[Mr BubbaHyde]

Hello,

I have read this topic with interest and ordered this unit. When I tried to set it up I had a cold sweat. It seemed dead or bricked. I was not getting the green light after 2 minutes on wired or wifi mode. So, I decided to scan for the IP adress of this unit and found out that 192.168.211.1 was wrong. In my case it was 192.168.1.18. I typed this in my browser and I was in

So, please check for the good IP adress and stop blaming the power supply

Hope this will help some of you out there.

A question because I really don't know the answer! If you simply typed http://ifi.local does that automatically give you the wrong address? or does it simply find the device, not matter what ip it's on?

Asking for clarity, as even with my pi's I never typed an ip address, just you know ropieee.local

Thanks!!

 

[tombrisbane]

Not to any of my RPi's, Cambridge, Computers, Zip zero nada, so I'm probably in the minority, lol

Lucky! Tidal issues are common for me, the app crashes on my ZX507 quite often.

I can’t believe the difference this has made to my setup, it’s a massive step up from where I was. Very happy camper lol.

 

[Mr BubbaHyde]

Lucky! Tidal issues are common for me, the app crashes on my ZX507 quite often.

I can’t believe the difference this has made to my setup, it’s a massive step up from where I was. Very happy camper lol.

I am happy for you, and very glad you like it! I do not think any of us are wrong in what we are hearing, I think it is just a well thought out alternative to spending thousands on something "higher end". If someone wants that great, if they want an "almost all" encompassing product, this just may be it!

You've tried I assume to figure out why Tidal is giving you fits, correct?

 

[tombrisbane]

You've tried I assume to figure out why Tidal is giving you fits, correct?

Yeah. Clean install of it helps out for a while on the Walkman. Runs fine on my iPhone/iPad/PC and running fine now on the dedicated option on the Zen. I’ll switch back to AIO tomorrow and will play around with the settings. I use Tidal 99% of the time so not a big deal if I need to leave it in dedicated mode.

 

[Mr BubbaHyde]

Yeah. Clean install of it helps out for a while on the Walkman. Runs fine on my iPhone/iPad/PC and running fine now on the dedicated option on the Zen. I’ll switch back to AIO tomorrow and will play around with the settings. I use Tidal 99% of the time so not a big deal if I need to leave it in dedicated mode.

I only took mine out of AIO for a test of Roon mode, and Tidal mode. Just for that brief period I did not hear any significant enough differences to warrant switching. But that was very brief. So more listening is required there as some are saying they hear differences.!

 

[Taz777]

A question because I really don't know the answer! If you simply typed http://ifi.local does that automatically give you the wrong address? or does it simply find the device, not matter what ip it's on?

Asking for clarity, as even with my pi's I never typed an ip address, just you know ropieee.local

Thanks!!

The DDNS provided by the device on your home network will only be available once the device has joined your network. This mainly applies to WiFi connections. If you're using an Ethernet (wired) connection to your Stream then it will obtain an IP address from your router using DHCP. Once that IP address is obtained, it will use Dynamic DNS to register ifi.local on your home network. This means that you do not have to use an IP address, but you can use the URL ifi.local.

However, things are different if you do not use an Ethernet (wired) connection. In this case you have to set up the wireless hotspot on your stream. Your Stream then (temporarily) becomes a WiFi hotspot with it's own SSID. You can use a computer, tablet or phone's browser to connect to the hotspot by browsing for the Stream's SSID (a bit like searching for WiFi in a hotel). You then connect to the Stream using a browser and then set up the Stream to connect to your home WiFi. Once, connected to your home WiFi, the Stream will establish its URL (ifi.local) using DDNS on your home network.

You then disconnect your computer/iPad/phone from the Stream's own WiFi hotspot and connect your device back to your home WiFi. At this point you will be able to connect to ifi.local on your home network.

That's how I understand things are working for wired vs WiFi setup of the Stream.

 

[Mr BubbaHyde]

The DDNS provided by the device on your home network will only be available once the device has joined your network. This mainly applies to WiFi connections. If you're using an Ethernet (wired) connection to your Stream then it will obtain an IP address from your router using DHCP. Once that IP address is obtained, it will use Dynamic DNS to register ifi.local on your home network. This means that you do not have to use an IP address, but you can use the URL ifi.local.

