iFi audio ZEN Stream - Streaming elevated to a higher plane

[mukihr]

o.k.....
so, the story with my Zen Stream ended in a way that i spoke with a supplier and he told me to return the unit and that he will send the new one....
he did... and also put a Cambridge audio coffee/tea/cold watter bottle in the package too (nice!!)
so,... the new unit - started as it should, connected as it should... spdif i had to connect from local settings like yogurtlidlicker told us to try - which is o.k....
so far it is working on either spdif or usb... no problem... did not loose connection so far... everything great...
BUT! (you knew it was comming - right ?)
...
old one did sound a bit better (that little that i was able to listen to it while it was stil working) ....
crazy how it sounds but it did sound better....
...
so, right now i have two options to listen to tidal - using my android tv to chromecast to it and via optical cable into my m2tech dac....
second option is zen stream (turned on tidal mode)....
had listened the first one it was better then my tv option... this second unit is sort of equal to my tv - some things are better some things are worse then my tv option....
....................................
....................................
so, i have a couple of questions - my power supply is a regular one supplied by iFi... 12VDC/1A black block of something inside....
how much a good linear power supply would make sound better - how much better - could anyone tell me that??....
also how turning from 12VDC to close to 15VDC will change sound? in what way...?
......
thank you guys....

 

[FooFighter]

In the menu of the Stream-ifi app change your volume mixer settings, if it's 50% soft move away from the Mixer None setting to something else, then set your level at a highest level from within the app.

I have seen this issue pop-up with some DDCs being connected to the ZS, I have definitely seen this with Singxer DDC exact same issue. It's more of a USB reporting, handshake type issue.

iFi has addressed similar situations in the past but you should definitely make HF Man aware as well, as the "reporting" usually has to come from the USB at the DAC end. In the past iFi has started "that they thought" people made DACs the way they did with full "reporting" over USB so issues like this don't arise.

In my experience this issues has mainly occurred with Chinese DACs and DDCs.

Hopefully you understand what I mean by reporting and let us know how you make out, but definitely change your mixer settings and you will get full volume.

Cheers!!

Hi chaps
Just got a Hifiman EF400 DAC-AMP for my bedside and am getting the same strange default behavior (mixer type: none) of volume reduction with Ifi Zen Stream.
I have now enabled the hardware volume option (hardware mixer) and set it to 100%
I am also able to modify this volume in the Roon play menue.
The result to my ears is now that it's playing at normal volume as it should.
My question now is
- is that hardware volume set to 100% the same as the default (mixer: none) as I am used to with standard DACs?
- if not what are the downsides of this hardware mixer vs none?
Thx in advance

 

[Bruceli]

@mukihr
Try to compare the two setups like 10-15 times, different days, different time of the day, different content (music, movies etc). If you still think it is worse, then so it is.

 

[mukihr]

@mukihr
Try to compare the two setups like 10-15 times, different days, different time of the day, different content (music, movies etc). If you still think it is worse, then so it is.

i understand... will do it with time... right now i wrote how i felt... two pairs of ears... same result....
anyway - need to search for some decent power supply to see my options....
if anyone has compared power supplies - would love to know what they found out... thank you....

 

[FooFighter]

@iFi audio Another question: there's no vertical stand yet for the Ifi Zen Stream as there is for the IDSD Neo, is there?

 

[FooFighter]

Hi chaps
Just got a Hifiman EF400 DAC-AMP for my bedside and am getting the same strange default behavior (mixer type: none) of volume reduction with Ifi Zen Stream.
I have now enabled the hardware volume option (hardware mixer) and set it to 100%
I am also able to modify this volume in the Roon play menue.
The result to my ears is now that it's playing at normal volume as it should.
My question now is
- is that hardware volume set to 100% the same as the default (mixer: none) as I am used to with standard DACs?
- if not what are the downsides of this hardware mixer vs none?
Thx in advance

@iFi audio as there's no answer yet from the forum, can you please verify / confirm that fixed volume is the same as mixer setting set to "hardware" and maxed out at "100%"?
Thx

 

[FooFighter]

Is there any hidden option to make Zen Stream connect only to the faster 5Ghz Wifi besides just disabling the 2.4Ghz on the router?

 

[sabloke]

The 2.4GHz is actually better for sound quality and sufficient for DSD256.

 

[FooFighter]

The 2.4GHz is actually better for sound quality and sufficient for DSD256.

Thx, getting not more than 60 MB/s and stutter once playing upsampled flac files with higher sample rates which won't happen with 5ghz where I am getting currently 433 MB/s.
That's quite significant.
Currently needing to reboot until I get the 5ghz which is like a lottery.
Once locked it's stable.
Am having Netgear Orbi wired mesh with one router for each floor, so there's no lack of signal strength here.
I didn't care once I was listening at my desktop site with wired Ethernet but am now using the Zen Stream as a bedside setup without an Ethernet wall port.

 

[sabloke]

Thx, getting not more than 60 MB/s and stutter once playing upsampled flac files with higher sample rates which won't happen with 5ghz where I am getting currently 433 MB/s.
That's quite significant.
Currently needing to reboot until I get the 5ghz which is like a lottery.
Once locked it's stable.
Am having Netgear Orbi wired mesh with one router for each floor, so there's no lack of signal strength here.
I didn't care once I was listening at my desktop site with wired Ethernet but am now using the Zen Stream as a bedside setup without an Ethernet wall port.

Make sure your 5GHz and 2.4GHz networks have different names and connect to the one you and only.

 

[FooFighter]

Make sure your 5GHz and 2.4GHz networks have different names and connect to the one you and only.

That's a good Idea!
I will give that a try

 

[sabloke]

I run a Netgear RAX80 router and I had serious issues connecting older gear to Wi-Fi until giving up on the Smart Connect option.

 

[Flm09]

I successfully set up Zen and now streaming through Spotify connect in AIO mode through coax. Previously I was using Cambridge 851N using optical out (Wireworld glass). Zen of course is coax with Wireworld Gold 75 ohm. From cold power up Zen has less black background maybe due to no optical not sure. Sounds is less digital sounding less bright. Same details if not a wee bit more but not night and day. I will test for a week. Curious why after initial app set up I can't get back in keeps crashing but music is playing fine? Is it because I am streaming?

 

[Flm09]

Btw I haven't read any reviews here. I wanted an unbiased opinion. Also noticed after 30 mins I hear more room information. Reverberations. Things that stick out in my mind is more natural sounding with more details but maybe a bit laid back!

 

[Flm09]

Update not too laid back as just streamed Patricia Barber "My girl" Has proper rhythm and guitar plucks lept out!