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iFi ZEN One Signature - All-in-One Media Hub - Bluetooth 5.1, Optical, USB, RCA. Full MQA High Res Audio DAC.

£149.5£299.00Clearance
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The result? The ZEN One Signature is a pure DAC (no built-in headphone amp and volume control) that serves as a home audio hub for all your digital devices, from smartphones and tablets to PCs and Macs, disc players and audio servers to TVs and games consoles. Home Hub DAC

The ZEN One Signature DAC is just that - a DAC (or, d igital to a nalogue c onverter, in case you’re wondering). Unlike some of the other similarly-shaped teardrop products in iFi Audio’s range of “ZEN” products, there’s no headphone amplifier or volume control in this one - it’s a DAC in the purest sense, and iFi Audio thinks it may well be the only one you need. The ZEN One Signature DAC is designed to take digital signals from a source like your Mac/PC, smartphone, TV or gaming console, and decode them into a line-level analogue stereo signal so that your other devices can amplify it into the stuff that your brain recognises as “music”. Oh, and it’ll also happily do the same thing when it comes to video/gaming audio as well.

TL;DR

But here’s the thing: I then plugged in the included power supply and resumed my listening—and I couldn’t hear a bit of difference. So I unplugged the power supply and moved my USB cable from my PC to a cheap powered USB hub plugged into the wall, and I still couldn’t hear any meaningful difference. I compared the Signatures’ BT output to the output of the 6000A Play’s internal BT receiver, and I found the iFi connection to be superior in every way, providing a more nuanced and transparent presentation. The iFi Audio ZEN One Signature is purist and minimalistic in concept but you still have to manage those inputs and the Bluetooth connection so there are some buttons upfront to manage those inputs. With the Atom, the Z1S just seems to present a very clear, precise and yet warm signature, something that I really enjoy for my preferred music genres (which is mainly focused on vocals and acoustic instruments). For the latter, iFi makes a balanced 4.4mm to stereo XLR cable (sold separately), so you can connect the ZEN One Signature to an amp with XLR inputs. In addition, the Coax input doubles as a digital output when using Bluetooth or USB inputs.

To me any signal-to-noise ratio above 90 decibels is acceptable but the higher the better of course and the ZEN One Signature sits at 105 decibels which is lower than the ZEN DAC Signature Series HFM which sits at 117 decibels.The big difference that the One Signature has over the other ZEN components is that it offers multiple inputs. As well as the USB input, the One Signature now offers an optical and coaxial input that are selected on an either/or basis. The coax input can also be switched to function as an output too. Then, the One Signature also adds much of the functionality of the ZEN Blue v2 in a fully specified Bluetooth input that supports the same selection of extended formats as the Blue. Effectively, the One combines two more affordable ZEN devices and gives you an extra input into the bargain. At the heart of iFi Audio's business are its customers. They prioritise delivering the highest quality audio wherever you are, whether in the comfort of your home or on the go. Their distribution centre in the USA serves renowned retailers such as B&H and etailz, expanding their global network and reaching more music enthusiasts.

While I used the Quintet a lot, I also used the KPH40, the Hifiman HE1000se, the Sennheiser IE600, the Hifiman Svanar and the Hifiman Edition XS, all of which are headphones/IEMs that are easily driven and, in most cases, reflective of sources (at least in my brain). iFi has also gone to great lengths to ensure its Bluetooth tech is state-of-the-art. Making full use of Qualcomm’s latest four-core QCC5100 Bluetooth processing chip, every current high-definition Bluetooth audio format is supported, including aptX Adaptive and aptX HD, LDAC and HWA/LHDC. Other codecs covered include regular aptX and aptX Low Latency, AAC and of course SBC. iFi Audio extends the ZEN product range with the ZEN CAN – a purely analog headphone amplifier in a compact aluminum casing. The MM-/MC-Phono- preamplifier "ZEN Phono" will join the affordable ZEN product line of iFi Audio. It features four different gain stages, a balanced pentaconn connector and an "intelligent" subsonic filter. While writing our ifi Zen One Signature DAC Review, we noticed how the product felt rigid. Everything felt durable and solid, from the silicone stoppers to the outputs.

British audio brand iFi expands its ZEN Signature range with the iFi ZEN One Signature.

I mentioned Bluetooth there, because for my first few days with the Zen One Signature, I relied on it primarily as a reference against which to compare a number of standalone Bluetooth receivers for that aforementioned Wirecutter roundup. I also spent a good bit of time comparing its Bluetooth decoding to that of the Rotel A12MII. In short, I find that the ZEN One Signature is a very enjoyable DAC that will fit well in systems of those who want to have good quality and not get caught up in the analysis of the smallest nuances of music. Those who listen to music for joy and not to dissect it. Balanced and RCA single-ended analogue outputs – connect to an integrated amp, preamp, headphone amp or active speakers

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