However, things are different if you do not use an Ethernet (wired) connection. In this case you have to set up the wireless hotspot on your stream. Your Stream then (temporarily) becomes a WiFi hotspot with it's own SSID. You can use a computer, tablet or phone's browser to connect to the hotspot by browsing for the Stream's SSID (a bit like searching for WiFi in a hotel). You then connect to the Stream using a browser and then set up the Stream to connect to your home WiFi. Once, connected to your home WiFi, the Stream will establish its URL (ifi.local) using DDNS on your home network.

You then disconnect your computer/iPad/phone from the Stream's own WiFi hotspot and connect your device back to your home WiFi. At this point you will be able to connect to ifi.local on your home network.

That's how I understand things are working for wired vs WiFi setup of the Stream.

Gotcha, Thanks for the explanation. That is one thing I will never understand, lol

I may be able to make music, and make audio things, and circuits work, but, Wifi and all that Jazz.... not a chance!!!

 

[Mr BubbaHyde]

The DDNS provided by the device on your home network will only be available once the device has joined your network. This mainly applies to WiFi connections. If you're using an Ethernet (wired) connection to your Stream then it will obtain an IP address from your router using DHCP. Once that IP address is obtained, it will use Dynamic DNS to register ifi.local on your home network. This means that you do not have to use an IP address, but you can use the URL ifi.local.

However, things are different if you do not use an Ethernet (wired) connection. In this case you have to set up the wireless hotspot on your stream. Your Stream then (temporarily) becomes a WiFi hotspot with it's own SSID. You can use a computer, tablet or phone's browser to connect to the hotspot by browsing for the Stream's SSID (a bit like searching for WiFi in a hotel). You then connect to the Stream using a browser and then set up the Stream to connect to your home WiFi. Once, connected to your home WiFi, the Stream will establish its URL (ifi.local) using DDNS on your home network.

You then disconnect your computer/iPad/phone from the Stream's own WiFi hotspot and connect your device back to your home WiFi. At this point you will be able to connect to ifi.local on your home network.

That's how I understand things are working for wired vs WiFi setup of the Stream.

Kinda poking the bear I guess, but doesn't anyone who has Wifi have the ability to set it up wired first, then do the Wifi setup in the iFi app? I mean you do have a Modem/Router in the house or apartment if you have wifi correct?

Unless you only have a cell phone, or your gigging on someone elses wifi I guess, LMAO

Fix me if I'm wrong here, lol

 

[stu667]

A question because I really don't know the answer! If you simply typed http://ifi.local does that automatically give you the wrong address? or does it simply find the device, not matter what ip it's on?

Asking for clarity, as even with my pi's I never typed an ip address, just you know ropieee.local

Thanks!!

When I typed ifi.local it didn't work. Nothing was found. I had to search on my network all the ip adresses connected and found the streamer. After that I typed in chrome the ip adress and I was in.

All this was done in wired mode.

 

[Mr BubbaHyde]

When I typed ifi.local it didn't work. Nothing was found. I had to search on my network all the ip adresses connected and found the streamer. After that I typed in chrome the ip adress and I was in.

All this was done in wired mode.

Good to know! Thank You!

 

[dsnyder]

I just paired the iFi NEO iDSD DAC/Amp with the ZEN Stream this morning. Some good news…the Stream actually does support native DSD with the NEO and, likely, all iFi DACs based on similar firmware. The impact is that I can stream my DSD256 albums to this combo without downsampling, while I was limited to DSD128 over DoP to my other DACs. The ZEN Stream still won't pass DSD512 or PCM above 384 kHz, even to the NEO. Again, this limitation seems arbitrary. Perhaps the plan is to introduce a NEO Stream product; the ZEN limitations are there for future product differentiation. Hoping that's not the case, but iFi would not be the first company to pull stuff like this.

Compared to the Khadas Tone2 Pro, the NEO sounds a little more reserved and "British" but also slightly more tonally dense. Sub bass has a center-of-the-earth solidity that I didn't notice when I fed the NEO with my VitOS streamer. The NEO has a virtually unrivaled way of unraveling layers in recordings. Nothing in particular stands out in the mix; I just hear more of everything that's going on…all at once. NEO seems to benefit from the ZEN Stream but not to the startling degree that the Khadas Tone2 Pro did. Perhaps the reason is that I've been powering the NEO with a 5V iPower X supply while I was running the Tone2 Pro bus-powered from the Stream.

