Hey everyone! So I misspoke towards the end of the review when I discussed the K11 (both variants). The K11 is indeed truly balanced, and the 4.4mm connection has higher output power as well. So sorry for the confusion. Sound signatures still apply, but on the tech side of things, the K11 architecture has two discrete amplifier channels inside. I'm not sure why I said this, as in my original K11 review, I mentioned it was balanced as well.
I have had my zen dac v2 for two years now,hooked up to my ps5..great bit of kit the ease of use ,volume wheel feels great.i just bought hifiman arya organic, ,and it drives them just fine.but having no mains wattage going through the v2, I feel like I'm not getting the full spec high end treble on the organics. So I just ordered the SMSL raw mda1 amp,which is coming soon.cant wait. Many thanks Joe for another Awsome review.
@@Hijynx87 Yes it does. Ensure the DAC is on the latest iFI firmware and powered with a 5v adaptor then it will work flawlessly with the PS5. I use the Zen DAC v2 with a balanced output interconnect to the iFI zen can amp (stacked) through to my Audeze LCD-GX via a custom made 4.4mm balanced audio cable and the sound is just amazing.
I still use my zen dac v2 to this day, it's a tank! Joe isn't kidding with build quality, if you threw it at someone's head it would kill them. Sorry, I went a little dark there, but it is quality! I like using the bass button for cans that don't have a lot of bass with music, you can only do so much with EQ, or in 2042 it makes explosions sound absolutely redonk! Nice job Joe explained the sound, the beer or wine with food is a great illustration!
I love the xbass feature but I really wish they would lean into that a bit more and offer multiple tunings of it like maybe press an lift the sub bass, press again lift the mid bass, press again lift both, press again to turn off, and perhaps another button that lets you select if you want just a little lift or a bigger lift.
Hey Joe, good stuff as usual, thanks! I’ve also got the v2, it’s probably my most used item, and I’ve lent it to a couple people cuz it’s so easy to use and of course cuz it’s awesome on basically every headphone out there. If it ever craps out I’ll definitely replace it with the v3.
Just decided to keep my Ifi V3, love it mostly because of the XBass. Current setup HD58X/V3/Balanced Cable. PS5 3D good, and Gaming PC even better power output compared to PS5, USB C only hookup. Thanks Joe for the review.
You are the only person I’ve seen trying to run this with PC and PS5. So on your PC you use the balanced cable but on PS5 you use the USB C? I’m just a little confused on how you swap between PC and PS5. I have an XLR mic I use for both as well but I want my IEMs to have a better soundstage than a wave XLR input. Any help is much appreciated
@kj4660 No, the balanced cable is the headphone cable for the 58X, 4.4 mm. I have 2 Usb A to C cables to power/audio the DAC. One cable plugged into each system. Then I just move my DAC around, as I have the PC/Monitor, and PS5 Pro/TV.
I’ve been using the Mayflower Ark MK2 for forever. The Zen Dac V2 the first thing that’s made me consider “upgrading” to. Hopefully the cable is a little longer this time lol.
I'm still running the iFi Zen DAC that I bought in April of 2020. It still sounds great. At this point I can't see a good reason to upgrade. I use as a preamp for my desktop system pumping into 2 Aiyima A07 Max's and into my Delcoid sat/ sub speakers. Good luck finding info on them. They're 44 yrs old. The iFi also runs my Sundara's, HiFi Man HE400's, and ESS 422h's. All sound fantastic.
Hey Joe, thanks for the review. I own the HD 490 and mostly use it for gaming. I prefer the mixing pads. I'm currently using it with the FiiO K3S and I'm stuck between 3 options: K11, GUNNR, and Zen Dac V3. Which one do you think would be more satisfying for gaming?
Love the premium look and feel of the Ifi Zen products. I just dont understand their stubbornness with the wattages. I mean 1.5+ watt these days is fairly common on lower end gear.
Just bought one of these, I'm one of those people that is sensitive to ESS glare/sibilance unfortunately. I don't know why but no matter what I plug into an ESS DAC I get sibilance.
I originally tried the Zen Dac V2, and I had issues with it not working after my PC came out of sleep. I really liked it heavily because of the bass boost. Like you said, I just want to push that button and get a nice bass boost without having to play with the EQ. But ultimately I chose to go with the Topping DX3+ Pro over it only because of the sleep issue. I wonder if they fixed issue with the V3.
