iFi Audio Zen Dac USB Headphone Amplifier

Dimensions (Overall): 10.9 inches (L), 2.25 inches (H) x 6.1 inches (W) x 10.9 inches (D)
Weight: 1.71 pounds
Warranty: No Applicable Warranty. To obtain a copy of the manufacturer's or supplier's warranty for this item prior to purchasing the item,
• Improve the sound quality of r music with the ZEN DAC quickly and easily
• Connect the ZEN DAC via USB in between r PC, Mac or smart device and chill
• Add the ZEN DAC to r home audio system and use it as a USB DAC, with or without the sound engaged
• Whether are hooking up headphones, an external amp or active speakers, can choose between a single-ended or balanced connection – a remarkable facility at this price
• The ZEN DAC delivers hi-res, ‘bit perfect’ PCM and DXD to 24-bit384kHz, DSD256 and MQA
The ZEN DAC is a USB DAC/headphone amplifier that connects to PCs, Macs and smart devices via USB to take audio experience to a higher plane. Designed for home use, its hi-res digital-to-analogue conversation technology processes all forms of digital audio to a super-high standard, while the integrated analogue headphone amplifier delivers superb sound with all headphone types, from in-ear monitors to larger on- and over-ear designs. Upgraded Implementation The DAC section is based around a Burr-Brown DAC chip used extensively at iFi, selected for its fluid, highly ‘musical’ sound quality and ‘True Native’ architecture. This, together with the XMOS chip used for input processing, enables iFi to deliver excellent sound quality across all manner of digital audio formats including hi-res PCM, ‘bit-perfect’ DSD and MQA ­– the hi-res streaming codec, as used by Tidal’s ‘Masters’ tier. The Digital Stage PCM and DXD audio data is supported up to 24-bit/384kHz, alongside DSD sampling rates from 2.8MHz to 12.4MHz (DSD256). Thanks to the Burr-Brown chip’s True Native design, PCM and DSD take separate pathways. This enables DSD to remain ‘bit-perfect’ in its native form, right through to analogue conversion. Many DACs that claim DSD compatibility accept DSD data but then convert it to PCM. For DSD purists, the ZEN DAC is an affordable solution. Extensive clock-locking is used throughout the digital stage to eradicate jitter, maintaining the integrity of the digital signal until conversion. Bespoke Firmware Another circuit feature by iFi is their in-house programming of the XMOS chip. While other manufacturers simply use the firmware that comes with the chip off-the-shelf, which is not typically optimized for audiophile-grade sound, iFi program their own bespoke firmware to boost audio processing power. Their continuous software development allows features to be added or optimized via firmware updates, enabling the ZEN DAC to be tailored to playback priorities and ensuring it stays cutting-edge over time. can even download and install different versions of iFi firmware to experiment with different digital filters. The Analogue Stage The ZEN DAC’s analogue stage is a balanced design – highly unusual in a DAC/headphone amp near this price point. It incorporates a range of high-quality circuit components, carefully selected for their performance in an audio context, including C0G capacitors from TDK and a high-quality analogue volume pot. The headphone amp stage has switchable gain, which iFi calls PowerMatch. This matches the level of drive to the load presented by the headphones by adjusting input sensitivity and thereby signal strength. With high-sensitivity headphone types such as in-ear monitors, leave PowerMatch at its lower setting for ultra- low-noise performance. But if headphones require more drive – most on/over-ear types, for example – press the PowerMatch button on the front panel to increase gain. TrueBass is another user-selectable feature. An evolution of iFi's established XBass circuit, TrueBass is a sophisticated form of ‘bass boost’ that subtly enhances low frequencies without muddying the midrange. It's particularly useful with earphones and open-back headphones that may lack deep bass. It operates entirely in the analogue domain rather than messing with the digital signal via DSP and may be switched in or out via another button on the front panel. Well Connected The ZEN DAC sports Pentaconn 4.4 mm balanced outputs, both front and back. This is a relatively new interface type, designed to enable balanced signal transfer between compact products that cannot accommodate traditional XLR connections. The front-mounted 4.4 mm output sits alongside a standard, single-ended 6.3 mm headphone socket