How many folks here would like to try the ZenDAC but haven’t had the chance to?
Wanted to bump this up to gauge interest!
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iFi Zen DAC - I’m in love!
Just got this baby over Christmas. Connected a set of SIVGA - P-II PLANAR MAGNETIC HEADPHONES
to it using the balanced jack and added an iFi iPurifier3 USB Signal Conditioner at the same time. It’s like entering a whole new world of listening pleasure. I’ve had all sorts of headphones, from AKG Studio Monitors to Stax Electrostatics to Grado SR-325e to HiFiMan HE-400i. The soundscape is fresh and deep. There’s no brittleness on the highs and the bass is profound, especially an acoustic double bass that’s mixed properly. I listen to a lot of acoustic Jazz and some progressive rock (Yes, ELP, Gentle Giant) and a bit of chamber music so I get a wide mix of dynamics and recording styles to listen to. I’d have to say the the iFi Zen DAC is an amazing unit, not only for the cost, but for what it brings to the audio toolbox. It’s a pleasure to own.
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Thanks for your feedback! Glad you’re loving it so much 
Would love to see a full on review from you with those pairings if you have the time!
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Hi Sebastian, I still have the HiFiman HE-400i headphones and I’ll try them out with the Zen DAC to see what that pairing might sound like. Thank you for the idea.
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I’m becoming interested in the ZenDAC as a DAC only – it’s limitations as an amp are known and documented (above and elsewhere). It could be interesting to compare against the ubiquitous AKM4490. Is the ZenDAC representative of the “typical” Burr Brown tone profile? Is there a typical profile? I’ve read about its warmth and smooth treble, which could be good for some pairings.
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This is a review of a very specific pairing - the iFi ZEN DAC with the HiFiMAN HE400i headphones.
My Zen DAC is connected to my HP Pavilion PC vis a USB 3.0 A-B cable to help increase the bandwidth for data flow at USB 3.0 speeds. It’s heavily shielded affair that made for music transfers. I’m also using the iFi “iPower” DC power supply for clean, filtered power support, and the iPurifier3 to re-clock the signal and eliminate digital jitter. All of the tracks I auditioned were FLAC files at 96/24-bit and I use the excellent AVS4You AVS Media Player v5.2.4.143 for playback of files stored on a Buffalo Box 4Tb NAS file server.
I listened to a variety of music ranging from rock to string quartets to get a feel for how the HE400i cans really sounded when pushed a bit with strong dynamics and subtleties of lighter musical entities. My musical selections were:
[1] Diana Krall - Girl in the Other Room, “I’m Coming Through”
[2] Steely Dan - Gaucho, “Babylon Sisters”
[3] Keith Jarrett - My Song, “Questar”
[4] Brodsky String Quartet - Beethoven Late String Quartets, "String Quartet #11 in F-minor, Op 95
Starting with Diana Krall, the “Girl in The Other Room” has some of the best vocal mixes I’ve ever heard with lots of presence and natural tone. Her piano sounded very well recorded with excellent placement around the sound board. The bass was subdued but full in the low octaves and not overpowering. I chose “I’m Coming Through” because of its shadings and tone colors in Diana’s voice.It was really sweet sounding.
Next was Steely Dan. The “Gaucho” album is a hidden gem of typical Steely Dan recording perfection.I chose the “Babylon Sisters” track for a lot of reasons. The HE400i cans really brought out the Fender Rhodes growl. Listening to the background vocal harmonies was an amazing experience with the midrange of the female singers right in front of the soundstage. I think the Zen DAC benefitted from a “Power Match” gain as the mix level is subdued and I wanted the drums to punch it out a bit. This was also a really enjoyable musical trip because of how well the entire album is recorded.
For my third selection I went to a classic 70’s ECM recording of Keith Jarrett. “My Song” was released on ECM in 1978. It is the second album by Jarrett’s ‘European Quartet’ featuring Jan Garbarek, Palle Danielsson and Jon Christensen. As one of the expertly recorded sessions captured at the famous Talent Studios in Oslo, Norway, I was keen on choosing just the right track. “Questar” is a swing song that shows just how profound a master of production Manfred Eicher is and what a musical genius Keith Jarett is. The recording is pristine in its clarity and depth. Jan Garbarek’s sax is intense and right up front in the mix, as is Jarrett’s solo piano . Everything in the mix is clear and precise. I was able to turn off the Zen DAC’s Power Match and listen effortlessly to a stunning soundstage What a pleasure in that this sounded so much better the the vinyl version.
Last was the Brodsky String Quartet performing the Beethoven Late String quartet pieces. I chose “String Quartet #11 in F-minor, Op 95” because of it’s lightness and also, it’s fast movement even though the cello is dominant. In some recordings, strings can get a little strident sounding, but the combination of the Zen DAC and the HE400i headphones offer some real balance so the there was no listener fatigue.
That’s it from me. I just want to close and say the digital music has come a long way and the iFi Zen DAC makes it so much better with the HE400i headphones. Enjoy and always support the arts, they support you, the listener, with wonderful music.