Hello GadgetyTech, thank you for being a great reviewer. This is a question not related to the Zen Dac. How does the Meze Alba compare against the Fiio FT1? Which one has higher resolution, which one is more natural and other relevant stuff.
Thanks! Sonically, I prefer the Alba more. I usually prefer headphones from a comfort standpoint though. So it’s up to you! Both are wonderful products.
@@GadgetryTech Thank you. I have the Alba, its doing a good job. With that said, I am keeping my eyes peeled for really good closed back over ear headphones. How do you think the new Focal, the Azurys compares to the Alba?
7:30 Tbf, can't you download the GTO filter firmware for the iFi if you want a flatter sound? I tried that, and it's definitely less warm. I eventually switched back to the standard firmware though.
I have the zen v1 and i need to upgrade . I find it ok but with complex music it gets a little out of shape . I had a mojo and a musical fidelity v90 dac previously and both were better than the zen . The fiio k11 r2r looks interesting
I have the first Zen Stack, and have been thinking about upgrading for some time. The leds on the Can have started to die one by one, there is a bit of hiss when changing the volume. The one thing stopping me from getting something else is the XBass on the Can. I really like the boost it gives to the bass on some tracks. Should i go for the V3 versions of the stack, or get something else? Have been researching the Aune S9C for a bit.
Hi Joe, came back to this video after returning my Fiio K11 R2R...I found it very harsh to my ears, even in NOS mode. Do you consider the Zen DAC to be softer than the Fiio?
I am searching for an DAC for my PC for usinf Ediefier Speaker and my Audio Technica MSR7b. I just want a higher quality "Soundcard" because i would name myself an audiophil and want something semiaudiophil stuff for my PC. For the High End experience i have my Hifi System. Would you say that this ist totally enough for having a bit more quality than ususual for Music/Gaming? Further i am not sure if i really need the V3 instead of the V2. The USB B ist a lot stable than the USB C and it costs me 30bugs less. Maybe the XBass is better version than on the V2. Thanks for replay and the nice video.
I had the v2 but found the XBass to be way too much. It measured as a +10dB bass shelf and none of the headphones I used with it needed that much. Seems like nothing has changed here.
Not worth it It's nicer, but less powerful If is your first Zen DAC, maybe. Is beautiful (IMO) Good SQ. Compact and USB powered. But if you have the V2, don't even look at this.
when first zen dac was out, I bought it right away and it was around $120...even had the chance to buy v2 as well which was around $150. I am not sure where ifi is going with their pricing especially with such low level of power.
Hmm.. After a lot of review watching, reading feedbacks… I like the bass boost..even the build quality is very nice despite the odd shape (it’s ok solo with pairing it with a different amp would mean it’s a mismatch look. Love the bass boost button.. but I’m using this without a computer..probably just with my phone or something else..that means I’ll have to buy the dc brick.. hmm
I know this ain't the right time to talk about this but I returned my turtle beach 700 G3 because they don't get that loud on ps5 I'm keeping the pulse elite because it seems they get more louder and you have the interface for ps5 but the 700 G3 are comfy though and my dac is the fiio r2r dac amp but wish it had a bass boost . Im waiting for the astro Gen5 headphones coming out they might be my endgame for console.
🤔 I had V2 version and it definitely benefits from external power. On hard to drive headphones(vintage 300ohm Sennheiser HD530 back then) when I plugged in cheap 5V/4A psu it gets extra power and was able to drive those headphones properly. I highly recommend checking Zen dacs with external psu - just don't buy oryginal one - it's way, way, way to expensive.
@Cons2911 It was cheap 5V 4A power supply for ebay seller. It costs like 10$ or something like that. There was more power without any audible noise, hiss etc.
@ yeah, I’m thinking I’ll use these in the living room instead of my pc..that means I have to get dc power brick otherwise it will drain my phone battery lol
With the V2 i could not change the windows volume with the keyboard wheel anymore, mute button was useless aswell. Is this the case with the V3? Thanks.
