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Compared to other iFi offerings, this is quite a simple DAC to operate. Install the necessary software if you have a PC, plug in the DAC, and voila! Macintosh is simply plug-in-play, however DSD must be transmitted via DoP. Although Roon doesn't recognize the iFi ZEN DAC V2 as ROON READY, Roon spots the DAC and you can configure it as a USB device via the Roon control panel very easily. (Want true ROON READY ethernet/wifi connectivity? The iFi Stream is easily added and is the subject of an upcoming review)
Zen was really interesting experience, great build and functionality, with several layers to it regarding sound quality. Directly from the box it's already very good sounding, but you should definitely spend few minutes to install new firmware with GTO filter which will peel its first layer and get sonud quality to a class leading level. At this moment Zen is already a great buy and very easy recommendation. But if you feel adventures, there is yet another layer to be peeled if you add a low noise power supply to it. Even listening through the Grados, the least revealing pair of the trio of headphones we mainly use, the V2’s sonic step-up is plain as day. Verdict The last ten years have been a revolution in the world of high fidelity, thanks to the drop in prices due to outsourcing to China. However, even just a few years ago, components and features of this type would have been unimaginable at such a low price. After all, it is considered as one of the best products of this range ever produced. The components are very respectable and used intelligently. Also on an aesthetic level, the workmanship is surprisingly robust and the design is well-finished. The price to performance ratio is very good, and it's nice to see that for 199€ you get such a sweet little all in one unit! Highly recommended!
16 core means more…
The Zen Dac has surprisingly good bass extension. Similarly priced Dacs often weak out under 100Hz, but the Zen Dac keeps going. The bass is nicely balanced and relatively flat in its price range with an option to give it a tasteful boost (‘truebass’ button). One thing, iFi what were your thinking with the supplied leads? If they had been any shorter I would have had to use a microscope to find them! BASS BOOST, an analog process that preserves bit-perfect integrity of the digital signal, provides a healthy if not hefty boost to frequencies from approximate 200 hz extending downward into the infrasonic, with what appears to be about a 10db gain at 20hz. Yeah, I was one of those kids. I passed first semester Ear Training in a single week. I have always had the ear for the subtleties in music. One of the more basic exercises is a simple tuning test. The subject must listen to a series of pitches all within a few 'cents' of each other, and must match them exactly with no assistance. Only your ear can be your tool. iFi has tried to optimise the sound for a wide range of headphones. There’s a button on the front that offers a choice of output levels to take into account the large difference in sensitivity between headphone types, and another that adds a degree of bass boost. This works subtly enough to be useful, adding extra weight and authority to thin or lean sounding cans.
The device has a enough power to bring life to the HD650 and Fostex T50RP without distortion or having to run max power, indeed it should run most headphones without an issue. IEMs are great but while the Zen has a low ground noise it is not recommended for very sensitive low power IEMs, I would recommend DD IEMs over the 12 Ohm rating and hybrid and BA IEMs 32 Ohms and up. Denon AH-D9200 (balanced): Well this thing needs no power, so that's fine. I gets very V-shaped with the bass function haha. It sounds clean, but i prefer it on the Oor for the class A goodness (a bit less sharp). The bass boost is awesome, it doesn't make your midbass bloaty, it adds a nice shelf with solid low-end.
Ace of Bass.
The bass boost on this is the real deal. This is the one part of the Zen DAC V2 that is not subtle. The True Bass function adds a satisfying and even boost to your low end, and a strong one. For me, this strength felt well-executed as it was balanced and didn’t come across as too bell-shaped or low-mid disrupting. As I’m sure you’d expect, you’re not gonna want to use this function constantly, and it fits some headphones better than others and some songs better than others. One final feature found on the front panel is a 'TRUEBASS' button. True to its word, it gives a noteworthy boost in bass frequencies, however, this boost is only applicable to the headphone outputs. The amount of boost offered is visible in our MEASUREMENTS SECTION, below article. Overall though I am extremely pleased with the Zen; build and sound quality is first class and the ‘Truebase’ and ‘Power Match’ features have real impact when listening through headphones. There are hi-fi system-friendly inputs – namely coaxial, optical and aptX Bluetooth – but while RCA outputs are onboard for hooking it up to an amplifier in a loudspeaker-fronted system, much of the Hugo 2’s design is, like every other DAC mentioned so far, geared towards feeding headphones. If you aren’t a big fan of headphone listening, however, and would be satisfied by a DAC that can purely sit between a digital source and amplifier to make a sonic difference in a hi-fi speaker system, then we would point you to another Chord (yes, Chord Electronics largely dominates this market) – the Qutest.
The sound in general is balanced/neutral with some warmth mostly its true to its source without adverse coloration. The Zen Signature lineup consists of the Zen One Signature, a bluetooth/USB combo DAC, the Zen Can Signature, which is a headphone amp/preamp, and the Zen DAC Signature, which is the subject of todays review. According to iFi, “The full benefit of the ZEN DAC Signature V2’s balanced circuit design comes to the fore when it is connected to an amp or active speakers equipped with a balanced input. This can either be a 4.4mm Balanced input or stereo XLR inputs via a 4.4mm-to-XLR cable.”But in all. this unit out performed other more expensive like units. This DAC also has a balanced port if you should choose to (pay a lot) for balanced cables (it’s a 4.4mm plug just so you know). In all though, I am happy with the performance. Offering a significant upgrade over computer sound quality in an era where people need it most, the Zen DAC V2 is another feather in the cap for iFi’s budget Zen series. Fantastic-sounding (very neutral) DAC. Easily connects to your computer (PC and Mac in my case) and really makes the signal sing a lot more than the on-board soundcards. iFi’s entry level Dac has been quite a hit, and after testing it myself I have to say it is well deserved. If you care about your music just a little more than most people do, you simply owe it to yourself to buy an iFi Zen as your first DAC. The experience you get is a dimension above any phone or computer audio.
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