7 Likes
I couldn’t say it is a typical example. I can say my experience with the iFi Zen DAC, and the Hip Dac, has been the same as others who have posted here or who have reviewed the product. Best example I have is the iFi Zen, using as an amp. “fixed” the upper mid wonkiness on the Elegia where it stands out on a magni/modi stack. I’d rather have a big huge cord mess and travel with the hip dac and a battery pack than the BTR5 because of the warmth if that means anything.
Right now I’m using it as a DAC only in my second setup, switching with a Magni 3+, in a complicated setup:
Zen or Magni => Loki heavily dialed => NuHybrid DIY amp => Elegia
Let me tell you this makes the Elegia sing.
2 Likes
Thanks. I’ve been trying to “fix” my Elex glare from the day I got them, so they mostly catch dust. I’m leaning toward getting a ZenDAC, and will decide in a few days. It has enough features to keep me entertained for a while.
This is a review of a very specific pairing - the iFi ZEN DAC with the HiFiMAN HE400i headphones.
My Zen DAC is connected to my HP Pavilion PC vis a USB 3.0 A-B cable to help increase the bandwidth for data flow at USB 3.0 speeds. It’s heavily shielded affair that made for music transfers. I’m also using the iFi “iPower” DC power supply for clean, filtered power support, and the iPurifier3 to re-clock the signal and eliminate digital jitter. All of the tracks I auditioned were FLAC files at 96/24-bit and I use the excellent AVS4You AVS Media Player v5.2.4.143 for playback of files stored on a Buffalo Box 4Tb NAS file server.
I listened to a variety of music ranging from rock to string quartets to get a feel for how the HE400i cans really sounded when pushed a bit with strong dynamics and subtleties of lighter musical entities. My musical selections were:
[1] Diana Krall - Girl in the Other Room, “I’m Coming Through”
[2] Steely Dan - Gaucho, “Babylon Sisters”
[3] Keith Jarrett - My Song, “Questar”
[4] Brodsky String Quartet - Beethoven Late String Quartets, "String Quartet #11 in F-minor, Op 95
Starting with Diana Krall, the “Girl in The Other Room” has some of the best vocal mixes I’ve ever heard with lots of presence and natural tone. Her piano sounded very well recorded with excellent mic placement around the sound board. The bass was subdued but full in the low octaves and not overpowering. I chose “I’m Coming Through” because of its shadings and tone colors in Diana’s voice.It was really sweet sounding.
Next was Steely Dan. The “Gaucho” album is a hidden gem of typical Steely Dan recording perfection.I chose the “Babylon Sisters” track for a lot of reasons. The HE400i cans really brought out the Fender Rhodes growl. Listening to the background vocal harmonies was an amazing experience with the midrange of the female singers right in front of the soundstage. I think the Zen DAC benefitted from a “Power Match” gain as the mix level is subdued and I wanted the drums to punch it out a bit. This was also a really enjoyable musical trip because of how well the entire album is recorded.
For my third selection I went to a classic 70’s ECM recording of Keith Jarrett. “My Song” was released on ECM in 1978. It is the second album by Jarrett’s ‘European Quartet’ featuring Jan Garbarek, Palle Danielsson and Jon Christensen. As one of the expertly recorded sessions captured at the famous Talent Studios in Oslo, Norway, I was keen on choosing just the right track. “Questar” is an “understated” swing song that shows just how profound a master of production Manfred Eicher is and what a musical genius Keith Jarett is. The recording is pristine in its clarity and depth. Jan Garbarek’s sax is intense and right up front in the mix, as is Jarrett’s solo piano . Everything in the mix is clear and precise. I was able to turn off the Zen DAC’s Power Match and listen effortlessly to a stunning soundstage. What a pleasure in that this format sounded so much better then the vinyl version.
Last was the Brodsky String Quartet performing the Beethoven Late String quartet pieces. I chose “String Quartet #11 in F-minor, Op 95” because of it’s lightness and also, it’s fast movement even though the cello is dominant. In some recordings, strings can get a little strident sounding, but the combination of the Zen DAC and the HE400i headphones offer some real balance so the there was no listener fatigue.
That’s it from me. I just want to close and say the digital music has come a long way and the iFi Zen DAC makes it so much better with the HE400i headphones. Enjoy and always support the arts, they support you, the listener, with wonderful music.
5 Likes
Excellent writeup @USATRAN. Very detailed.
Thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
CCJ
2 Likes
Thank you, @USATRAN!
ZenDAC Review and Comparison
I recently purchased an iFI ZenDAC from Headphones.com (thank you @andrew and @taronlissimore) for $129. I needed a DAC for separate home listening station and didn’t own anything with a Burr-Brown chipset.
What is this product?
In my opinion, iFi often releases products with odd form-factors, confusing functions, and opaque user interfaces. I’d ignored their products previously because I didn’t want to decode their too-clever insider intentions. The ZenDAC is no different, and has a 1960s space-age appearance to boot. [I’ve grown to like its unique looks over time.]
