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

[DancingSea]

@DancinSea

Have you compared Farad with Teddy Pardo or Sbooster maybe?

I have tried the SBooster, and prefer the Farad. Have not tried a Teddy.

I was auditioning an entry level Aurender at the time. Excellent hardware, mediocre Conductor app that I found intolerable compared to Roon.

But the Aurender sounded excellent due to superior engineering. The Farad is made by the co owner of Pink Faun who makes their own $20K or so music server. The Farad offerings essentially sells off the power supply technology from those $20K servers.

I was surprised at how close the ZS with Farad Super3 got to the Aurender and returned the Aurender, much to their embarrassment. Aurender had meetings about my feedback.

I have gone a bit nuts souping up the $199 ZS. In addition to the $500 Farad, I’ve added a $550 Curious Evolved USB, the $129 iFi iPurifier3 USB, and the iFi LAN Silencer arrives on Tuesday.

All that with Roon/HQP sounds terrific!

 

[Mr BubbaHyde]

I have tried the SBooster, and prefer the Farad. Have not tried a Teddy.

I was auditioning an entry level Aurender at the time. Excellent hardware, mediocre Conductor app that I found intolerable compared to Roon.

But the Aurender sounded excellent due to superior engineering. The Farad is made by the co owner of Pink Faun who makes their own $20K or so music server. The Farad offerings essentially sells off the power supply technology from those $20K servers.

I was surprised at how close the ZS with Farad Super3 got to the Aurender and returned the Aurender, much to their embarrassment. Aurender had meetings about my feedback.

I have gone a bit nuts souping up the $199 ZS. In addition to the $500 Farad, I’ve added a $550 Curious Evolved USB, the $129 iFi iPurifier3 USB, and the iFi LAN Silencer arrives on Tuesday.

All that with Roon/HQP sounds terrific!

Hope you share your thoughts on what the iSilencer does or does not do for your setup, and Thanks for your listing of what works well for you in your setup, it makes me wish I had started a separate post at the beginning for "Recommended accessories to pair with the ZS"

I found the iSilencer to be a good addition to the ZS!

Cheers

 

[Vitor Goncalves]

Hope you share your thoughts on what the iSilencer does or does not do for your setup, and Thanks for your listing of what works well for you in your setup, it makes me wish I had started a separate post at the beginning for "Recommended accessories to pair with the ZS"

I found the iSilencer to be a good addition to the ZS!

Cheers

Today I tried a new use for the ZS. I've moved it to my office and paired it with a Dragonfly Red and the Sennheiser HD560S. Although I've had the Red for a long time, it never occured to me to try it with the ZS (still as a Roon Endpoint). It sounds fantastic, even with a rather affordable pair of cans. Much better than with the notebook. It's not a All in One but it's a All in Two . This stack proves that one doesn't need to spend a fortune to get very good sound. I'll let you know how it performs when the iSilencer arrives.

 

[Mr BubbaHyde]

Today I tried a new use for the ZS. I've moved it to my office and paired it with a Dragonfly Red and the Sennheiser HD560S. Although I've had the Red for a long time, it never occured to me to try it with the ZS (still as a Roon Endpoint). It sounds fantastic, even with a rather affordable pair of cans. Much better than with the notebook. It's not a All in One but it's a All in Two . This stack proves that one doesn't need to spend a fortune to get very good sound. I'll let you know how it performs when the iSilencer arrives.

Yes, please do!

My first thought with the iSilencer was that I would not be able to perceive a difference, but I was wrong! Those with better descriptive capabilities than myself can give the details, but it is definitely a keeper for me as I'm sure it can help other things as well down the road!

Looking forward to your perspective!

Cheers!!

 

[iFi audio]

A key for the ZS is how well it responds to upgraded external power supplies.

That's correct. Folks reported that even changing voltage from bare minimum (9V) to 13 or 15V makes a noticeable difference.

 

[twrr]

For me best is on 12V, on 15V is too much energy and everthying is closer to the first row of the listener. Didnt try on 9V.

 

[DancingSea]

I’ve tried 9, 12, and 15. Prefer 12.

 

[Wakalaaa]

I'm going to share my experience, I once used a 12v lps made in China, it burned my computer, ZS usb and dac usb, everything the usb is connected to will burn, until now I don't know what happened, can someone tell me What is the reason? Thanks to the Hong Kong agent for replacing with a new ZS.

 

[DancingSea]

I'm going to share my experience, I once used a 12v lps made in China, it burned my computer, ZS usb and dac usb, everything the usb is connected to will burn, until now I don't know what happened, can someone tell me What is the reason? Thanks to the Hong Kong agent for replacing with a new ZS.

The issue is that you bought a defective 12v LPS. That it was made in China is irrelevant.

iFi, Hegel, and countless other quality HiFi products are successfully manufactured in China. And there’s plenty of junk made there as well. The key issue is the quality of the product/ company, not the country.

 

[SHXMD]

Use 12 volts myself as someone on forum mentioned trouble with 15 and it came with a 12 switching mode as I recall.
S

 

[Wakalaaa]

I have a lan isilencer used on hqplayer's mac mini and will often lose the connection. Now put it back to my ZS

 

[iFi audio]

For me best is on 12V, on 15V is too much energy and everthying is closer to the first row of the listener.

Well said, we were told here and there that ZEN Stream's intensity and pop increase along with voltage. Thanks!

 

[DancingSea]

Well said, we were told here and there that ZEN Stream's intensity and pop increase along with voltage. Thanks!

IFi support once told me on the phone of overheating issues with 15V in some cases.

 

[iFi audio]

IFi support once told me on the phone of overheating issues with 15V in some cases.

It probably depends on a PSU, but from what I can tell folks in here who've been using their ZEN Streams with 15V iPower units didn't report that. Unless I've missed something

 

[iFi audio]

Don’t be frightened, but iFi and Hegel products are also made in China.

Not sure about the other company, but we have our own factory there

Also, manufacturing in that part of the world shouldn't be seen as a con considering how much stuff (even extremely costly!) is made there.