"It's not a standard USB connector" - Yes it is! Its a USB 3.0 Type B and it has this shape to be backwards compatible with USB 2.0 Type B (Both supply power, 5V) That's the beauty of USB 🙂 Only difference here USB 2.0 officially only supports up to 500mA@5V, USB 3.0 officially up to 900mA@5V (but in practice often way more).
The power supply should provide the most power output if its 5v1A.. Ive seen the zen dac v1 tested on audio science, but im convinced the dude connected his to a USB2.0 port.. Power was under spec'd.
iFi, if you read this please let me trade my Zen DAC v1 for a v2, I use them to drive my Sundara's and none of the filters sound very rewarding and lack balance making my headphones marketet at the best sub 700 usd option on the market sound decent at best.... It's either a very warm rich sound or a crisp wide, but both filters lack what I would like to hear in the other, theyre like 1 good filter split in 2 making for a very mediocre compromise
@@AudioFixation i am loving your stuff, you seem to be a fan of the same people i am and are borrowing the best parts of their techniques and approaches and it's really awesome keep up the good work
I bought the iFi Zen DAC V2 a few weeks ago as an 'upgrade' to my over 10-year-old Asus Xonar Essence Soundcard with UNI drivers (which I absolutely loved to be honest), which I use with my Hifiman Edition XS and Hifiman Sundara , curiosity got the better of me after watching videos on RUclips and reading reviews and I went ahead and bought one, and to say I was disappointed is an understatement, this is seriously underpowered to drive the headphones I have, anything past 12 o'clock on the volume control is distorted, I gave it a week to see if I could get used to it but gave up in the end ,I uninstalled all the Ifi drivers and went back to my Asus, wow it unbelievable how good it was to get back to my old soundcard, maybe it was just me and Im sure I'll get a lot of people saying how the specs on the Ifi is better but it just sounded a lot better to me and that's all that counts.
thank you for just being straight up simple and easy to understand reviewer compared with others who has reviewed this. I did not know that this dac doesnt have an included power adaptor on it. Subbed!
If you don't hear MQAs and have the better power supply for the older V1 they should sound the same. However, if someone could compare them both equipped with the good power supplys (if has a $50 and a $99 one) it would be interesting.
Thanks for this, I have the v1 and yes it is wonderful. A bit warm with hd660s for classical may be. The USB cable, is a standard USB 3.0 A to B, I picked up a longer one off Amazon.
Look out for the upcoming ifi CAN signature amp tuned for HiFiMan headphones, hopefully in July. It can be paired with this DAC and should take the sound on the Sundaras to the next level.
Great review. Some people on audio forums mention Sundaras really come to life when paired with Zen Can. Curious if it’s dramatic as they claim or marginal.
I see you have the "Power Match" on which is really just a High/Low Gain switch with a fancy name. The reason I ask is because I've used both my TINT2's and Angel Wings IEM's with my Zen Dac V2 and it was a very enjoyable listening session, T2's more so than the Wings of course but still good on both. I must have lucked out with mine or maybe it's because I only use the 4.4mm TRRS Balanced output with headphones and I don't have the channel imbalance issue. That or I just listen to loud and skip past it. Overall I'm pretty happy with this little DAC/Amp and I think maybe it's the Burson OPAMP that does it for me. Great review of an awesome little product that's the cheapest I've found so far that offers a truly balanced output at this price...
I bought a universal 5v power supply from Best Buy. You think this will be any different than the ipower supply ifi suggests? Saving me some money for sure.
I'm just starting my audiophile hobby, and for that I chose the DT 770 pro 250 Ohm (I know they're closed back, and the reason of choice is that I'll use it for gaming and movies). As expected, they don't sound great when plugged in directly on my motherboard (despite being a very good one), so after an extensive research I decided to buy the Ifi zen DAC V2 ( I wanted the schiit magni 2 but I could not find availability in Germany), it will arrive in two days. I'm not sure if they will be able to handle this headphone as it seems they're one of the toughest ones to drive, I made sure to also buy the iFi 5V power supply just for the peace of mind on that front, but let's see, I'll bring updates for those who might be interested on this story.