K11 likely a better signature ifi is warm k11 is ref clean with nice choice of filters paired with ft3s stereo gaming is holographic clean as hell no spatial required
I made a mistake when I said that!! So sorry for the confusion, and I hope I didn't mislead/misinform too many people. I'll pin a comment to point this out. Aside from power output increasing, I don't believe it provides any other sonic improvement, but you're correct in that both K11s are balanced. Thanks again for saying this
@@GadgetryTech Thank you for the personal response. Saved me a lot of confusion. I think it should be a good thing that one of the ports is not a significant downgrade to the other right?
@@kona328WH A balanced connection has one additional wire, which allows the system to cancel the distortions picked up by the wire. For headphone cables not actually that useful. However, the balanced output is often of higher quality (a different internal design) or at least twice as loud due to each channel getting its own AMP. You can however change the unbalanced output to accept a balanced connector. There the only difference being able to put in a different cable, no additional benefits.
i listened to k7 and compared it to v2, idk how people even buy fiio, it sounded really bad for me, boxy and lil dirty compared to clean ifi. Find a local sound shop and go compare them
5:28 5:02 There is one UCP C, not two, one for power and one for transmitting information, and they force you to buy their power adapter or any adapter. You just have to buy something extra. No, thank you, Kasra Safqat. FIIO K7 is a thousand times better, taking these things into account.
@@mkunikow Yes, in terms of power, it can play any headphones in the market, but look at what you have or will buy in the future. If things need more than 5VRMS, take the K7, but if it is less, frankly, ifi Audio Zen DAC 3 is a better and smaller option.
80$ extra for DAC power supply? Thats whole new f$cking level of greed. Can't you just use some you have at home? I mean, we all have stacks of these hidden in some corner of the house.
Schitt is horrible. I bought one of their units and the right channel was completely gone - tried different cables, etc but found it was the unit. Exchanged it for another one and it had the same problem. Returned it to them for a refund. The worst part about the whole thing was that they didn’t seem to care that I had received two brand new units that had the exact same problem.
Hey everyone! So I misspoke towards the end of the review when I discussed the K11 (both variants). The K11 is indeed truly balanced, and the 4.4mm connection has higher output power as well. So sorry for the confusion. Sound signatures still apply, but on the tech side of things, the K11 architecture has two discrete amplifier channels inside. I'm not sure why I said this, as in my original K11 review, I mentioned it was balanced as well.
Hey, can you review HyperEv gaming boost router?
@@MarcusDEllington Don't bother with. Not worth your money
You have been busy Joe. Love it
No sleep gang haha. I have a lot more coming as well! Thanks for the support
Loving your work, my dude. I still love my Fiio K5 Pro over anything else because of its massive, ultra smooth digital volume knob.
Tactility and feel are so important for something you live with every day!
I have had my zen dac v2 for two years now,hooked up to my ps5..great bit of kit the ease of use ,volume wheel feels great.i just bought hifiman arya organic, ,and it drives them just fine.but having no mains wattage going through the v2, I feel like I'm not getting the full spec high end treble on the organics. So I just ordered the SMSL raw mda1 amp,which is coming soon.cant wait. Many thanks Joe for another Awsome review.
it works with ps5? uac1.0?
@@Hijynx87 yes as far as I know it does.havnt got amp yet though., still waiting for delivery.
Aria organic is easy to drive tho
@@Hijynx87 Yes it does. Ensure the DAC is on the latest iFI firmware and powered with a 5v adaptor then it will work flawlessly with the PS5. I use the Zen DAC v2 with a balanced output interconnect to the iFI zen can amp (stacked) through to my Audeze LCD-GX via a custom made 4.4mm balanced audio cable and the sound is just amazing.
I still use my zen dac v2 to this day, it's a tank! Joe isn't kidding with build quality, if you threw it at someone's head it would kill them. Sorry, I went a little dark there, but it is quality! I like using the bass button for cans that don't have a lot of bass with music, you can only do so much with EQ, or in 2042 it makes explosions sound absolutely redonk! Nice job Joe explained the sound, the beer or wine with food is a great illustration!
my v2 just went dead (no sound but shows power) after a year (warranty just ended). I am still unable to rectify it
This is how a review should be.
Can we get a comparison of the Fiio k11 vs the R2R version?
this!
I love the xbass feature but I really wish they would lean into that a bit more and offer multiple tunings of it like maybe press an lift the sub bass, press again lift the mid bass, press again lift both, press again to turn off, and perhaps another button that lets you select if you want just a little lift or a bigger lift.
