iFi audio ZEN Stream - Streaming elevated to a higher plane

[Audiobliss2]

I have been watching this zen stream also with hopes the bugs will be worked out in a new version. But for now I am sticking with the zen blue bluetooth, it's sounds amazing and totally bug free and simple, so happy I tried it.

 

[sabloke]

My Zen Stream runs bugs free of 18 months now. Roon Rock with 2TB SSD, Qobuz, Zen Stream, on Wi-Fi 2.4GHz. Absolutely flawless with anything I throw at it, up to DSD256. Don't blame iFi for buggy Tidal

 

[mukihr]

O.k....Hello guys... i am grateful for this thread....
....
bought Zen Stream....
Followed instructions for connecting it to Ethernet....
It did not turn green - remained white for connection....
Thought my CAT5 is not good - bought new one... it does not see the wire connection at all....
so, i installed the app... tried to do something with it....
it keeps crashing....
then i found out i can use my laptop to connect locally.... address was wrong - but i figured it out ... i can connect to it locally now ...
mannaged to get it run but, after every couple of minutes it stops and looses connection - so i need to connect it again through tidal and then it plays again for couple of minutes.....
sound is good even with regular power supply - would love to keep this unit (i am using tidal right now in all-in-one mode).... but seems to me it has so many bugs.....
also, tried to update the firmware - it says (after checking with ethernet cable connected) that it is up to date...
ohh... it does not want to play of spdif also... just through usb cable...

...

PLEASE HELP ME....
from where do i start??
what to do....

.....
...
WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO:
- connect through wire...
- use SPDIF instead of USB (my dac is M2Tech Young DSD with Van den Graaf psu)
- can use only Tidal but to have it stable not loosing connection to Tidal while playing for some time.....

...
BIG THANK YOU

 

[yoghurtlidlicker]

O.k....Hello guys... i am grateful for this thread....
....
bought Zen Stream....
Followed instructions for connecting it to Ethernet....
It did not turn green - remained white for connection....
Thought my CAT5 is not good - bought new one... it does not see the wire connection at all....
so, i installed the app... tried to do something with it....
it keeps crashing....
then i found out i can use my laptop to connect locally.... address was wrong - but i figured it out ... i can connect to it locally now ...
mannaged to get it run but, after every couple of minutes it stops and looses connection - so i need to connect it again through tidal and then it plays again for couple of minutes.....
sound is good even with regular power supply - would love to keep this unit (i am using tidal right now in all-in-one mode).... but seems to me it has so many bugs.....
also, tried to update the firmware - it says (after checking with ethernet cable connected) that it is up to date...
ohh... it does not want to play of spdif also... just through usb cable...

...

PLEASE HELP ME....
from where do i start??
what to do....

.....
...
WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO:
- connect through wire...
- use SPDIF instead of USB (my dac is M2Tech Young DSD with Van den Graaf psu)
- can use only Tidal but to have it stable not loosing connection to Tidal while playing for some time.....

...
BIG THANK YOU

I don't know how to help you with network issues but I think I got the same "bug" with SPDIF. What works for me - every time ZS power on, I have to go to 'playback options' and choose SPDIF, click 'Save' (even though it's already set us SPDIF!). I hope this makes sense.

 

[mukihr]

Thank you so much for your reply ....
Tried that too... the right led turns green but no sound is comming out...

...
i would be happy with usb... but some say it is better to use spdif... that is the reason for me trying......
....
and for network... ohh boy..... would love to get that wire working... but right now i am stuck....

 

[yoghurtlidlicker]

Thank you so much for your reply ....
Tried that too... the right led turns green but no sound is comming out...

...
i would be happy with usb... but some say it is better to use spdif... that is the reason for me trying......
....
and for network... ohh boy..... would love to get that wire working... but right now i am stuck....

ok... my exact steps are: turn on ZS, play any track (I use just USB drive) the light will come up but no sound, then go to playback options and hit 'save' they light will go off then it should work. If I just "save" and play it won't work. It's play -light on-> no sound --> save spdif -no light-> works

re network cable, have you checked it with any other device? does actually work?