Update 1: Concerned with the power delivery I was casually browsing through amps, I saw the Zen CAN first, I have read multiple comparisons with other amps on similar price tag and it turns out that in general the recommendations were pointing somewhere else, mostly to Loxjie p20 and Bravo Ocean. It was when I found a bargain for the Loxjie 20p for just 75 Euros (used - like new) I did not hesistate and bought it, I can return it if I'm not satisfied anyway so I thought it worth a try. It will all arrive tomorrow and then I will finally be able to share my impressions. EDIT: Just canceled the LoxJie p20 in favor of the XDUOO MT-602 because of the much higher power capacity, what a crazy journey is for a beginner audiophile haha
@@AudioFixation The Zen DAC V2 and the Ifi 5v Power Supply arrived! I can only say I'm really surprised! it can not only drive my DT 770 pro 250 Ohms pretty well with power match off but it goes waaaay high with power match on, that I'm not even listening on max volume, comfort hearing at 10'o clock and fairly loud at 1'o clock! Impressive! I guess I won't even need the MT-602 amp that is arriving tomorrow! but I will give it a try to see how it can change the sound since it's a tube amp.
@@felipemotorhead I'm looking for an amp/dac for the DT 770 pro 250 ohms too, laptop output is absolutely a mess. Living in Europe too, Jds Atom, Schiit stacks are impossible to find. How do you like the sound with this combinaison? May I ask wich kind of music you're listening with it?
I have the same model, I just put in a usb-A to usb-C adaptor, and it powers off of my phone (not good for battery life, but a 5V power supply solves that). Despite it's size and desktop sized role, you can use this as a semi-portable dac/amp as well. Great for parties, just plug it in your phone, and find an AUX cord to connect the DAC/amp.
Great video. I'm looking to purchase the Sundaras but wanted to know how much headroom there to power them. I have the X2HR and I usually have the dial set at 10 o' clock with Power Match on (SE connection). What dial setting do you set for comfortable listening for the Sundara? The Sundara have 37ohm impedance but need a bit more power to take them to the next level. Will the Zen Dac v2 be sufficient, or will I require the Zen CAN in addition?
If used with a smartphone as the (musical) source, will such smartphone be enough to bus-power it, or in that case the power input becomes necessary? Thanks.
i currently run my Audioquest Nighthawk headphones into my Komplete audio 6 on my desktop. the headphones are a bit flat sounding for my liking so i use the Equalizer APO app to craft the sound to my liking. if i use the iFi Audio Zen DAC V2 to stream from my PC would i still be able to use that app to sculpt the sound? the app currently recognizes my Audio 6 unit so I'm imagining the iFi unit should also be recognized when attached.
Is anyone able to tell me if I can get the "enhancments" tab in the properties of your playback device in the sound control panel with the iFi Zen DAC V2? This is the tab with loudness equalization for footsteps in fps games like mw2/warzone. TIA
I just bought the HD6XXs, but seeing as they sound fine to me out of my desktop's headphone jack, I can't really see my way to spending nearly the same money over again on an amp to 'get the most out of them', when I'm not sure I'll even hear the difference. Does having a dedicated amp really justify itself?
It depends on the quality of your source. Often onboard pc audio is not good and prone to interference from the other pc components, in which case a DAC and amp combo will improve things but we’re talking smaller increments than, say, going from cheap £10 earbuds to your HD6XX (good choice by the way, love the mids)
I bought the Zen 2 a couple of days ago, and from my initial impressions via Spotify, I’d save your money if you’re happy with the sound you get now. You’ll definitely get more volume, but I’ve scoured the internet for tracks that offer very specific detail, even one with a very faint fart in the background, and I can hear the same straight out of my old iPhone headphone jack. I also have some hires files and compared and didn’t notice anything. Perhaps with something like the Sundara or Grado, I’m considering the new 325x, it would be more noticeable. I’m currently using the fairly well reviewed Beoplay H6 2nd gen. Having sat on the fence for a long time during lockdown I’m somewhat disappointed. No real upgrade for me. Hope that helps.