Hey Joe, good stuff as usual, thanks!
I’ve also got the v2, it’s probably my most used item, and I’ve lent it to a couple people cuz it’s so easy to use and of course cuz it’s awesome on basically every headphone out there. If it ever craps out I’ll definitely replace it with the v3.
Just decided to keep my Ifi V3, love it mostly because of the XBass. Current setup HD58X/V3/Balanced Cable. PS5 3D good, and Gaming PC even better power output compared to PS5, USB C only hookup. Thanks Joe for the review.
Awesome to hear! Its convenient, looks and feels great, and to be real, people just love that bass button
You are the only person I’ve seen trying to run this with PC and PS5. So on your PC you use the balanced cable but on PS5 you use the USB C? I’m just a little confused on how you swap between PC and PS5. I have an XLR mic I use for both as well but I want my IEMs to have a better soundstage than a wave XLR input. Any help is much appreciated
@kj4660 No, the balanced cable is the headphone cable for the 58X, 4.4 mm. I have 2 Usb A to C cables to power/audio the DAC. One cable plugged into each system. Then I just move my DAC around, as I have the PC/Monitor, and PS5 Pro/TV.
Great review. I've been using the JDS Labs Element and it has been great!
Personally, I like the look of the V2 more.
I’ve been using the Mayflower Ark MK2 for forever. The Zen Dac V2 the first thing that’s made me consider “upgrading” to. Hopefully the cable is a little longer this time lol.
I'm still running the iFi Zen DAC that I bought in April of 2020. It still sounds great. At this point I can't see a good reason to upgrade. I use as a preamp for my desktop system pumping into 2 Aiyima A07 Max's and into my Delcoid sat/ sub speakers. Good luck finding info on them. They're 44 yrs old. The iFi also runs my Sundara's, HiFi Man HE400's, and ESS 422h's. All sound fantastic.
nice finally ifi zen dac 3 is out, i manage to grab a used zen dac v1 off my friend since he's grabbing the v3 lol
Hey Joe, thanks for the review. I own the HD 490 and mostly use it for gaming. I prefer the mixing pads. I'm currently using it with the FiiO K3S and I'm stuck between 3 options: K11, GUNNR, and Zen Dac V3. Which one do you think would be more satisfying for gaming?
hey so which one did you end up going with? Im looking for similar products as well for mostly gaming
@ i got zen dac 3
@@mirliva Thanks! I might get it as well. Do u get good imaging for gaming?
@@mirliva how’s the imaging with v3 ? Also how’s the xbass feature with the 490’s ? I’m planning on making this my daily set up 490 and zen dac 3
XBass = Crack 👍🏽
Love the premium look and feel of the Ifi Zen products. I just dont understand their stubbornness with the wattages. I mean 1.5+ watt these days is fairly common on lower end gear.
Just bought one of these, I'm one of those people that is sensitive to ESS glare/sibilance unfortunately. I don't know why but no matter what I plug into an ESS DAC I get sibilance.
I originally tried the Zen Dac V2, and I had issues with it not working after my PC came out of sleep. I really liked it heavily because of the bass boost. Like you said, I just want to push that button and get a nice bass boost without having to play with the EQ. But ultimately I chose to go with the Topping DX3+ Pro over it only because of the sleep issue. I wonder if they fixed issue with the V3.
When is the review on k11 r2r?😊
Tell me about it. Slooooowww
I feel like besides mqa and not having an optical in, it seems solid
is optical in for dvd/cd player?
@@ACE112ACE112 yes also considering current consoles don't have optical, connecting dac/amp to your monitor is also an option
Hello GadgetyTech, thank you for being a great reviewer. This is a question not related to the Zen Dac. How does the Meze Alba compare against the Fiio FT1? Which one has higher resolution, which one is more natural and other relevant stuff.
Thanks! Sonically, I prefer the Alba more. I usually prefer headphones from a comfort standpoint though. So it’s up to you! Both are wonderful products.
@@GadgetryTech Thank you. I have the Alba, its doing a good job. With that said, I am keeping my eyes peeled for really good closed back over ear headphones. How do you think the new Focal, the Azurys compares to the Alba?
@@ANDREININJA1243 oh man, I love the Azurys. It’s sounds fantastic and it’s comfortable. The first real upgrade to the FT1 for me
@@GadgetryTech great to hear. Keep being awesome. Have a nice day
are the balance outputs in the back ( balanced and single ended) active at the same time (on simultaneously?)
