[iFi audio]

Thank you for the clarification. Am interested to purchase the Zen DAC. Only concern is the provided USB cable which is around 40-50cm long. I'd prefer a longer cable to hook up the Zen DAC to my PC (main rig sits at quite a distance away from where I sit at my desk). If I were to purchase a longer cable (and not necessarily an iFi branded one), will any type of USB cable work? As long as it's USB type A (male) to type B (male) as per attached photo & link, correct?

Correct, though we wouldn't go anything crazy like a 10m USB cable with no repeater somewhere in the middle. But up to 5m you should be good.

 

[dcime]

Correct, though we wouldn't go anything crazy like a 10m USB cable with no repeater somewhere in the middle. But up to 5m you should be good.

I’m starting to think the ZEN DAC is a nice, simple method of listening to MQA without a lot of work or worry. Even though I have the xDSD it sometimes gives me trouble with MQA. I mean it works but is really not all that simple. I like simple, uncomplicated in my life. At $129 that ZEN looks like it might bring me some ZEN peace. I also like the 4.4 pentagon balanced output. In fact, I have a brand new still in the plastic 4.4 mm balanced cable unused! It came with my Sony MDR-1AM2. Do you guys think that the ZEN DAC can deliver all that and more? Balanced and MQA?? Sounds more and more appealing every day at that ridiculously low price!! Am I right??

 

[dcime]

Correct, though we wouldn't go anything crazy like a 10m USB cable with no repeater somewhere in the middle. But up to 5m you should be good.

What do you think?

 

[dcime]

Bump

 

[iFi audio]

I’m starting to think the ZEN DAC is a nice, simple method of listening to MQA without a lot of work or worry. Even though I have the xDSD it sometimes gives me trouble with MQA. I mean it works but is really not all that simple. I like simple, uncomplicated in my life. At $129 that ZEN looks like it might bring me some ZEN peace. I also like the 4.4 pentagon balanced output. In fact, I have a brand new still in the plastic 4.4 mm balanced cable unused! It came with my Sony MDR-1AM2. Do you guys think that the ZEN DAC can deliver all that and more? Balanced and MQA?? Sounds more and more appealing every day at that ridiculously low price!! Am I right??

Thanks for your feedback. We're happy with both ZEN products we launched. We wanted this series to be off charts on price to performance, so when we read commens such as yours, we know that we did something right! Thanks!

 

[fonkepala]

I recommend extending the analogue cable, not digital cable. DAC should sit closer to your PC. You can choose very good one, like iFi's Mercury 1.0m length, but it should be the maximum.

Correct, though we wouldn't go anything crazy like a 10m USB cable with no repeater somewhere in the middle. But up to 5m you should be good.

Thanks much!

 

[iFi audio]

Thanks much!

Sure, anytime.

 

[fonkepala]

Placing my order of the Zen DAC with the local ifi retailer right now!

 

[iFi audio]

Placing my order of the Zen DAC with the local ifi retailer right now!

 

[dodap]

Has anyone raved about the Zen DAC? I’m very curious because of MQA compatibility mainly.

I was too. But it did not work for me. The bitrate light stayed green whatever I threw at the ZEN. I even changed the firmware back to the version without the GTO filter. Did not help either. I sent it back to Amazon and got my money back within 10 hours!!
(And as a headphone amp it is very powerless and therefore not usable for my more demanding phones.)

 

[iFi audio]

The bitrate light stayed green whatever I threw at the ZEN.

That green diode showed you that what ZEN got wasn't MQA.

 

[Fawzay]

Ok i have done my comparison between xDSD and the Zen, i would say the xDSD far superior than the Zen. I use my planar headphones with balanced cable. xDSD bass is more natural with or without bass switch(On) but the Zen the bass is decent but not for basshead tho, without the bass switch(On); with the Powerbass Switched(On) - the bass kinda.... it difficult to describe but its really undesirable at any volume - bleeding to the mids sometimes.

To me, Zen is a fun sounding dac and musical too, the mid section to be honest is actually very good, vocals of both male and female are analytical which actually a little better than xdsd tho. Not to mention the timbre on the instruments is very good too.

The treble section on the Zen is very distant yet you can still get the clarity, in other words, i would say there is a minor rolled off in the highs which it coming from a warmth sounding dac as well, whereas the xdsd's treble is crisp.

Soundstage for both xdsd and zen is excellent, zen extends wider than xdsd and the depth are the same for both and separation are excellent for both

Before, my long awaited xDSD - (On Loan), i compare zen and the topping d50, and i draw my final conclusion that, topping d50 is superior than the ifi zen and ifi xDSD.

 

[dodap]

That green diode showed you that what ZEN got wasn't MQA.

What could I have done else of playing Master files in TIDAL windows?

 

[NiVrA]

What could I have done else of playing Master files in TIDAL windows?

Try disabling the passthrough mqa on tidal settings

 

[dodap]

Try disabling the passthrough mqa on tidal settings

Too late. As I wrote earlier, I returned the device to Amazon already and definitively will not buy it again. It was too underwhelming for me.