You need to find a store to audition some dac/amps for your 6xx. Some people doesnt hear anything. But for me when i still have my 6xx the volume is too low and it’s like listening underground lol. When you add a dac and amp everything will come alive 😄
Tidal works well for streaming and will access the DAC directly. In terms of playing back offline files on the Mac, I use roon, but audirvana is also good.
If you don't mind... Have you compared the v2 to either the Topping e30 or the Khadas Tone 2 Pro? I have both, I'm always looking to improve soundstage and depth. I have Sundara's and I'm not impressed. I'm a Maggie's guy and was under the impression that planar magnetic headphones would sound similar to my Maggie's. I was 100% wrong. Thanks
im having a hard time deciding if i want the zen or get the thx 789/Grace Design Standard DAC. somebody help me decide please! as of now i have a soundblaster g6. spend the extra money on the 789??? i have the dt177x go by the way.
Hey, sorry for the noob question, but do I even need a dac if I have a Raspberry Pi Streamer with HifiBerry OS and DAC2 HD Top Hat on it? Would it do any good to me?
I tried with a normal USB/A and USB/B printer cable and it plays music fine. Now I’m thinking if it makes sense to get a longer one that’s gold plated and for audio. Advice anyone?
@@AudioFixation, huge price difference. I found USB cable with gold plated connectors and 3.0, with the same taller USB/B connector too. Seller stated it’s for printers and DAC at only 10-20% of those claimed to be for Audio
I got one discounted because I got it along a pair of Sundara. The headphones costs $400 and the V2 cost $50. I mean 50 friggin dollars is basically a steal. PS: I canceled my Tidal hifi membership because I didn't notice a difference from Deezer Hifi which I like more. So yeah, I don't trust the authenticity of MQA as well, especially after watching a video of a guy showing great statistics suggesting that this thing is actually lossy and not what ot was claimed to be. PS 2: Angel was the first song I played on the new setup.
im a dummy could someone let me know if i'll need to buy a cable? I just purchased the HD560s and This Dac off of Amazon, but im not sure if i need an special cord separately or if there are cords to upgrade? Totally my first go at improving my audio!
This is weird, your Zen DAC looks so much darker than mine and the iFi logo so much lighter! Its like black and light grey! On mine its darker grey for both, cant even see the logo when it stays on my desk
Can this be used as a pre-amp, and feed directly into a power amp (I have an ancient NAD 214 power amp) and then use that to drive floor-standing speakers?
Hello! I use Marantz PM 6006 + Dali Oberon 3+ Cambridge dac Magic 100. I listen to Spotify streaming and Flac files from my laptop. If I sell Cambridge Dac Magic 100 and buy Ifi Zen V2 or Topping E30 (Smsl Sanscrit 10th MKII) do I get more quality? What do you recommend? Thanks.
hello, I own a hd600 and planning on buying a hifiman ananada. Do you think I should buy a ifi zen dac v2 only or a zen dac v2 and ifi zen can stack ? Will the ifi zen dac v2 have enough power to drive both of these cans well at low gain ? ( i listen to music at moderate sound levels)
Hmm, I'm afraid I haven't got a pair of the anandas - it drives the sundara just fine though although there is deffo more power with the zen can. I would save your money, just buy the DAC and see how it fares.
In this audiophile space many times the best and only way to have answers is to try out stuff by yourself, make use of the returning policies as a way out for things that might come to be disappointing.
Any other great dac/amp similar in size to this? (One without built-in battery) I want a powerful but compact amp/dac so stack is out of the question. Thanks.