The ZenDAC is sold as a USB DAC, but it presents itself as an all-in-one headphone amp from the front. It has a gain switch, bass boost, volume control, single-ended headphone jack, and 4.4mm balanced headphone jack. There’s a fixed-versus-variable output switch on the back to change between pure DAC and all-in-one DAC/amp use.
ZenDAC on the bottom:
So, this review is divided into two sections: (1) ZenDAC as a DAC, and (2) ZenDAC as an all-in-one.
The price of modernity
The ZenDAC has a $129 retail price, but be aware of its reliance on new and relatively uncommon 4.4mm connectors and cables. The balanced outputs on both the front (headphone) and back (DAC) are 4.4mm. Buying new cables all around could easily double the cost and drive it from the entry-level budget bracket. As I already owned several balanced cables and adapters, my listening setups became very odd and bulky.
ZenDAC as a DAC
This product is great for those who want a standard, common tone profile from all amps and headphones. Natural milk will separate into cream, butter, and whey. The milk you buy in the store and what iFI released here is homogenized. You won’t experience terribly strong personality differences between amps and headphones.
You won’t experience this:
You will experience this:
What does this mean? The ZenDAC is mid-focused, mid-bass-thick, and rolls of the treble. It’s a people-pleasing, easy-on-the-ears tone profile. My headphones (tested with Focal Clear and Sennheiser HD-600) moved in the direction of the HD-650/6XX or Koss Porta Pro. It became harder to hear the unique characteristics of each set of headphones or each amp – Burr-Brown/ZenDAC treble details are subdued versus my AKM 4490 DAC.
I do like the ZenDAC (DAC mode) for a laid back, casual listening experience. However, if you haven’t tried a more technical or treble-focused DAC you might not know what you are missing – good and bad – with your headphones and amps.
ZenDAC as a headphone amp
To be fair to iFi, the ZenDAC’s $129 price tag is a lot lower than separate entry-level DACs and amps (e.g., the Schiit, Topping, or JDS Labs combos cost around $100 + $100). The ZenDAC amp is a solid deal for a $29 price bump, and pretty good for some headphones. However, it doesn’t compete well against separate $100 amps.
In amp mode the top-end remains subdued and easy-on-the-ears, but not very technical. Its biggest weakness is bass, as it doesn’t go deep and tends to be one-note and boomy. In using the balanced output, the Clear in particular had artificially boosted but shallow bass. The bass boost function filled out the mid range in a good way but resulted in overwhelming shallow bass. The HD-600 faired better, as its bass potential seemed perfectly matched to the ZenDAC. Good performance, but the HD-600 can do better.
Amp comparisons ($100 bracket):
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Schiit Magni 3+: This has a fuller and more natural tone than the ZenDAC’s amp. If one wants to boost the bass (HD-600), the Schiit Loki’s lowest range knob is far better than the ZenDAC’s boomy bass boost button. I hear high-range hiss on many single-ended amps, including the Magni 3+, so it wouldn’t be my first pick.
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Loxjie P20 (power supply upgrade and triple mica tubes; <$150): This was the best amp by far, as it generates much more natural (non-boomy) bass and a smooth/clean high end. Again, a slight Loki boost to the lows gets one to the tonal potential of the HD-600 (when restricted to the $500 system category).
Overall
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I recommend the ZenDAC as a warm and easy-going entry-level DAC. Buyers should be aware that they can miss high-range details and personality versus other DACs. It’s not a DAC for technical comparisons or music production.
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The ZenDAC includes a very good $29 amp, but it competes with $50 amps rather than $100 amps. Given the often high cost of 4.4mm cables and adapters, I recommend that budget-minded buyers ignore its balanced features. Use the RCA output jacks and direct funds toward a separate $100 amp.
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Nice review. 
Burr Brown have a very pleasing warmth to my ears. Very easy going.
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Great review @generic. Love your style.
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Hi everyone,
At the office I am listening through a ZenDAC, and moved from Grados to the Focal Elegia. This is a great headphone that allows me to hear at low level, as I enjoy. However, I just noticed that there is a channel imbalance exactly at low levels.
I have been reading and found out this is an issue (I believe because of the analogue volume control). My question is: is there a way of solving this (obviously, besides turning the volume up), namely using the balanced headphone output?
Thank you in advance.
I had this issue initially with LCD-2’s and iFi iDSD Micro. Had to use ieMatch at “high sensivity” and normal power. Unfortunately the Zen DAC does not have that setting, only a low/high gain (IEM/OverEar).
You could try to change the PowerMatch setting, but it may not be optimal as it may lower the gain too much.
Thank you. Yes, I have tried but did not achieve any result 
Low-level channel imbalances are extremely common with analog volume control systems (e.g., rotary potentiometers/pots). This is so common that I’d not call it a flaw so much as an expected characteristic.
One work-around would be to get an external balance control/preamp, or perhaps use software to adjust the balance. You might hypothetically replace the pot too, if you have the knowledge and are adept with soldering.
There are these dampeners / adapters (ifi makes them as well, called IEMatch). Perhaps, when damping the signal between the ifi and the Elegia, you can use a higher volume setting where the imbalance does not happen.