7:30 Tbf, can't you download the GTO filter firmware for the iFi if you want a flatter sound? I tried that, and it's definitely less warm. I eventually switched back to the standard firmware though.
I have the zen v1 and i need to upgrade .
I find it ok but with complex music it gets a little out of shape .
I had a mojo and a musical fidelity v90 dac previously and both were better than the zen .
The fiio k11 r2r looks interesting
I have the first Zen Stack, and have been thinking about upgrading for some time. The leds on the Can have started to die one by one, there is a bit of hiss when changing the volume. The one thing stopping me from getting something else is the XBass on the Can. I really like the boost it gives to the bass on some tracks. Should i go for the V3 versions of the stack, or get something else? Have been researching the Aune S9C for a bit.
Hi Joe, came back to this video after returning my Fiio K11 R2R...I found it very harsh to my ears, even in NOS mode. Do you consider the Zen DAC to be softer than the Fiio?
I am searching for an DAC for my PC for usinf Ediefier Speaker and my Audio Technica MSR7b. I just want a higher quality "Soundcard" because i would name myself an audiophil and want something semiaudiophil stuff for my PC. For the High End experience i have my Hifi System. Would you say that this ist totally enough for having a bit more quality than ususual for Music/Gaming? Further i am not sure if i really need the V3 instead of the V2. The USB B ist a lot stable than the USB C and it costs me 30bugs less. Maybe the XBass is better version than on the V2. Thanks for replay and the nice video.
I'm still using the original AKM Fiio K5 Pro.
Joe's shortest review ever lol
I had the v2 but found the XBass to be way too much. It measured as a +10dB bass shelf and none of the headphones I used with it needed that much. Seems like nothing has changed here.
Yup. A one fits all approach is sloppy.
Hey man, what do you recommend for the PS5?
Is this the one with the power controversy?
no, it was NEO I believe
I have the V2, is this worth the upgrade or not?
I have the same question?
Not worth it
It's nicer, but less powerful
If is your first Zen DAC, maybe.
Is beautiful (IMO)
Good SQ.
Compact and USB powered.
But if you have the V2, don't even look at this.
Does it have included amplifier inside of it?
Power supply gives the Zen Dac 3 more volume, considerable more volume so there is a difference.
when first zen dac was out, I bought it right away and it was around $120...even had the chance to buy v2 as well which was around $150. I am not sure where ifi is going with their pricing especially with such low level of power.
Hmm.. After a lot of review watching, reading feedbacks… I like the bass boost..even the build quality is very nice despite the odd shape (it’s ok solo with pairing it with a different amp would mean it’s a mismatch look.
Love the bass boost button.. but I’m using this without a computer..probably just with my phone or something else..that means I’ll have to buy the dc brick.. hmm
I know this ain't the right time to talk about this but I returned my turtle beach 700 G3 because they don't get that loud on ps5 I'm keeping the pulse elite because it seems they get more louder and you have the interface for ps5 but the 700 G3 are comfy though and my dac is the fiio r2r dac amp but wish it had a bass boost . Im waiting for the astro Gen5 headphones coming out they might be my endgame for console.
Can you connect wireless headphones on these amp dacs?
@@micanaky think about it. How would that work lool
No, you can’t.
Hello, would you recommend using it with the Zen Blue 3 ?
Audeze GX review when?
Fiio k11 Fiio ft3 4.4 balanced Dolby atmos MOVIES Netflix etc utterly magical… k11 is true balanced and also cirrus not ESS
🤔 I had V2 version and it definitely benefits from external power. On hard to drive headphones(vintage 300ohm Sennheiser HD530 back then) when I plugged in cheap 5V/4A psu it gets extra power and was able to drive those headphones properly. I highly recommend checking Zen dacs with external psu - just don't buy oryginal one - it's way, way, way to expensive.
Which ones have you tried in the psu side?
@Cons2911 It was cheap 5V 4A power supply for ebay seller. It costs like 10$ or something like that. There was more power without any audible noise, hiss etc.
@ yeah, I’m thinking I’ll use these in the living room instead of my pc..that means I have to get dc power brick otherwise it will drain my phone battery lol
With the V2 i could not change the windows volume with the keyboard wheel anymore, mute button was useless aswell.