Bought this dac recently and love it.still trynna figure out the set up with the M1 iMac tho.I thought the dac would select the format automatically,because the iMac doesn’t.I went into midi audio settings but needs to be change manually for each track.confused 🤔
It's a little complex, but basically the balanced output provides a balance signal the left and right channel separately so it generally has a higher overall power output, and improved measurable features such as total harmonic distortion. For most use cases in budget and mid Fi scenarios, it doesn't make a huge difference
After update colors light works like this, green light when not playing music and white when playing music. Why is this, I feel ripped off as it is advertised as color coded
@@steven2809 just last week colors started to work, green 44 to 96, white is 96 to 192 and dsd is blue. I have no clue why they started to work In the Music Bee player they still don't work, work now in Foobar and JRiver
I know they have there critics, but i own a pair of audio technica ath-m50x. Ive been looking at this DAC recently and it feels apparent to me that these headphones will not connect to this DAC. I know My headphones have 3.5 jack but am i correct that there not compatible?
Haven’t got the cobalt. Between the Red and the zen v2 I prefer the zen, but I don’t think they are direct competitors; the zen is obviously not for portable use.
Newbie here and have a few questions, help me please!!! Just plugged my new wifi Zen Dac (V1) to a 2016 MacBook Pro. First thing I noticed is that when I select iFi in my sound output settings, it says the "selected device has no output controls". Other DACs that I have plugged in seemed to bypass the system audio controls so that I could adjust with the volume on the DAC only. I expected similar functionality there. Is this normal that I can still control with the system volume as well as the DAC volume? 2) I also upgraded the Firmware to the latest firmware (7.2) and noticed that after doing so I lost the 24 bit options in my MIDI control panel. I now only have 16 and 32 bit. Also seems odd? Any advice as I feel like something is off with my setup here. :/
Got the regular ZEN DAC version and use it with Sundara's and I fucking hate the amp..... You can pick between an overly warm rich filter or a wider sounding cold filter both lack balance and make my headphones sound cheap, nothing like the best under 700 usd headphones available on the market everyone talks about. Some un driven Koss headphones sound more interesting than Hifiman Sundara's on at least the Zen DAC 1........ Sadly none of the affordable competitors like the ones on Massdrop or Topping's are available in the EU unless you're willing to ship and pay import(tax) and pay a additional 100 to 200 making them a price class higher. So pretty much spend 500 euros on a setup that sounds decent at best.
Nothing great. I did a A/B comparison with my old Audioquest Dragonfly V 1.2 and wasnt really impressed. So if you have a decent existing DAC save your money......
I just bought this amp based on all the online hype...man I was disappointed. My best review would be "you get what you pay for".. I found the sound from this amp to be extremely displeasing and hollow. My A/B comparison with an older HPA8 amp showed this amp to be unbearable. I'm sending it back to Amazon today.
@@steven2809 Hi Steve, My source was a computer mp3 file, which I don't think was the problem since I feed my HPA8 amp from the exact same source with great results. I'm starting the think that it might be my Headphone pairing that's the problem. I think that the frequency response of the amp doesn't match well to my Fostex TH900's and its just far to weak to drive my ZMF Eikon's. I found that it paired my more favorably with my Focal Clear MG's though, which of the bunch, are the easiest to drive. I've got a Topping A90 amp on the way, so I'll compare against that before I send this back.
@@johncrighton4738 Yes I think the DAC section is excellent but the amp section is not that powerful especially with hard to drive headphones. I think that’s why some people add the Zen Can to it also. My Quad Era-1 phones are only 32 ohm so no problem for me.Hopefully your Topping A90 will be an improvement. 👍
"It's not a standard USB connector" - Yes it is! Its a USB 3.0 Type B and it has this shape to be backwards compatible with USB 2.0 Type B (Both supply power, 5V)
That's the beauty of USB 🙂
Only difference here USB 2.0 officially only supports up to 500mA@5V, USB 3.0 officially up to 900mA@5V (but in practice often way more).
The power supply should provide the most power output if its 5v1A.. Ive seen the zen dac v1 tested on audio science, but im convinced the dude connected his to a USB2.0 port.. Power was under spec'd.
All you need is a USB-B to USB-C cable if that's what you want.
