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iFi audio ZEN DAC Signature
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iFi audio ZEN DAC Signature
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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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keyboard_arrow_downiFiaudio.com
95
iFi Audio
Jul 16, 2020
Stickied
Hey all, this is Julie from iFi. Hoping to help shed a little light for you to hopefully help with some of your queries with the differences between the ZEN DAC and the premium version, ZEN DAC Signature.
The ZEN CAN Signature is a hot-rodded machine. We have done the same for the ZEN DAC. So we made the ZEN DAC Signature. Both are maxed to the hilt when partnering the HD6XX.
The key differences between the two are:
Upgraded premium parts (see pcb highlights):
Sanyo Oscons and
Elna Silmics and
Panasonic capacitors
iPOWER measurement methodology and results here:
https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/28304-measuring-the-ipower-much-ado-about-nothing-part-4-uploaded-and-complete/ We hope this helps to shed some light on our approach. Sonic differences? Our Chief Designer Thorsten Loesch said, "a good comparison would be a standard Marantz (SA)CD-Player and a KI version”. I hope this is some help to answering some of your queries, we are a friendly bunch at iFi and will do all we can to answer your questions! I promise we are listening to you and taking your comments on board. Oh and also, click this link to take you through to our thread on Head-fi where we haves started releasing the full Tech details for both products, for those that want to delve a little deeper. https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ifi-audio-zen-can-signature-6xx-zen-dac-signature.936743/page-5#post-15742970 Thanks, Jules
iPOWER measurement methodology and results here:
https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/28304-measuring-the-ipower-much-ado-about-nothing-part-4-uploaded-and-complete/ We hope this helps to shed some light on our approach. Sonic differences? Our Chief Designer Thorsten Loesch said, "a good comparison would be a standard Marantz (SA)CD-Player and a KI version”. I hope this is some help to answering some of your queries, we are a friendly bunch at iFi and will do all we can to answer your questions! I promise we are listening to you and taking your comments on board. Oh and also, click this link to take you through to our thread on Head-fi where we haves started releasing the full Tech details for both products, for those that want to delve a little deeper. https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ifi-audio-zen-can-signature-6xx-zen-dac-signature.936743/page-5#post-15742970 Thanks, Jules
(Edited)
SDK1
220
Apr 6, 2021
iFiaudio.comHi Julie.
As a UK based company, can you explain why it is cheaper for customers in UK to buy your products from a US site and import them, than simply buying in the UK? UK pricing is around 40% greater than US pricing, meaning anything above $140 is cheaper to import...
iFiaudio.com
95
iFi Audio
Apr 6, 2021
SDK1Hi SDK1, thanks for the question. The UK prices are inclusive of VAT but the US prices do not include US taxes- they are added at checkout. Hope that helps?
Zepplock
96
Jul 14, 2020
Oh wow more MQA junk. Please educate yourselves and don't support lossy, proprietary technologies with shady marketing with your money.
riffrafff
91
Mar 31, 2021
ZepplockI agree with Zepplock. So do others, apparently.
https://www.schiit.com/news/news/why-we-wont-be-supporting-mqa
Just sayin'.
OrcaBrigade
118
Jul 14, 2020
Maybe... MAYBE... I'd remotely consider it if it were being sold for under 200usd per unit, full slew of their "special power bricks" for both units at this stupid price. (I know full well what that included contents tab says, their zen dac said the same bullshit... so you'll have to forgive my skepticism in this regard...)
Furthermore... a fucking 80usd jumper?...
Y'all have to be completely bullshitting us. Hell the fuck no, I'll make my own and sell them for half or less if I have to, to teach that pricing for shit like this is un-goddamn acceptable.
One should never see that kind of price unless it's a damn near pure silver litz (pick your class poison) cable strong enough to beat a squirrel to death at 80usd.
If they had squished this into a singular unit, knocked 100 off the top, thrown in the proper psu, and a 4.4 to xlr-4 cable I'd call it fair.
Admonish me to your heart's delight. I don't quite care, this stack they're calling 500usd's worth of cash with less than stellar initial "stats" on the data sheet tells me this is indeed just sheet. (hah.. Ima funny guy)
That being said, I rather love my zen dac quite a lot. I am always finding ways to listen to it, rather ways to integrate it into my chain and reasons to keep it around to be a part of my modular chain. ( I am ADHD when it comes to gear) But unless there is something beyond special about these two that absolutely made it to where they HAD to be sold separately like this, rather than offering a bigger, meaner, and more angerous version of the model they already released in a single package... then I honestly see little to no reason to "upgrade" to this stack or individual unit.
G3n3r1c
216
Jul 16, 2020
My rule of thumb for headphone setups is to spend 50% of the budget on the drivers/transducers and split the rest between DAC, amp, cables, power supply, and any other voodoo you fancy. So, with $220 HD-6XX headphones that would mean another $220 for everything else. I'd certainly not spend $589 to squeeze unicorn tears from the technically limited 6XX drivers.