Is this the case with the V3?
Thanks.
Yes, but thats good, not bad, because Windows mixer devastating sound, when that no driving with DAC itself.
I have the FiiO K11 and I was always wondering if I should have went this this instead.
The k11 r2r is the hot ticket right now
should have gone*
K11 likely a better signature ifi is warm k11 is ref clean with nice choice of filters paired with ft3s stereo gaming is holographic clean as hell no spatial required
You need to review the gunnr by shiit I guess they just released it and I want to know if I should keep my hel or upgrade to the gunnr!
Just got it! Video soon
@@GadgetryTech awesome can’t wait !
Hey, can you review HyperEv gaming boost router?
Since when is the K11 r2r not true balanced? The normal K11 is true balanced right? Would seem like a weird inconsistency...
I made a mistake when I said that!! So sorry for the confusion, and I hope I didn't mislead/misinform too many people. I'll pin a comment to point this out. Aside from power output increasing, I don't believe it provides any other sonic improvement, but you're correct in that both K11s are balanced. Thanks again for saying this
@@GadgetryTechand when is a balanced connection not balanced? Surely it's one or the other.
@@GadgetryTech Thank you for the personal response. Saved me a lot of confusion.
I think it should be a good thing that one of the ports is not a significant downgrade to the other right?
@@kona328WH A balanced connection has one additional wire, which allows the system to cancel the distortions picked up by the wire. For headphone cables not actually that useful.
However, the balanced output is often of higher quality (a different internal design) or at least twice as loud due to each channel getting its own AMP.
You can however change the unbalanced output to accept a balanced connector. There the only difference being able to put in a different cable, no additional benefits.
@@Shifterfire thanks bud
is dac improve sound quality is worth it?
Question please do I plug in my IEMs on balanced output or in the 6.5 mm
If I use then for gaming
How this compare to Fiio K7 .... This is my dilema ... ;)
i listened to k7 and compared it to v2, idk how people even buy fiio, it sounded really bad for me, boxy and lil dirty compared to clean ifi. Find a local sound shop and go compare them
@@keswik0258we have a local shop here with both, hopefully they have demo units for both
5:28 5:02
There is one UCP C, not two, one for power and one for transmitting information, and they force you to buy their power adapter or any adapter. You just have to buy something extra. No, thank you, Kasra Safqat. FIIO K7 is a thousand times better, taking these things into account.
I am thinking about FIIO K7 vs this .... Ithink FIIO K7 is more compact and has more power?
@@mkunikow Yes, in terms of power, it can play any headphones in the market, but look at what you have or will buy in the future. If things need more than 5VRMS, take the K7, but if it is less, frankly, ifi Audio Zen DAC 3 is a better and smaller option.
@@MML66 This is nice review of k7 ruclips.net/video/A8wqMdD5Ou4/видео.html
The way Ifi sell that AC adapter for silly money put me off the brand in general. Better stuff out there for the money IMO. K11 R2R for starters.
Just use your Fiio power brick
@@audie-cashstack-uk4881 I'm happy with my k11r... nothing about this or any ifi gear interest me
it is better to replace the usb cable with something else, the sound changes for the better
seems to be a dongle DAC in a too large of a case..... how does the sound compare to the Cayin RU7
i wonder why nobody is interested how it’s in compare to zen v2, I don’t understand much in dac/amp hardware, is it worth overpaying 40$ for v3?
80$ extra for DAC power supply? Thats whole new f$cking level of greed. Can't you just use some you have at home? I mean, we all have stacks of these hidden in some corner of the house.
Bass tuner on the wavelet app thank me later
$8/week subscription GTFOH
@@CosmicNexus are you dumb. I paid like 4 quid ... one off payment
iFi Power supply always die after 1 year
As petty as it may be, I just don't like the look of the design.
Fair enough! The beauty of having a lot of options is being able to pick something you truly like in all areas.
Same. It looks chintzy.
6:45 don't schitt's blow up/break headphones
Schitt is horrible. I bought one of their units and the right channel was completely gone - tried different cables, etc but found it was the unit. Exchanged it for another one and it had the same problem. Returned it to them for a refund. The worst part about the whole thing was that they didn’t seem to care that I had received two brand new units that had the exact same problem.