Thanks for the review! We appreciate it :)
iFi, if you read this please let me trade my Zen DAC v1 for a v2, I use them to drive my Sundara's and none of the filters sound very rewarding and lack balance making my headphones marketet at the best sub 700 usd option on the market sound decent at best.... It's either a very warm rich sound or a crisp wide, but both filters lack what I would like to hear in the other, theyre like 1 good filter split in 2 making for a very mediocre compromise
@@mdeboer563 Hi M, We don't do trade ins! Apologies, but thanks for asking!
helo iFi, does the TrueBass and PowerMatch works for the balanced output in the back? thank you
@@michaelkimviro5514 Yes, it does!
@@michaelkimviro5514 Yes, it does work with the balance output in the back!
I just purchased it. This DAC is really good. Highly recommended.
Good fair review, also…You’ve got a great broadcast voice.
This review is Hi-Fi poetry
I loved the Nod to MrMobiles style of disclaimer about the lack of influence iFi has on your review "they are seeing it at the same time as you are"
Yes I appreciate Michael’s totally transparent approach to product reviews and I’d like to be similarly up front.
@@AudioFixation i am loving your stuff, you seem to be a fan of the same people i am and are borrowing the best parts of their techniques and approaches and it's really awesome keep up the good work
@@5yfyguy218 thanks so much for that, and thanks for watching!
Dac/Amp combos like this must make other manufacturers shit themselves, it is going to be all most people need.
Beautifully presented.
Thank you
I bought the iFi Zen DAC V2 a few weeks ago as an 'upgrade' to my over 10-year-old Asus Xonar Essence Soundcard with UNI drivers (which I absolutely loved to be honest), which I use with my Hifiman Edition XS and Hifiman Sundara , curiosity got the better of me after watching videos on RUclips and reading reviews and I went ahead and bought one, and to say I was disappointed is an understatement, this is seriously underpowered to drive the headphones I have, anything past 12 o'clock on the volume control is distorted, I gave it a week to see if I could get used to it but gave up in the end ,I uninstalled all the Ifi drivers and went back to my Asus, wow it unbelievable how good it was to get back to my old soundcard, maybe it was just me and Im sure I'll get a lot of people saying how the specs on the Ifi is better but it just sounded a lot better to me and that's all that counts.
Kinda wish iFi included the external power brick instead of spending all that cast on MQA
Yea I agree!
Yes, mqa is useless
thank you for just being straight up simple and easy to understand reviewer compared with others who has reviewed this. I did not know that this dac doesnt have an included power adaptor on it. Subbed!
If you don't hear MQAs and have the better power supply for the older V1 they should sound the same. However, if someone could compare them both equipped with the good power supplys (if has a $50 and a $99 one) it would be interesting.
I agree.
Thanks for this, I have the v1 and yes it is wonderful. A bit warm with hd660s for classical may be. The USB cable, is a standard USB 3.0 A to B, I picked up a longer one off Amazon.
Look out for the upcoming ifi CAN signature amp tuned for HiFiMan headphones, hopefully in July. It can be paired with this DAC and should take the sound on the Sundaras to the next level.
Great review, decided to pick this up, even decided to pick up a balanced cable for my 58x to use with it just to try it out.
Enjoy
@Fisher Man Unfortunately the cables i got were faulty and I never tried again ;/
Great review. Some people on audio forums mention Sundaras really come to life when paired with Zen Can. Curious if it’s dramatic as they claim or marginal.
That video will be coming up but early impressions are that Sundara+Zen Can is a great combo
@@AudioFixation What about the Sennheiser HD660s ?
Good review. I'm currently using a Shanling UP2 amp/DAC with my HE400ses. Will be buying this soon.
i like this review because you actually have some music choices to test
With H. Sundara as well… truly amazing
Slight correction. It’s not 384 kilobits per second, it’s 384 kHz (kiloHertz) sampling rate. Even basic CD is 1411 kilobits per second…..! 👍
Great video, if have v1 and is good fir the price point . Regards mark
I see you have the "Power Match" on which is really just a High/Low Gain switch with a fancy name. The reason I ask is because I've used both my TINT2's and Angel Wings IEM's with my Zen Dac V2 and it was a very enjoyable listening session, T2's more so than the Wings of course but still good on both. I must have lucked out with mine or maybe it's because I only use the 4.4mm TRRS Balanced output with headphones and I don't have the channel imbalance issue. That or I just listen to loud and skip past it. Overall I'm pretty happy with this little DAC/Amp and I think maybe it's the Burson OPAMP that does it for me. Great review of an awesome little product that's the cheapest I've found so far that offers a truly balanced output at this price...
