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Product Description
With a sleek form factor, solid build, and stellar sound, iFi audio’s ZEN DAC is one of the most talked-about USB DAC/amps on the market today. Now we're taking the conversation further with the ZEN DAC Signature Read More
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Since people aren't reviewing this DAC, I'm sharing my lightly-informed love for it.
My first audiophile level music purchase was three months ago with an impulse buy of HD-58X's paired with Topping E30/Schiit Magni Heresy.
I wanted a second DAC hoped this one would be a noticeable upgrade from the E30. I was expecting something subtle but I heard it immediately. The tones were significantly richer. I noticed it most with string instruments in the mid to lower tones but it was across the whole spectrum.
Mostly it brought the 58Xs to another level. More sound in tone, power and detail. It has taken the harsh edges off of the distortion and high tones. I can hear clear cymbal strikes through distorted guitars and vocals. It's made lower level listening much more pleasurable.
I don't know if it's worth $100 more than the regular Zen DAC but it's a satisfying upgrade from the E30. Plus, I'm a sucker for overbuilt power supplies.
I chose this DAC because I wanted a balanced upgrade path and, as a Tidal subscriber, MQA awareness. My under $300 budget kept the list short.
I hooked it up to my daily Win10 tower using a USB 2.0 port with the iFi supplied USB cable and external power supply. It worked right out of the box.
There was some weirdness:
After an hour or so I noticed that it wasn't showing the MQA indicator and discovered that I needed to install the iFi Windows USB driver. It was no problem and the MQA indicator started to work.
The next morning when I powered up the computer it would only play MQA coded streams. I did the usual Windows driver reinstall, changing ports, etc, and after a couple of tries it started to work fine.
At one point during this it would only play non-MQA streams. For MQA it would stutter, scratch, pop and let tiny segments of music through.
The electronic change needed to engage the MQA rendering logic was like getting a manual transmission in reverse for a couple of days.
After three days or so of use the sound quality and the MQA rendering all started to smooth out.
I'm looking forward to many hours of improved sound from the 58X's.
Kevin5172I also own the signiture IFI Zen Dac with the Can, with my HD6xx and Hifiman Sundaras, I was able to upgrade from thr Regular ZEN Dac Can Stack. I can say the the signature is a definite upgrade in sound quality. The music is slightly fuller and has a more resounding bass without using the 6xx button (bass button), which I believe is the best feature of the Can Amp. If you are able to get the Zen Can also I would the stack.
I kept hearing how Dacs make a big different, so I started ordering different ones hoping they will make a difference for me but it was disappointment after disappointment, they just didn't sound better then my protools Focusrite interface. the ones that didn't make difference for me are SMSL SU-8 Fiio R5 Cord Mojo and even iFi Neo DSD ( $800 with huge hipe reviews ) This Zen Signature is the first one that actually make my system significantly better sounding, I am happy I didn't give up on the search. it is hard for me to say what is the difference, it is not more highs or lows or deeper wider sound stage, it is just that each individual sound is clearer, and make rock more powerful. I wish they had a remote for the volume but either then that it's perfect for me.
The iFi ZEN Signature 6XX Stack integrates smoothly with Tidal, providing an exceptional MQA rendering experience that is both high-fidelity and enjoyable.
However, I encountered a slight issue while updating the firmware from iFi's website. The .zip file they provided had file names that were too long, making it impossible to extract using WinZip. I solved the problem by switching to WinRAR, but it's worth noting for anyone facing similar issues.
One area that could be more user-friendly is the 4.4 mm balanced connection interface. I invested in a 4.4 mm balanced interconnect and a balanced headphone cable from Hart Audio Cables. Although it may seem like a hassle initially, this addition significantly improved the overall setup by ensuring a stable and high-quality audio connection. It's a small investment that pays off in terms of audio quality and ease of use.
So far I tried it with the 2 following chains with everything running balance
Schiit Modius/Ifi Dac Signature -> Ifi Zan Can-> Hifiman 560v4
Schiit Modius/Ifi Dac Signature-> Monolith Liquid Platinum-> Kennerton Vali
Short impressions so far, the Dac Signature is warmer, slightly better staging, and a bit fuller sounding so far when compared to the Modius. It appears the other dynamics are close to the same level. Probably will be able to tell more of a difference as I spend more time with it.
So far I cannot say anything negative about it. If someone is looking for a warmer dac on par with the Modius it certainly works.
So I have been using this for about 50 hrs in total and the dac does seem to sound better than just the PC to stereo. I'm using the vsx-40 headphones out while I wait for the zen can. (sorry for the bad photo quality)
This is a really great dac, love the variable output option with the knob. It sounds great in the ifi zen 6xx stack, and with my thx AAA one. The only thing i have to say is for the price point, the input options are pretty limited. Nice compact housing with outstanding build quality, very smooth knob. It would be nice if there was a way to bundle a balanced 4.4mm cable because they’re somewhat hard to find, but I’m not factoring that into my rating as its not a reflection of the product.
Edit: Just thought it was worth mentioning that the included USB cable is hilariously short. Couldn’t be more than 4 inches, so either plan on having an extension or a different cable.
2nd edit: I mentioned this in my zen 6xx amp review, but i got the 4.4 interconnect and hd6xx cables from audiophileninja on etsy for roughly $120 total. Really great handmade cables.
I have had an audioengine dac/amp in the past but upgraded when I purchased the 6xx. I must say this dac actually opens up the sound quite a bit even with using my past headphones. Great product and definitely recommend trying this out.
Recommends this product?Yes
madzack1996
Feb 27, 2021
checkVerified Buyer
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good but so close to being great
if they sold it as a package with the amp and included a 4.4mm interconnect it would be glorious
- After an hour or so I noticed that it wasn't showing the MQA indicator and discovered that I needed to install the iFi Windows USB driver. It was no problem and the MQA indicator started to work.
- The next morning when I powered up the computer it would only play MQA coded streams. I did the usual Windows driver reinstall, changing ports, etc, and after a couple of tries it started to work fine.
- At one point during this it would only play non-MQA streams. For MQA it would stutter, scratch, pop and let tiny segments of music through.
- The electronic change needed to engage the MQA rendering logic was like getting a manual transmission in reverse for a couple of days.
- After three days or so of use the sound quality and the MQA rendering all started to smooth out.
I'm looking forward to many hours of improved sound from the 58X's.