Another minor disappointment with the ZEN Stream's current Roon integration is that it does not display the signal path beyond ALSA. This is particularly noticeable when streaming MQA content. For example, here's what I see for the ZEN Stream vs. one of my VitOS streamers:

The difference is cosmetic, but I consider a $399 streamer a somewhat premium product. Hoping this is something that, like the lack of native DSD support for modern DACs, will be addressed by future firmware updates. I suspect that getting into the Linux 5.x kernel series will take care of both issues.

 

[crowtree99]

I just paired the iFi NEO iDSD DAC/Amp with the ZEN Stream this morning. Some good news…the Stream actually does support native DSD with the NEO and, likely, all iFi DACs based on similar firmware. The impact is that I can stream my DSD256 albums to this combo without downsampling, while I was limited to DSD128 over DoP to my other DACs. The ZEN Stream still won't pass DSD512 or PCM above 384 kHz, even to the NEO. Again, this limitation seems arbitrary. Perhaps the plan is to introduce a NEO Stream product; the ZEN limitations are there for future product differentiation. Hoping that's not the case, but iFi would not be the first company to pull stuff like this.



Compared to the Khadas Tone2 Pro, the NEO sounds a little more reserved and "British" but also slightly more tonally dense. Sub bass has a center-of-the-earth solidity that I didn't notice when I fed the NEO with my VitOS streamer. The NEO has a virtually unrivaled way of unraveling layers in recordings. Nothing in particular stands out in the mix; I just hear more of everything that's going on…all at once. NEO seems to benefit from the ZEN Stream but not to the startling degree that the Khadas Tone2 Pro did. Perhaps the reason is that I've been powering the NEO with a 5V iPower X supply while I was running the Tone2 Pro bus-powered from the Stream.

Another minor disappointment with the ZEN Stream's current Roon integration is that it does not display the signal path beyond ALSA. This is particularly noticeable when streaming MQA content. For example, here's what I see for the ZEN Stream vs. one of my VitOS streamers:






The difference is cosmetic, but I consider a $399 streamer a somewhat premium product. Hoping this is something that, like the lack of native DSD support for modern DACs, will be addressed by future firmware updates. I suspect that getting into the Linux 5.x kernel series will take care of both issues.

David
To my knowledge the Zen Stream is not Roon Ready yet and we are just blessed that it works with Roon at all right now.
I am sure when it is Roon Ready there will be a change in information displayed...I hope...lol

 

[Mr BubbaHyde]

David
To my knowledge the Zen Stream is not Roon Ready yet and we are just blessed that it works with Roon at all right now.
I am sure when it is Roon Ready there will be a change in information displayed...I hope...lol

Not so sure about that, lol

But then again my apologies, but I'm not staring at my Roon breakdown signal path screen. Most everything I've ever checked stops at that, I think.... When i bothered to look.

 

[dsnyder]

David
To my knowledge the Zen Stream is not Roon Ready yet and we are just blessed that it works with Roon at all right now.
I am sure when it is Roon Ready there will be a change in information displayed...I hope...lol

Yeah. Hope so too. Lack of this information will be finding that iFi must address with a firmware update to achieve certification. I should toss Linux 4.4.167 onto a Raspberry Pi and see if I can reproduce this display issue. I imagine I can. Looking on the ZEN, it's just running the stock Roon Bridge build for ARM:

volumio@ifi-zen-stream:~$ cat /data/RoonBridge/VERSION
100700571
1.7 (build 571) stable

I've done a bit-by-bit comparison between the contents of /data/RoonBridge on the ZEN Stream to /etc/roonbridge on an old Raspberry Pi 3B running DietPi, and they are 100% identical. Same for /opt/RoonBridge on VitOS. A perfect match, as they should be.

Differences in what I'm seeing must be in the kernel and USB drivers. The iFi is running:

Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version k4.4.167+.

While VitOS uses:

Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version k5.4.80-1-rt44-ARCH.

 

[nonamerat]

Got mine hooked up today. All good so far. I'm only using it with Tidal Connect for now. I replaced my ancient Airport Express that used optical out/Airplay to my DAC so this is a step up in usability and performance for sure.