FatDoi
193
Jul 18, 2020
Also regarding the premium parts in the stack, 6xx is by no means a premium headphone, it's an excellent reference headphone which stood test of time for past decade but now the game post has moved with more options available since. I truly wish your stack will be a success..... all the best mate
Bad.hombre
69
Jul 16, 2020
Soo... Maybe someone can help me understand the value proposition (or any proposition here.) From what I can put together, in the company's own words here are the differences between this dac and the regular Zen dac /amp. For the DAC:
Zen Dac/Amp (from ifi)
Zout <= 200 Ohm (BAL) <= 100 Ohm (SE)
SNR < -116dB(A) @ 0dBFS (BAL/SE)
DNR > 116dB(A) @ -60dBFS (BAL/SE)
THD+N < 0.0015% @ 0dBFS (BAL/SE)
“Signature” Dac (From Drop)
Z output (unbalanced): ≤ 100 ohms
Z output (balanced): ≤ 200 ohms
SNR: < -117 dB(A) at 0 dBFS (unbalanced / balanced)
DNR: > 117 dB(A) at -60 dBFS (unbalanced / balanced)
THD+N: <0.0011% at 0 dBFS (unbalanced / balanced)
So 0.0004% difference in THD+N and 1db SNR/DNR. Also, the one from ifi has an amp section (that also measures similar to the signature amp ("signature" amp is slightly worse actually, in SNR and THD & N) (don't take my word for it: https://ifi-audio.com/products/zen-dac/). So thats 249+249+89=$587 (gotta include the connector, as the original is also balanced) vs $129.
So, given this is a wash from a performance perspective, that's $458 for a little EQ (that only works for a specific $200 headphone.)
Help me out.
phoenixsong
1055
Jul 24, 2020
I dunno, Schiit has tube products too, yet have impressively well-measured opamp products as well. A statement like "if based off measurements, we would never have brought that (tube product) out" would seem a little too petty in the presence of that competitor at least
ifiaudio_Vince
115
iFi Audio
Jul 27, 2020
phoenixsongHi Phoenixsong,
It was a comment at ourselves because if we prioritised measurements, then we would only make solid-state gear and not tube. We did not mean to cause offence by inferring another manufacturer making tube gear is so.
Dzerh
39
Jul 14, 2020
$89 for the interconnect? This raises question about the real value of the whole combo. I pass.
verifonix
1181
Jul 31, 2020
SPOOPYProbably a legitimate Sony connector which run a big premium, but still $80 is way too much. The Chinese fakes work fine anyway.
snackspear
0
Jul 14, 2020
i just orderd the the zen dac amp combo to use as a dac for my darkvoice 336 should i return and get this insted?
RayF
22220
Jul 15, 2020
Just as I suspected!
You've been sucked into the vortex of mid-fi internet cliche-ism! I suppose next you're going to tell me you "roll" tubes as well?!
Zeos
648
Jul 14, 2020
So I got the full ZEN DAC/CAN stack early from ifi, The CAN really steals the show but this DAC is also a pretty wonderful piece of kit. I saw that they added a $90 option for a 4.4 jumper to go between the two (which FEELS pricey) but I couldn't find anywhere else. So all my assumptions of this unit are based on just RCA feeding the Zen CAN Sig.
With its dedicated volume knob I can 100% see this being the go-to USB dac for Powered speakers or desktop power-amp users (YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!) as it sort of dominates the facade with that knob, which you can bypass, but who doesn't want to use a nice knob all day. I want to try balance output on other things which means I have to break out a specialty cable I had made for the Woo WA11 Topaz and throw some gender changers on to test with powered speakers. I wish they would add a short 4.4 male to XLR male as an optional accessory. Would make this a bit easier to use in this weird world where that is NOT a common cable. The RCA performance is on par with other dacs from what I have gathered in my limited testing.
I haven't been asked to return them yet. (Please Note the Dates are SLIGHTLY OFF due to ifi delaying the launch and not Drop, for the first time ever) so until then I will probably throw this DAC on a bunch of other items to test performance. here is the review below of the CAN, which sort of includes the DAC, I might do a dedicated one later on if I find it works magically on its own.
https://youtu.be/QLH4bMvaMag
otaking241
38
Jul 15, 2020
Thanks for these! When the Zen first came out I couldn't find any 4.4mm to XLR cables (I think there was one on eBay for like $250) but glad the situation seems to be changing in the right direction. Of course it would be optimal if they put one in the box...
bding
271
Jul 14, 2020
$250 for a DAC with only USB input, plus an additional $90 to use it balanced with its paired amp.
lol
l3enjamin
3
Jul 15, 2020
I see what you did there, but yeah. One could even say this is like a Zen Blue minus the Bluetooth (?)
(Edited)
Audio-Guy
7
May 31, 2021
I would rather lose the fancy DC power supply (that if you are connecting to a headphone amp, you probably don't need [and I would argue is probably snake oil anyway]) and the DAC be $50 cheaper on Drop. I guess I'll just get one off Amazon.
DrGonzo4311
21
Sep 22, 2020
timoteeAgreed, any dac with USB only is automatically ruled out (there is a trend building here). To me, it's useless with one input... especially the dirtiest and noisiest one available.
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