 

[mukihr]

ok... my exact steps are: turn on ZS, play any track (I use just USB drive) the light will come up but no sound, then go to playback options and hit 'save' they light will go off then it should work. If I just "save" and play it won't work. It's play -light on-> no sound --> save spdif -no light-> works

re network cable, have you checked it with any other device? does actually work?

will try....
i bought a new cable - rigth from the box.... and also had one used to try... none worked.....
...
found another thread from another forum member with some good stuff there - will try that
link bellow also....
....
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ifi-zen-stream-setup-tips-tricks.961425/#post-16740713

 

[Mr BubbaHyde]

will try....
i bought a new cable - rigth from the box.... and also had one used to try... none worked.....
...
found another thread from another forum member with some good stuff there - will try that
link bellow also....
....
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ifi-zen-stream-setup-tips-tricks.961425/#post-16740713

Yes please follow those setup steps, and hopefully, your issues will be solved. The simple setup procedure in this video is basically all you need to do.



Let us know....

BTW White color is good!

Cheers!!

 

[mukihr]

Yes please follow those setup steps, and hopefully, your issues will be solved. The simple setup procedure in this video is basically all you need to do.



Let us know....

BTW White color is good!

Cheers!!

Thank you for your kind reply...
So far, i tried the stup from Your other thread mentioned in the link above yesterday... it did not work....
Firmware is: 2.31.7 from 26th April...
Attached the power only, did the reset on the back....Waited for a while, turned it off... Attached the ethernet (working one for sure)... Power on again....
Waited until steady... and it was white led on the left (i think it is said it has to be green?? - the left one with ethernet??)....
(picture attached for when i was only on ethernet)
went into local settings... hotspot was off, no problem.
Mannaged to connect to my wifi network. Left LED was stil white (this time it is expected because it is on wireless right?....

 

[mukihr]

tried to put playback on spdif... saved it, went of of the settings, in to the settings again to check if it is really spdif chosen... it was (picture attached)....
changed the input on my dac to rca (my dac inputs are optical, bnc, rca, usb).... it locks to the information (right led turns green) but nothing comes out through my dac to speakers.....

 

[mukihr]

when i change the playback to usb - connect the usb, it plays no problem.... (picture attached)

 

[mukihr]

so...
PLEASE let me know:
1. if i am using only ethernet - it should play music and the left led should be green right?!
2. if i am using either wire or wireless, it should play music through SPDIF also, not just usb - right?
_________________

My plan today is to try it again - using video BubbyHyde provided.... (thank You).....
but i would still like to be able to use SPDIF as it seems to give a bit better sound from what i understand??! (right?)

 

[yoghurtlidlicker]

tried to put playback on spdif... saved it, went of of the settings, in to the settings again to check if it is really spdif chosen... it was (picture attached)....
changed the input on my dac to rca (my dac inputs are optical, bnc, rca, usb).... it locks to the information (right led turns green) but nothing comes out through my dac to speakers.....

Follow my steps in previous post. SPDIF - hit play (no sound) - while still in playback - click save (the light will restart) - then it should work. If I just click save SPDIF, it doesn't work. The light is on but no sound.
It's a bit confusing.

On the second note, why would you choose RCA on your DAC? My guess would be BNC (maybe with Coax RCA adaptor - that's what I use).

 

[mukihr]

Follow my steps in previous post. SPDIF - hit play (no sound) - while still in playback - click save (the light will restart) - then it should work. If I just click save SPDIF, it doesn't work. The light is on but no sound.
It's a bit confusing.

On the second note, why would you choose RCA on your DAC? My guess would be BNC (maybe with Coax RCA adaptor - that's what I use).

will try while playing....
-
i have bnc separate and also rca separate..... these are two separate inputs for my dac.... M2Tech Young DSD has optical, rca, bnc and usb input... (i though i was maybe crazy so i switched to bnc also while the streamer was playing - nothing came out.... )....

 

[yoghurtlidlicker]

will try while playing....
-
i have bnc separate and also rca separate..... these are two separate inputs for my dac.... M2Tech Young DSD has optical, rca, bnc and usb input... (i though i was maybe crazy so i switched to bnc also while the streamer was playing - nothing came out.... )....

Makes sense!