[Wakalaaa]

Zs uses a very old version of volumio, which only supports pcm384 and dsd256. Zs hardware is better than raspberry pi, but software.
The pi with volumio already supports pcm768 and dsd512. I want to know if zs will have volumio Update. I use roon to upscale all music to a dsd256, my dac supports dsd512, but zs limit it 256

 

[cykin]

Zs uses a very old version of volumio, which only supports pcm384 and dsd256. Zs hardware is better than raspberry pi, but software.
The pi with volumio already supports pcm768 and dsd512. I want to know if zs will have volumio Update. I use roon to upscale all music to a dsd256, my dac supports dsd512, but zs limit it 256

Same issues. I am able to get DSD 256 from MacBook Pro (Roon/HQ player) → USB → ADI-2 but Not if using MacBook Pro (Roon/HQ player) → wifi → ZS-> USB → ADI-2.

If I choose DSD 256 using ZS, it just keeps skipping song without playing, but it is fine if choosing DSD 128.

 

[N Quarter]

Hello everyone, I have owned the Zen stream for about a month now. I found it extremely frustrating at first to set it up, I was not sure if I was on wifi, or Ethernet, or a hotspot, or all three. I was using a Laptop before this, and the Zen is a big step up in sound for sure. I don’t know why this thing had me baffled, well I do, I come from Naim streamers that you just plug them in and they work immediately…with their own App.
I could sometimes get to the Ifi Home Screen on the App, other times I kept going around in circles. Because of this I decided to sign up to Roon for 3 months for a dollar, to see if this simplified things. In a word YES, I took the wifi antenna off, restarted my Dac, the Zen, and was able to connect through Roon immediately. The Zen is basically a bridge to my Dac, which shows up in Roon. I enabled my Dac and away I went, my library showed up and played right away, Tidal was easy to get to, and use.
Also I could connect to Radio Paradise through Roon and play immediately. Anyone struggling to get going, I suggest you try Roon, switch to # 2 on the dial, and away you go.
Finally I can listen to music again without the stress of getting things to connect, or work.
Now however, I need to watch some Roon videos to figure out everything this software can do.

 

[srkbear]

OK, I surrender. I have owned the ZS for a year and recently got FOMO and decided to try out a couple of pricey streamers to see what I was potentially missing.

I got the Cambridge Audio CXN v2 ($1099). Gargantuan chassis, cheap-looking screen, clunky GUI and companion software and no USB Audio Out to use with my Gustard x26 Pro. Highest sampling rate in Roon 192khz and no Native DSD support. Forget about MQA, won’t even let my DAC handle it via Passthrough and they lie about supporting Tidal Masters—they added access but the highest resolution you can get is 48khz.

Then I tried a Cocktail Audio N25 ($1,399). Another behemoth chassis. Ridiculously cheesy martini glass that burns my eyeballs every time it turns on. Has USB Audio output but won’t play nice with Native DSD and Roon. The most Byzantine menu and circuitous path to access tracks imaginable. Sounds just ok. Buggy. Going back along with the Cambridge.

I paid $399 for my ZS. It shakes hands with my Gustard and with Roon seamlessly. Handles all my file formats, including Native DSD. Sounds immaculate; clean as a whistle, infinitely resolving with the Gustard, tidy little form factor for my nightstand, and since recent firmware upgrades and the addition of a 15V iPower X power supply never glitches or gives me headaches. Very irked that I have to box up these two overpriced Sharper Image-esque cheese boxes and return them to Amazon via the UPS Store.

Fool’s errand over, the Zen Stream wins.

 

[cykin]

OK, I surrender. I have owned the ZS for a year and recently got FOMO and decided to try out a couple of pricey streamers to see what I was potentially missing.

I got the Cambridge Audio CXN v2 ($1099). Gargantuan chassis, cheap-looking screen, clunky GUI and companion software and no USB Audio Out to use with my Gustard x26 Pro. Highest sampling rate in Roon 192khz and no Native DSD support. Forget about MQA, won’t even let my DAC handle it via Passthrough and they lie about supporting Tidal Masters—they added access but the highest resolution you can get is 48khz.

Then I tried a Cocktail Audio N25 ($1,399). Another behemoth chassis. Ridiculously cheesy martini glass that burns my eyeballs every time it turns on. Has USB Audio output but won’t play nice with Native DSD and Roon. The most Byzantine menu and circuitous path to access tracks imaginable. Sounds just ok. Buggy. Going back along with the Cambridge.

