[iFi audio]

I detect a conspiracy.

You got us

just because iFi CAN

I see what you did there

 

[trondav]

Got mine yesterday Zen DAC V2 - great with Roon and MacMini as an endpoint.

 

[tamleo]

Hello guys,
Did anyone compare the zen dac signature to the idac 2? I have a chance to buy one of them with similar prices. I only care for the sound quality. Tks

 

[Maverick255]

Hello guys,
Did anyone compare the zen dac signature to the idac 2? I have a chance to buy one of them with similar prices. I only care for the sound quality. Tks

I think zen dac v2 will be better than this two.

 

[adityadubey]

@iFi audio are you guys considering an upgrade program for the v2? It could be pretty popular by the sound of things.

 

[iFi audio]

I think zen dac v2 will be better than this two.

It most likely would, but our iDAC2 was second only to Pro iDSD for a long while.

@iFi audio are you guys considering an upgrade program for the v2? It could be pretty popular by the sound of things.

Although I have no official info, but this would have to be handled via our local distributors and not us directly.

 

[ChrisPDX]

I'm thinking of upgrading to the zen-Dac Signature, does it also have a V2 with the upgraded Xmos chip ?

I believe ZEN Signature has the older one inside, but I'll double-check.

@iFi audio I wonder if you have more information on this and another question regarding whether the Zen DAC Signature edition has the same improvements found in the Zen DAC V2 :

• Does the Zen DAC Signature have the upgraded 16-core XMOS chip that will be made able to decode MQA via firmware update?
• Does the Zen DAC Signature have the updated low-jitter crystal clock that provides >20dB better performance?

I'm deciding between the Zen DAC Signature and the Zen DAC V2, which I will probably choose if the Signature edition does not include these updates. Thanks!

 

[godmax]

Got the Zen DAC V2 two days ago and very much like the little unit so far! Versatile powerhouse that does not even need external power supply to power most of my headphones with no pops/clicks behind the iDefender3.0!

Lesson learned so far: DON'T use the TrueBass when the Campfire Audio Cascade is playing your EDM tracks (seems something like 'too much bass' really exists) ...otherwise this button is just great!

@iFi audio power-off button in V3?

 

[Effigy]

DAC BATTLE!!!


It's the ever so small Tone 2 Pro versus the brand new Zen DAC v2!!!!

Small and mighty versus Chonky and...mighty....??

Whatever.

​

So - the battle waged for days.

These two competitors exchange heavy hits for their price point like nothing else I have ever listened to. Affordable audio has never sounded this good.

I will summarize

Test conditions - otherwise known as the battleground!!!
- Headphones: Sennheiser HD 58X Jubilee
- AMP: iFi Zen CAN
- iFi Zen DAC v2 connected over balanced to CAN
- Tone 2 Pro connected over RCA (unbalanced) to CAN
- All listening over balanced out on Zen CAN
- Initial testing conducted with XBass and 3D disabled on the CAN, second round with both enabled.
- Music source was the Tidal direct app in Windows (WASAPI) and the latest Roon for Windows v1.8 (WASAPI and ASIO)
- Both devices tested with USB power only and powered with low noise 5V linear power (Not operating off of straight USB power)

1) You would think that the balanced from the DAC to the CAN would give the Zen DAC an advantage. Nope, although some of the differences may be a result of the balanced to the CAN from the Zen DAC
2) It took me a while to pick out the very very slight differences in the sound they produce. These two devices are so damn good and honestly produce very similar signatures. It requires very close attention. I love them both. From what I can tell, sounds like this:
- Zen DAC v2 has slightly (SLIGHTLY) more distinct highs - I am not sure I could tell the difference blind
- Tone 2 has slightly (SLIGHTLY) more robust lows - I am not sure I could tell the difference blind
- They are deeply similar on the mids.
- They both have amazing sound stage and imaging.
- Noise when on USB power and 5v linear power is not discernable to me on both (an improvement over DAC v1)
- MQA operates as expected
- Through the CAN, XBass warms them up very well. In fact, what I learned through this exercise is that both hit so damn hard, I could be happy with both, but I would be unhappy without the CAN!!

So conclusions, after a week of heavy listening:

1) The battle looked like this:

2) I can easily - EASILY be happy with either, but I have to say, the CAN was the element that made the difference in really really enjoying the music. It added the warmth and depth that I really want. It adds loads of power to ensure that the music has energy and a full body, like good coffee except with less water.

WINNER:

iFi Zen CAN!!!

And me. 'Cause I have all three.
(Some of you be like "This is like saying the referee won the fight!!".... Maybe. My ring. My rules.)
​

Honestly, you will not go wrong with either the Zen DAC v2 or the Tone 2 Pro. They are both amazing products that produce incredible sound for a very reasonable price point. For me, the purchase of either is based on use case. As something I take with me when I travel, the Tone 2 Pro is far better suited to this application, which is why I bought it (when the travel bans are lifted, and I am fully vaccinated.) As a permanent fixture on my desktop, the Zen DAC v2 looks good (to me), is simple to operate and requires the least amount of thought. I am just dumb like that.

Now if only they made a hip dac v2......

 

[tamleo]

Mistaken post

 

[iFi audio]

Zen DAC Signature edition has the same improvements found in the Zen DAC V2 :

In short, it does not. ZEN DAC V2 is a newer product

 

[bixby]

Thanks for the heads up, and yah, that is in no way cool. I love the Zen DAC and CAN combo. Lets hope there are not systemic grounding issues.

Zen DAC has an audible hiss on USB power.. need to get proper 5v low noise linear power to remove the issue.

My Zen dac is absolutely silent feeding Senn 600 with USB power, both on a dedicated music pc and my daily desktop with lots of crap hooked up to the usb ports. just for grins, I tried a 5 v wall wart I had on the Zen to see if it made an improvement and it was not better.

Hi,
Anyone here compared the zen dac/zen dac signature to similar priced schiit dacs? Ie: the modi 3/miltibit or the magnius..Tks

Yup, I have both the Zen v1 and the Modi 3 (not plus). When evaluating both for my headphone setup, the Zen won fairly easily. Both were feeding a Musical Fidelity class a headphone amp. The HP out in the Zen is okay, but better than the Quad dac/amp in my LG phones. The Modi 3 is being fed optical by my TV.

 

[iFi audio]

My Zen dac is absolutely silent feeding Senn 600 with USB power, both on a dedicated music pc and my daily desktop with lots of crap hooked up to the usb ports. just for grins, I tried a 5 v wall wart I had on the Zen to see if it made an improvement and it was not better.

Yup, I have both the Zen v1 and the Modi 3 (not plus). When evaluating both for my headphone setup, the Zen won fairly easily. Both were feeding a Musical Fidelity class a headphone amp. The HP out in the Zen is okay, but better than the Quad dac/amp in my LG phones. The Modi 3 is being fed optical by my TV.

Thanks a lot and enjoy!

Also, John Darko did something cool with ZEN DAC:

 

[iFi audio]

So - the battle waged for days.

These two competitors exchange heavy hits for their price point like nothing else I have ever listened to. Affordable audio has never sounded this good.

I will summarize

Test conditions - otherwise known as the battleground!!!
- Headphones: Sennheiser HD 58X Jubilee
- AMP: iFi Zen CAN
- iFi Zen DAC v2 connected over balanced to CAN
- Tone 2 Pro connected over RCA (unbalanced) to CAN
- All listening over balanced out on Zen CAN
- Initial testing conducted with XBass and 3D disabled on the CAN, second round with both enabled.
- Music source was the Tidal direct app in Windows (WASAPI) and the latest Roon for Windows v1.8 (WASAPI and ASIO)
- Both devices tested with USB power only and powered with low noise 5V linear power (Not operating off of straight USB power)

1) You would think that the balanced from the DAC to the CAN would give the Zen DAC an advantage. Nope, although some of the differences may be a result of the balanced to the CAN from the Zen DAC
2) It took me a while to pick out the very very slight differences in the sound they produce. These two devices are so damn good and honestly produce very similar signatures. It requires very close attention. I love them both. From what I can tell, sounds like this:
- Zen DAC v2 has slightly (SLIGHTLY) more distinct highs - I am not sure I could tell the difference blind
- Tone 2 has slightly (SLIGHTLY) more robust lows - I am not sure I could tell the difference blind
- They are deeply similar on the mids.
- They both have amazing sound stage and imaging.
- Noise when on USB power and 5v linear power is not discernable to me on both (an improvement over DAC v1)
- MQA operates as expected
- Through the CAN, XBass warms them up very well. In fact, what I learned through this exercise is that both hit so damn hard, I could be happy with both, but I would be unhappy without the CAN!!

So conclusions, after a week of heavy listening:

1) The battle looked like this:


2) I can easily - EASILY be happy with either, but I have to say, the CAN was the element that made the difference in really really enjoying the music. It added the warmth and depth that I really want. It adds loads of power to ensure that the music has energy and a full body, like good coffee except with less water.

WINNER:

iFi Zen CAN!!!



And me. 'Cause I have all three.
(Some of you be like "This is like saying the referee won the fight!!".... Maybe. My ring. My rules.)
​

Honestly, you will not go wrong with either the Zen DAC v2 or the Tone 2 Pro. They are both amazing products that produce incredible sound for a very reasonable price point. For me, the purchase of either is based on use case. As something I take with me when I travel, the Tone 2 Pro is far better suited to this application, which is why I bought it (when the travel bans are lifted, and I am fully vaccinated.) As a permanent fixture on my desktop, the Zen DAC v2 looks good (to me), is simple to operate and requires the least amount of thought. I am just dumb like that.

Now if only they made a hip dac v2......

And as far as this bit goes, that's a LOVELY work, honestly. Thanks!

 

[123peter]

Hello to all lovers of good IFI sound at a not necessarily very high price.

My observations
IFI ZEN DAC v2 is a very good product, much better than v1 when it comes to sound.
I listen to music from my computer via USB with - Tidal and Foobar.

The annoying clicking that you write about when changing a track with a different sampling is in V2 - very trace - minimal.

Unfortunately, unbalanced channels at the beginning of the volume scale and the few clicks when changing the volume were not eliminated  in V2
Could it really not be possible to install a better potentiometer in V2, e.g. analogue AMP / DAC FIIO, are they so expensive?

I listen from a balanced 4.4mm socket plus an adapter - on my IEM 2.5mm 16 ohms - hums and this meaning, it is very annoying with quiet tracks.
The same hums was heard on the v1. Using the original IFI Ipower power supply - the same noise in v1 had the difference in the sound with or without the power supply - I can't hear it.
I ordered the iEMatch 2.5mm balanced noise reducer - I'll check the difference.
(why IFI doesn't produce iEMatch in 4.4mm version, so many years after the launch of ZenDac v1 with 4.4mm jack socket, I don't know if I only need it?
The set includes only an adapter from 6.3mm to 3.5mm (probably everyone has several such adapters at home), but the 4.4 to 2.5 adapter is balanced, even for an additional fee with IFI - a pity.

I get all the LED colors when playing music with different sampling except one color - Magenta?
The manual contains the information Magenta- Original Sample Rate - MQB * ---- What does it mean and in what situation can Magenta flash - I'm curious?