iFi Zen Stream: Setup, Tips, Tricks...

[luiswu]

I am having a problem.

I have a Zen Stream connected to Topping DX9 (DAC / headphone amplifier / pre-amp). Works great.

I realized the Topping is overkill so moved it out of this chain. I changed nothing. Unplugged the power chord from Topping and the USB connection.

I ordered a HiFiMan EF400, it arrived and I plugged it into the chain. Connected power and USB. Turned on the EF400 and beautiful sound but doesn't get loud, at all. Not even with the easiest to drive headphones. Tried different USB cord, restarted the Zen Stream. Same.

I am returning the EF400 and they are swapping it out. I'm just wondering - is there anything in a Zen Stream that could make the output low, low low in volume that the new DAC / amp amplifying the sound isn't enough to 'drive' headphones properly, or is it most likely a bad EF400 (which we all think it is)? The volume is 'fixed' in Zen Stream configuration, btw. Streamed via ethernet from Roon.

I put this between the Ifi Zen Streamer and the amp, it is a tube preamp with volume control. It is placed between the IFi and the line input, not the preamp input. NOTE!! It is the Japanese version, it is the one that sounds good.
The improvement is very substantial with the magic of the tube making the music sweeter and more pleasant, softening the amplifier's transistor.

 

[luiswu]

This is the transformer that has been put on the Ifi Zen Streamer, the improvement is very great in all aspects.

 

[RickInHouston]

Something may have changed in the software settings when you swapped DACs.

Double check things like mixer volume in settings is set to none, also I have seen some instances where some DACs respond better to hardware or software volume works better than the "none" setting

Best to check it in ifi.local to be sure

Cheers!!

Thanks. I got frustrated by it. Bloom Audio has been super responsive about this and had me send it to them for a check. I'll keep this in mind, though.

 

[Mr BubbaHyde]

Thanks. I got frustrated by it. Bloom Audio has been super responsive about this and had me send it to them for a check. I'll keep this in mind, though.

Yes please keep us updated it would be appreciated.

Cheers!!

 

[Paolo001]

In addition to the possibly linear power supplies for the dac and the streamer, I recommend taking care of the modem/router and switch power supplies.
I got a great improvement by replacing the wall power supplies of the switches and the modem router with other pwm power supplies but more performing.
The notebook ones and the like are excellent, I used 12V 6A and 5A these pwm power supplies are better filtered than the wall ones.
The right attention must be paid to the phasing of the stssi but the improvement is there, more sound paste and more refinement.
reduced cost and good result.... obviously they are not linear but for the cost you can try ....

 

[RickInHouston]

Yes please keep us updated it would be appreciated.

Cheers!!

Will do. Thank you for your help. Love my Ifi products. 3 Zen Streams and 1 Go Pod.

 

[Mr BubbaHyde]

Will do. Thank you for your help. Love my Ifi products. 3 Zen Streams and 1 Go Pod.

No problem, glad to help where I can!

Cheers!!

 

[RickInHouston]

No problem, glad to help where I can!

Cheers!!

BTW, could there in any way be some sort of incompatibility with the USB signal out of a Zen Stream and into a HiFiMan DAC / headphone amp that would decrease the signal volume received and thus gets amplified much more restrictively???

 

[Mr BubbaHyde]

BTW, could there in any way be some sort of incompatibility with the USB signal out of a Zen Stream and into a HiFiMan DAC / headphone amp that would decrease the signal volume received and thus gets amplified much more restrictively???

There shouldn't be, but with three wealth off DACs out there I'm sure something somewhere is gonna go haywire lol

I have not heard of any volume issues with HFMan

If anything it just may require a different mixer setting as I mentioned before.

Cheers!!

 

[RickInHouston]

There shouldn't be, but with three wealth off DACs out there I'm sure something somewhere is gonna go haywire lol

I have not heard of any volume issues with HFMan

If anything it just may require a different mixer setting as I mentioned before.

Cheers!!

 

[RickInHouston]

Bloom Audio couldn't reproduce the low headphone volume with Roon > Zen Stream > HiFiMan EF400. But, they didn't have a Zen Stream available to try. I've decided to return the HiFiMan and replace with an Ifi Neo 2. I'm not taking a chance I can't fix the audio problem so I'm going with what would be a comparability slam dunk.

 

[Mr BubbaHyde]

Bloom Audio couldn't reproduce the low audio volume. But, they didn't have a Zen Stream available to try. I've decided to return it and replace with an Ifi Neo 2. I'm not taking a chance I can't fix the audio problem so I'm going with what would be a comparability slam dunk.

I have both and for sure can say I have not had that issue.

I hope the same is true for you, please update when you can!

A stellar combo for me, let us know how you make out?

Cheers!!

 

[niamex]

You are quite welcome, glad it worked out for you!

Cheers!!

Hello. Thanks your help. At the moment the biggest problem for me is that when I connect a flash drive to Zen it is not reading it at all, just messaging NAS and nothing. Even with a freshly formatted stick with a single audio file on it - FLAC.
Please help,
Thanks

 

[iFi audio]

Hello. Thanks your help. At the moment the biggest problem for me is that when I connect a flash drive to Zen it is not reading it at all, just messaging NAS and nothing. Even with a freshly formatted stick with a single audio file on it - FLAC.
Please help,
Thanks

I would drop a note to our tech support folks for specifics on this.

https://support.ifi-audio.com/

Here are a few notes...

It is best to have everything in folders like CDRips>Artist>Albums>tracks

With connected drives if you have a large music library it may take longer to compile, and each time the unit is powered on/off it needs to recheck.

Make sure there are no unacceptable characters in the files as per your system requirements, I have myself run into many files with a character in it that have stopped the reading.

Cheers!!

 

[Lvivske]

Still can't update my zen's firmware :/ just checks endlessly, doesnt show any of the current ones. I did a factory reset, didnt help.

I thought maybe it was my home network blocking something, so I put my cellphone on tether mode and connected to that, and still nothing. (and yes, I'm on wired connection, just thought I'd try alternatives)