iFi audio ZEN Stream - Streaming elevated to a higher plane

[qsk78]

I think I also prefer coaxial now to usb...Oyaide makes wonderful stuff out of the 102 SSC conductor

 

[Sebastien Chiu]

My impressions with the ZS so far after a few days:

Pros
A cinch to set up
Sounds great
I like the fact that I can control from basically all my devices including my MAC & there is a dedicated app
Faultless wifi connection - I've never had trouble with this, my LAN is rock solid

Cons
Switching from SPDIF to USB output can be flaky
The big bright lights (see below)

How I use it:
ZS > MiniDSP DDRC22D > Holo Audio Spring 3: MF M6 500i > B&W 803D2 for speaker listening
ZS > Holo Audio Spring 3 > Violectric V281 for headphone listening

I use the coax out to the MiniDSP and USB out direct to the Spring when using headphones and I'm powering the ZS with my Uptone JS-2 LPS.
I mostly use the ZS for playing tracks from my NAS and Apple Music via Airplay. I don't use Tidal or Qobuz.

I have two other network bridges/streamers - a now 7 year old Auralic Aries Femto and an Allo Digione Signature. So do 1s & 0s sound different? Illogically yes they do - albeit subtly, but in my experience the power supply can have a bit to do with it. Unsurprisingly the ZS sounds similar to the Digione and to my ear has a bit more air than the Aries.

I have no issue with the UI as I'm used to Volumio with the Digione but the iFi version is slicker and where I had issues with tracks sometimes not playing properly with bit rate changes using the Digione, there are no such problems with the ZS.

I think this is a great little plug & play package.

Here's my ZS with it's newly acquired black eyes:

Thank you so much for the feedback. What issues are you having with switching from SPDIF to USB?

I'll be honest, I also didn't try with the iPower It is probably great and may be just as good as the Hypsos. I read the previous generation polluted the mains with noise, so I also try not to use smps. I don't know if true, you can read so much....
I also don't find the Hypsos so amazing as others, so I will probably sell it. But it is very handy for trying different stuff out (but then, a cheap lab supply also is. Had one but fried it with lifepo4 batteries).

The one I find better for the pi2aes is partly diy but only around 80-90$.

I tried grounding the chassis on Zen, though I don't understand why it should work. As I understand it a manufacturer can choose to connect the chassis to the power earth. Or double insulate the components from the chassis, in which case the chassis is not connected to anything. It is 2 different ways to make sure you don't get shocked by touching the chassis if an error occurs inside (like a wire with 230v detaches). But - since the power supply to Zen does not have earth it must be double insulated, in which case it should not matter to ground it (??). But I'm not an engineer.

Anyway, I felt pretty certain it worked. However going back to pi2aes it didn't work enough for my music style

Is anyone else using an aftermarket USB cable? I eschewed the stock cable from the Zen DAC v2 for a Wireworld Starlight in hopes of reducing noise…

I would recommend picking up an iSelencer/Defender or iPurifier once you have identified the issue (before switching to a new cable, ideally)!

 

[ctrlm]

Thank you so much for the feedback. What issues are you having with switching from SPDIF to USB?

After switching from SPDIF to USB and then saving on the app, I am unable to start a track. Double tapping on any track in the browse tab does nothing and I have to restart the unit. It works fine after that. Curiously it seems to work fine when switching the other way.

Also - I am curious as to why it defaults to software mixer when switching outputs, as it must be the least preferred default option for SQ. Why can't it keep the setting I had already saved before switching? (which is usually none)

 

[Sebastien Chiu]

After switching from SPDIF to USB and then saving on the app, I am unable to start a track. Double tapping on any track in the browse tab does nothing and I have to restart the unit. It works fine after that. Curiously it seems to work fine when switching the other way.

Also - I am curious as to why it defaults to software mixer when switching outputs, as it must be the least preferred default option for SQ. Why can't it keep the setting I had already saved before switching? (which is usually none)

Thanks for the info. I will check in our team to see why it seems to do this and what suggestions we have.

 

[simon740]

Hello,

Im very satisfied with ZS. Great sound, working without big problems only occasionally some problems with lights. Can’t turn off it.

regards,
Simon

 

[antastik]

Thanks for the info. I will check in our team to see why it seems to do this and what suggestions we have.

Sebastien, I've done some extensive testing comparing AIO mode to DLNA only mode and I can confirm the latter to be more spatially correct. Now, a question. Compared to the stock Ifi Ipower, would it be better, as an improvement, to go for an IPower X or for a DC ipurifier?
Thank you

 

[ctrlm]

I'm not sure how to connect using DLNA exclusive mode. I power off, select mode 5, power on and all seems to go fine with a solid white light showing up. This is confirmed by my router UI showing connection to my LAN but neither my iFi app or web interface picks it up?

 

[blackbox2]

I'm not sure how to connect using DLNA exclusive mode. I power off, select mode 5, power on and all seems to go fine with a solid white light showing up. This is confirmed by my router UI showing connection to my LAN but neither my iFi app or web interface picks it up?

While ZS is up, Switch it to aio mode,then to DLNA exclusive mode.

 

[ctrlm]

While ZS is up, Switch it to aio mode,then to DLNA exclusive mode.

Thanks - I'll try it tonight when I get home.

 

[ctrlm]

While ZS is up, Switch it to aio mode,then to DLNA exclusive mode.

Nope - can't get it to work. I have tried everything I can think of:

1. Switching multiple times between AIO & DLNA while powered up
2. Switching when powered down
3. Enabling and disabling functions in the menu in conjunction with above

Every time I switch to DLNA mode the app loses contact and comes straight back up again when I switch to AIO.

 

[antastik]

Nope - can't get it to work. I have tried everything I can think of:

1. Switching multiple times between AIO & DLNA while powered up
2. Switching when powered down
3. Enabling and disabling functions in the menu in conjunction with above

Every time I switch to DLNA mode the app loses contact and comes straight back up again when I switch to AIO.

Unfortunately, that's the way it is at the moment and I have already pointed this out to Ifi. If you select dlna only, you get better sound quality but you don't get to access settings and you must use an app like for example bubble upnp to stream

 

[germe]

Unfortunately, that's the way it is at the moment and I have already pointed this out to Ifi. If you select dlna only, you get better sound quality but you don't get to access settings and you must use an app like for example bubble upnp to stream

With DLNA mode you can't use tidal connect?

 

[simon740]

You have access to app and web interface only in AIO mode.

 

[ctrlm]

Unfortunately, that's the way it is at the moment and I have already pointed this out to Ifi. If you select dlna only, you get better sound quality but you don't get to access settings and you must use an app like for example bubble upnp to stream

Oh I see - that sucks!

Thanks for the heads up

Edit: I just worked out that I can use Audirvana with DLNA mode

 

[simon740]

Hello,

anyone notice SQ different between wired connection and WiFi on the ZS? When use Tidal connect. I’m now on wired so led light on the left in always white. So very stable connection. But I hate long utp cable.

regards,
Simon