I paid $399 for my ZS. It shakes hands with my Gustard and with Roon seamlessly. Handles all my file formats, including Native DSD. Sounds immaculate; clean as a whistle, infinitely resolving with the Gustard, tidy little form factor for my nightstand, and since recent firmware upgrades and the addition of a 15V iPower X power supply never glitches or gives me headaches. Very irked that I have to box up these two overpriced Sharper Image-esque cheese boxes and return them to Amazon via the UPS Store.

Fool’s errand over, the Zen Stream wins.

you can take a look at the LUMIN U1 mini or ROSE 250

 

[Mr G]

Welcome to iFi Support.​

How can we help?​

****THERE IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN THE ZEN STREAM AND SPOTIFY. OUR TECH TEAM ARE WORKING ON THE PROBLEM. PLEASE DO NOT LOG A TICKET*****​

There is no problem with the original fw

Greetings,
I've the same problem with Spotify Connect. However, I'm able to resolve it by leaving the ZS (with latest firmware) switched 'On', while resetting my DAC (connected thru USB). It usually works after one or two DAC power cycles and Spotify Connect remains stable as long as both ZS and the DAC are left powered On. I always switch off my electronics, when not in use and use this approach to re-establish Spotify Connect. I hope that this method works for you.

 

[srkbear]

you can take a look at the LUMIN U1 mini or ROSE 250

The former is over 2 grand! What does it offer over the ZS?

 

[myshark]

Greetings,
I've the same problem with Spotify Connect. However, I'm able to resolve it by leaving the ZS (with latest firmware) switched 'On', while resetting my DAC (connected thru USB). It usually works after one or two DAC power cycles and Spotify Connect remains stable as long as both ZS and the DAC are left powered On. I always switch off my electronics, when not in use and use this approach to re-establish Spotify Connect. I hope that this method works for you.

I will try this.
I am waiting for new fw that should solve this problem.
In the mean time i will stream tidal which ironically has no problems unlile before. Now the game turn the other way. Tidal ok, spotify problem.
Thanl you.
Enjoy..

 

[hash70]

has there been any confirmed response bck from ifi regarding removal of mqa decoding on the new firmware,are they going to pay the license?it's not a issue if you only use roon as it does the mqa decoding but for people who bought it for tidal connect and dnla then thats a big problem,before with tidal connect via spidf I would get 24/96 but now I only get 24/48 because theve removed mqa,extremely pissed theve done this,thats what I bought the device for and its definitely false marketing

 

[MrWalkman]

If you'd use Tidal directly (with MQA Passthrough set to off), then Tidal itself would do the first unfold (to 88.2/96 kHz), which is basically what the ZEN Stream seems to be doing before this firmware update you're talking about.

 

[hash70]

what do you mean turn mqa pass through off?,there isn't a setting for that in the zen stream setting

 

[MrWalkman]

what do you mean turn mqa pass through off?,there isn't a setting for that in the zen stream setting

This setting that I'm mentioning, can be found in the Tidal app (for Windows, in my case):

If Passthrough MQA is disabled in the Tidal app, then Tidal will do the first unfold, usually to 88.2/96 kHz. If the setting would be enabled, then the usually 24 bit/48 kHz audio file will be passed directly to the connected DAC. For the first unfold thing to work correctly, you also need to have the "Exclusive Mode" setting enabled.

So if ZEN Stream did/does the first unfold and it got/will get that function removed, at least there's this alternative.


Here is an example, with a Sony NW-A55 connected in the USB DAC mode (while in USB DAC mode, this player cannot decode MQA):

1. Passthrough MQA enabled - first unfold not done by Tidal

2. Passthrough MQA disabled - first unfold done by Tidal

 

[rlw6534]

what do you mean turn mqa pass through off?,there isn't a setting for that in the zen stream setting

Tidal connect is basically a headless version of the Tidal app running on the Zen that is controlled remotely. Unfortunately you don't have all of the options that appear on the phone or PC/Mac versions. Because iFi specifically removed the MQA core unfold from the app, I doubt there is a way to turn it back on.

 

[RipVanWinkle1989]

Is anybody using the Topping P50 Linear Power Supply with the Zen Stream?

 

[zolom]

Got the iFi Zen Stream. Connected to Hugo2 and amplified with the iFi Pro iCan.
Sounds superb playing Tidal Connect.

Is there a possibility to use the iFi Pro iCan's DC LOOP OUT connection to feed the Zen Stream (using the iCan power supply to feed them both)?

Thanks