It sounds better with the external power supply, stronger and more even.
I bought a universal 5v power supply from Best Buy. You think this will be any different than the ipower supply ifi suggests? Saving me some money for sure.
I am watching this review wearing my Audeze LCD-XC powered by the Zen DAC v2 and the Zen CAN.
I would Highly having a look at the Topping DX1 if you want something more transparent.
very nice review :), can the zen dac v2 be as dynamic and punchy as higher/ish end black label, signature or diablo or is it stand far behind?
nice dac for a good price, i only don't like this kind of usb cable, which is way too short, but save some money and buy the neo
I'm just starting my audiophile hobby, and for that I chose the DT 770 pro 250 Ohm (I know they're closed back, and the reason of choice is that I'll use it for gaming and movies).
As expected, they don't sound great when plugged in directly on my motherboard (despite being a very good one), so after an extensive research I decided to buy the Ifi zen DAC V2 ( I wanted the schiit magni 2 but I could not find availability in Germany), it will arrive in two days. I'm not sure if they will be able to handle this headphone as it seems they're one of the toughest ones to drive, I made sure to also buy the iFi 5V power supply just for the peace of mind on that front, but let's see, I'll bring updates for those who might be interested on this story.
Those are tricky to drive. The zen can might give you more power but I will be interested to see how you get on.
@@AudioFixation Thanks for answering, great video and review btw, subscribed.
Update 1:
Concerned with the power delivery I was casually browsing through amps, I saw the Zen CAN first, I have read multiple comparisons with other amps on similar price tag and it turns out that in general the recommendations were pointing somewhere else, mostly to Loxjie p20 and Bravo Ocean.
It was when I found a bargain for the Loxjie 20p for just 75 Euros (used - like new) I did not hesistate and bought it, I can return it if I'm not satisfied anyway so I thought it worth a try.
It will all arrive tomorrow and then I will finally be able to share my impressions.
EDIT: Just canceled the LoxJie p20 in favor of the XDUOO MT-602 because of the much higher power capacity, what a crazy journey is for a beginner audiophile haha
@@AudioFixation The Zen DAC V2 and the Ifi 5v Power Supply arrived!
I can only say I'm really surprised! it can not only drive my DT 770 pro 250 Ohms pretty well with power match off but it goes waaaay high with power match on, that I'm not even listening on max volume, comfort hearing at 10'o clock and fairly loud at 1'o clock!
Impressive! I guess I won't even need the MT-602 amp that is arriving tomorrow! but I will give it a try to see how it can change the sound since it's a tube amp.
@@felipemotorhead I'm looking for an amp/dac for the DT 770 pro 250 ohms too, laptop output is absolutely a mess. Living in Europe too, Jds Atom, Schiit stacks are impossible to find. How do you like the sound with this combinaison? May I ask wich kind of music you're listening with it?
Wouldn't the IEM's work better if you turn OFF the powermatch? (I see the light is on which is correct for regular headsets)
I've had my zendac first-gen since last year and I just found out I can use it as a portable DAC/amp with my phone lol.
I have the same model, I just put in a usb-A to usb-C adaptor, and it powers off of my phone (not good for battery life, but a 5V power supply solves that). Despite it's size and desktop sized role, you can use this as a semi-portable dac/amp as well. Great for parties, just plug it in your phone, and find an AUX cord to connect the DAC/amp.
Great video. I'm looking to purchase the Sundaras but wanted to know how much headroom there to power them. I have the X2HR and I usually have the dial set at 10 o' clock with Power Match on (SE connection). What dial setting do you set for comfortable listening for the Sundara? The Sundara have 37ohm impedance but need a bit more power to take them to the next level. Will the Zen Dac v2 be sufficient, or will I require the Zen CAN in addition?
