iFi audio ZEN Stream - Streaming elevated to a higher plane

[Mr BubbaHyde]

@sabloke Just ran Spotify for about 30 mins on my Windows 10 PC, I had no issues..

 

[sabloke]

@sabloke Just ran Spotify for about 30 mins on my Windows 10 PC, I had no issues..

Getting home in a couple of hours. Will try Win10 app again and then the Android app, too.

 

[sabloke]

Strange, I could not get to the version you have. I even uninstalled and reinstalled, highest I can get is 8.6.68.1225

Perhaps my Tablets age? Samsung Galaxy Tab A

Or perhaps that's as high as we are in US?

Don't worry, nothing wrong with your Spotify app version. I've got the same one. Should stop typing without reading glasses on, damn it

OK, tested from Android phone, Win PC, same result: does not work. I can stream from PC to the phone, no worries. But despite selecting the streamer, as soon as I press play, connection is lost from either the PC or the phone. I have restarted the streamer, unplugged power, even restarted the router. Same result.

 

[rudy49]

I have been looking at buying a streamer for quite a while now. When finally my moths long research was done and got through dozens of reviews, my heart was set on the Lumin U1 Mini. A great unit, no doubt, but then IFi uneashed this little bugger and I thought, why not try it? It does cost 6X less than the Lumin and if I don't like it, well, I'll just pass it on with minimum financial loss. Long story short, can't see why I would need another streamer. Unless IFi launches a Pro version if it, the Zen will stay, indefinitely.

have you heard the Lumin U1 Mini? how does it compare in SQ? thanks.

 

[iFi audio]

have you heard the Lumin U1 Mini? how does it compare in SQ? thanks.

Now this would be an interesting comparison

 

[Mr BubbaHyde]

Don't worry, nothing wrong with your Spotify app version. I've got the same one. Should stop typing without reading glasses on, damn it

OK, tested from Android phone, Win PC, same result: does not work. I can stream from PC to the phone, no worries. But despite selecting the streamer, as soon as I press play, connection is lost from either the PC or the phone. I have restarted the streamer, unplugged power, even restarted the router. Same result.

!!

I was losing it! lol... Try doing the reset from inside the app and see what gives!

 

[simon740]

Hello,
80% of the music I listen to is from my hdd. Is it sensible to buy this streamer then?

regards,
Simom

 

[Mr BubbaHyde]

Hello,
80% of the music I listen to is from my hdd. Is it sensible to buy this streamer then?

regards,
Simom

Look forward! One day that 20% might become 40 50!

Plus, off you would like one of the best quality sounds from that 80% without spending a fortune then..,

Yes, Yes it is worth it!!

Cheers!!

 

[simon740]

Look forward! One day that 20% might become 40 50!

Plus, off you would like one of the best quality sounds from that 80% without spending a fortune then..,

Yes, Yes it is worth it!!

Cheers!!

I understand. Hmm..
Thank you

regards,
Simon

 

[Mr G]

Don't worry, nothing wrong with your Spotify app version. I've got the same one. Should stop typing without reading glasses on, damn it

OK, tested from Android phone, Win PC, same result: does not work. I can stream from PC to the phone, no worries. But despite selecting the streamer, as soon as I press play, connection is lost from either the PC or the phone. I have restarted the streamer, unplugged power, even restarted the router. Same result.

I encountered the same problem recently with Spotify Connect. I was able to resolve it by restarting my DAC, while leaving ZS powered on. Hope it works for you.

 

[DACer]

I would be carfull with 15V PS, input capacitors are rated at just 16V and that is not enough for safe and long 15V operation
Stick to quality 12V PS ,audio grade LPS if you can ...

 

[antastik]

I would be carfull with 15V PS, input capacitors are rated at just 16V and that is not enough for safe and long 15V operation
Stick to quality 12V PS ,audio grade LPS if you can ...

My stock power supply was an iPower 15V...

 

[antastik]

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.....

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 spdif, only dsd dop (my dac supports dsd direct over spdif).
Sébastien promised to ask IFI for noise levels of usb and spdif..... Any news?
Cheers

 

[Mr BubbaHyde]

I was looking at this picture I took earlier today, and I thought this pretty much sums up my feeling of three performance of the Zen Stream, and also it's cost benefit ratio!!

The weekend is here, hope we all enjoy our tunes!! #Hellyeah !!

Cheers!!

 

[sabloke]

Factory reset, restart, firmware upgrade and now Spotify works again.

My current firmware: