801evan
Headphoneus Supremus
Do balanced on the Zen and you'll be fine.
iFi ZEN DAC discussion + impression
- Thread starter lambdastorm
- Start date
Do balanced on the Zen and you'll be fine.
Baten
Headphoneus Supremus
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Just need a 4.4mm hd650 cable
NiVrA
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domino584
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This or the Fiio K5 Pro? The difference is 50 bucks and it seems like the IFI offers more.
Xanthophyll
New Head-Fier
As somebody who is about to buy their very first headphone amp, I'd like to know this as well....
Riversalt
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Áudio iFi.
Existe nos planos futuros para 2020 uma unidade de amplificador / desktop THX?
Algo como um dac + amp + THX?
Você tem a tecnologia para fazer algo muito bom em excelência.
Existe nos planos futuros para 2020 uma unidade de amplificador / desktop THX?
Algo como um dac + amp + THX?
Você tem a tecnologia para fazer algo muito bom em excelência.
It's scary to ask how the official one looks like
Asahi Templar
100+ Head-Fier
Well in spite of being told it was sold out and on order, today my zen dac showed up at my door. Not sure how that happened but a nice surprise!
The build quality on the Zen DAC is outstanding for the price. Its got a nice weight to it and feels high quality. Everything is metal and looks quite premium. The volume knob is surprisingly nice, its got a nice smooth action and has a bit of resistance to it to keep it from turning too quickly. Its the nicest one I have seen on a affordable product, its considerably nicer than the one on the Schiit Magni. I dont really notice any channel imbalance beyond the very lowest volumes. This is good because this thing has a lot of power. With my Onkyo A800 I only need to go from around 9 o clock - 2 o clock at max (on low gain!). Anything more than that and its LOUD.
The ZEN sounds excellent, very natural yet punchy sound to it. The midrange sounds a bit forward on it and the treble is very well controlled. Bass is very punchy and maybe a touch elevated (this is without TRUE BASS on!). I think its a very nice neutralish presentation, it sounds very accurate to the recording. I think that perhaps its a touch warmer sounding than neutral, but its a very subtle thing so hard to say for sure.
Its a clear improvement over my motherboards dac/amp which sounds bright,harsh and hazy in comparison. Also my motherboard bloats the Onkyo a800s bass a lot, it sounds flabby and boomy, this is almost certainly due to its output impedeance being very high. Not a issue with the Zen dac as it has super low output impedance.
I took a lot of time to compare it with my Burson Play Amp/DAC and it was a interesting comparision, as I found the Zen DAC to be better in some areas and worse in others. I found the Play sounded more open, controlled the bass better, was more detailed and guitar transisants popped more. Very dynamic, exciting yet mostly non fatiguing presentation. The Play is a killer dac/amp.
My Play is upgraded with Muses 8920 and AD797 which means it costs about $320, so nearly 3 times as much money as the Zen DAC.
On the other hand with the Zen dac vocals sounded warmer and more forward, it was punchier in the bass, more natural sounding overall and snare drums popped more. Cymbals sounds super natural on the Zen dac with my Onkyo A800, on the play they are a bit splashy at times. Overall it was a more pleasant listen but not as exciting as the Play. Nothing is ever annoying or sharp on the ZEN. It is better for long term listening IMO. Drums are also killer with the Onkyo A800 zen dac combo.
The Play also has a background hiss with my A800 which is the main reason I wanted to pick up a Zen DAC. The zen dac is dead silent, no noise at all with my A800. No hisses, no pops, thunks or clicks just pure sound. Sounds so much better for general PC use because of that. I love the Plays sound with music and games, but that hiss is maddening. Also the sharp transients are rough when your on voice chat with your friends with garbage mics. The zen is much more pleasant with voices as they arent as sharp and you dont get murdered as much by random noises and SKREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEs coming out the crap mics.
Honestly I am super impressed by the Zen DAC, I cant believe a USB dac/amp can be this clean and pleasant sounding. I dont see any reason to use a power adapter with this as I cant imagine it performing any better its great straight out a USB 3.0 port. I am not even using a "good" port with it, atm I am using my front panel USB 3.0 port and have had no issues at all. No drops outs or noise at all. My only complaint is that the included USB cable is too short. Its fine if your using it right next to a laptop, but way way too short for desktop use. I ordered a longer 3.0 cable so maybe it will be even better when it gets plugged into one of my rear ports.
This is now my personal recommendation for a AMP/DAC combo in the 200 and under catagory. Its a perfect starter amp/dac and you dont really NEED anything more than it unless your trying to drive extremely insensitive headphones or something with high power requirements that cant be run balanced. A cost performance king for sure.
The build quality on the Zen DAC is outstanding for the price. Its got a nice weight to it and feels high quality. Everything is metal and looks quite premium. The volume knob is surprisingly nice, its got a nice smooth action and has a bit of resistance to it to keep it from turning too quickly. Its the nicest one I have seen on a affordable product, its considerably nicer than the one on the Schiit Magni. I dont really notice any channel imbalance beyond the very lowest volumes. This is good because this thing has a lot of power. With my Onkyo A800 I only need to go from around 9 o clock - 2 o clock at max (on low gain!). Anything more than that and its LOUD.
The ZEN sounds excellent, very natural yet punchy sound to it. The midrange sounds a bit forward on it and the treble is very well controlled. Bass is very punchy and maybe a touch elevated (this is without TRUE BASS on!). I think its a very nice neutralish presentation, it sounds very accurate to the recording. I think that perhaps its a touch warmer sounding than neutral, but its a very subtle thing so hard to say for sure.
Its a clear improvement over my motherboards dac/amp which sounds bright,harsh and hazy in comparison. Also my motherboard bloats the Onkyo a800s bass a lot, it sounds flabby and boomy, this is almost certainly due to its output impedeance being very high. Not a issue with the Zen dac as it has super low output impedance.
I took a lot of time to compare it with my Burson Play Amp/DAC and it was a interesting comparision, as I found the Zen DAC to be better in some areas and worse in others. I found the Play sounded more open, controlled the bass better, was more detailed and guitar transisants popped more. Very dynamic, exciting yet mostly non fatiguing presentation. The Play is a killer dac/amp.
My Play is upgraded with Muses 8920 and AD797 which means it costs about $320, so nearly 3 times as much money as the Zen DAC.
On the other hand with the Zen dac vocals sounded warmer and more forward, it was punchier in the bass, more natural sounding overall and snare drums popped more. Cymbals sounds super natural on the Zen dac with my Onkyo A800, on the play they are a bit splashy at times. Overall it was a more pleasant listen but not as exciting as the Play. Nothing is ever annoying or sharp on the ZEN. It is better for long term listening IMO. Drums are also killer with the Onkyo A800 zen dac combo.
The Play also has a background hiss with my A800 which is the main reason I wanted to pick up a Zen DAC. The zen dac is dead silent, no noise at all with my A800. No hisses, no pops, thunks or clicks just pure sound. Sounds so much better for general PC use because of that. I love the Plays sound with music and games, but that hiss is maddening. Also the sharp transients are rough when your on voice chat with your friends with garbage mics. The zen is much more pleasant with voices as they arent as sharp and you dont get murdered as much by random noises and SKREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEs coming out the crap mics.
Honestly I am super impressed by the Zen DAC, I cant believe a USB dac/amp can be this clean and pleasant sounding. I dont see any reason to use a power adapter with this as I cant imagine it performing any better its great straight out a USB 3.0 port. I am not even using a "good" port with it, atm I am using my front panel USB 3.0 port and have had no issues at all. No drops outs or noise at all. My only complaint is that the included USB cable is too short. Its fine if your using it right next to a laptop, but way way too short for desktop use. I ordered a longer 3.0 cable so maybe it will be even better when it gets plugged into one of my rear ports.
This is now my personal recommendation for a AMP/DAC combo in the 200 and under catagory. Its a perfect starter amp/dac and you dont really NEED anything more than it unless your trying to drive extremely insensitive headphones or something with high power requirements that cant be run balanced. A cost performance king for sure.
NiVrA
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Thanks for this impressions...Do you think it is better than the JDS atom?
Asahi Templar
100+ Head-Fier
Havent tried the ATOM so I cant say for sure. I would bet money the ATOM measures better than the Zen Dac amp does but in actual listening I doubt there would be much difference.
ATOM has much more power though, so if you want to use a really insensitive headphone (especially one that cant be run balanced!) it would be better.
Zen dac is a much better deal IMO as you get a DAC with your amp for 30 dollars more than the atom amp alone costs.
dcime
100+ Head-Fier
You are really pushing that JDS atom. Isn't the atom a basic entry level amp for under $99? I mean there's not a whole lot to compare the Arom to anyway. Most of.us are discussing the Brandy New iFI ZEN DAC here. Hence the name of the thread.
Not the Atom. I've never heard the Atom and just know it is a basic, starter amp. The Zen is surely more DAC than AMP. Perhaps that is why no one is commenting on that Atom. Not received real highly in the Zen DAC forum. Perhaps look for a JDS Atom forum? I dont know it you could simply start on yourself. Again, the Atom is all amp, whereas the Zen is DAC first, then amp.
Thank you Asahi this is the first "review" I have read since the ZEN DAC release day
Very nice indeed!
dcime
100+ Head-Fier
lol this is actually the official stack!It's scary to ask how the official one looks like
NiVrA
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You are really pushing that JDS atom. Isn't the atom a basic entry level amp for under $99? I mean there's not a whole lot to compare the Arom to anyway. Most of.us are discussing the Brandy New iFI ZEN DAC here. Hence the name of the thread.
Not the Atom. I've never heard the Atom and just know it is a basic, starter amp. The Zen is surely more DAC than AMP. Perhaps that is why no one is commenting on that Atom. Not received real highly in the Zen DAC forum. Perhaps look for a JDS Atom forum? I dont know it you could simply start on yourself. Again, the Atom is all amp, whereas the Zen is DAC first, then amp.
Thank you Asahi this is the first "review" I have read since the ZEN DAC release day
Very nice indeed!
Oh im sorry I didnt mean to be rude or anything..I just wanted to make most of my budget..Im sorry again
dcime
100+ Head-Fier
No no no! Do t apologize your fine. Just time to focus on ZEN DAC is all. Do you own and love your Atom btw?
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