.”

Extending that further, if two amplifiers are also audibly transparent won’t they sound they, by definition of audibly transparent, also sound the same ? So any combination of audibly transparent DAC and amplifier will sound the same.

I saw your visual comparisons. Isn’t that actually shooting down your own argument? You are literally showing how our senses can be fooled by other stimuli. In your examples it is vision that is fooled, in audio it is hearing that can be easily fooled or isn’t reliable. Our auditory system is an awful long way from infallible and isn’t a great judge if other stimuli are also introduced, that is just how we as humans function.

 

[Assationater]

I saw your visual comparisons. Isn’t that actually shooting down your own argument? You are literally showing how our senses can be fooled by other stimuli. In your examples it is vision that is fooled, in audio it is hearing that can be easily fooled or isn’t reliable. Our auditory system is an awful long way from infallible and isn’t a great judge if other stimuli are also introduced, that is just how we as humans function.

No, his entire point is simply saying it goes both ways,