Great review. Ordered one today. Just wanted to know if it can power a beyerdynamic dt990 250 ohms headphone.
I am interested more to its RCA capabilities!Is it nice for speakers?
If used with a smartphone as the (musical) source, will such smartphone be enough to bus-power it, or in that case the power input becomes necessary? Thanks.
i currently run my Audioquest Nighthawk headphones into my Komplete audio 6 on my desktop. the headphones are a bit flat sounding for my liking so i use the Equalizer APO app to craft the sound to my liking. if i use the iFi Audio Zen DAC V2 to stream from my PC would i still be able to use that app to sculpt the sound? the app currently recognizes my Audio 6 unit so I'm imagining the iFi unit should also be recognized when attached.
Is anyone able to tell me if I can get the "enhancments" tab in the properties of your playback device in the sound control panel with the iFi Zen DAC V2? This is the tab with loudness equalization for footsteps in fps games like mw2/warzone. TIA
I just bought the HD6XXs, but seeing as they sound fine to me out of my desktop's headphone jack, I can't really see my way to spending nearly the same money over again on an amp to 'get the most out of them', when I'm not sure I'll even hear the difference. Does having a dedicated amp really justify itself?
It depends on the quality of your source. Often onboard pc audio is not good and prone to interference from the other pc components, in which case a DAC and amp combo will improve things but we’re talking smaller increments than, say, going from cheap £10 earbuds to your HD6XX (good choice by the way, love the mids)
@@AudioFixation Thanks for the advice. I love your honesty, and I really enjoy my 6XXs.
I bought the Zen 2 a couple of days ago, and from my initial impressions via Spotify, I’d save your money if you’re happy with the sound you get now. You’ll definitely get more volume, but I’ve scoured the internet for tracks that offer very specific detail, even one with a very faint fart in the background, and I can hear the same straight out of my old iPhone headphone jack. I also have some hires files and compared and didn’t notice anything. Perhaps with something like the Sundara or Grado, I’m considering the new 325x, it would be more noticeable. I’m currently using the fairly well reviewed Beoplay H6 2nd gen. Having sat on the fence for a long time during lockdown I’m somewhat disappointed. No real upgrade for me. Hope that helps.
Yes. Huge difference and even more if balanced.
You need to find a store to audition some dac/amps for your 6xx. Some people doesnt hear anything. But for me when i still have my 6xx the volume is too low and it’s like listening underground lol. When you add a dac and amp everything will come alive 😄
add a spdif please. are they using Burr Browns chips? how does the DAC section compare to the NEO IDSD?
what player to use on the laptop to output 96 khz/32 bit to USB? so it won't be limited to 48 khz?
Tidal works well for streaming and will access the DAC directly. In terms of playing back offline files on the Mac, I use roon, but audirvana is also good.
If you don't mind... Have you compared the v2 to either the Topping e30 or the Khadas Tone 2 Pro? I have both, I'm always looking to improve soundstage and depth.
I have Sundara's and I'm not impressed. I'm a Maggie's guy and was under the impression that planar magnetic headphones would sound similar to my Maggie's. I was 100% wrong.
Thanks
Hi, is there any major difference between the truebass and the xbass function on the zen air dac or the hip dac?
im having a hard time deciding if i want the zen or get the thx 789/Grace Design Standard DAC. somebody help me decide please! as of now i have a soundblaster g6. spend the extra money on the 789??? i have the dt177x go by the way.
Hey, sorry for the noob question, but do I even need a dac if I have a Raspberry Pi Streamer with HifiBerry OS and DAC2 HD Top Hat on it? Would it do any good to me?
I tried with a normal USB/A and USB/B printer cable and it plays music fine. Now I’m thinking if it makes sense to get a longer one that’s gold plated and for audio. Advice anyone?
Probably a waste of money. I'm not a believer when it comes to expensive cables!
@@AudioFixation, huge price difference. I found USB cable with gold plated connectors and 3.0, with the same taller USB/B connector too. Seller stated it’s for printers and DAC at only 10-20% of those claimed to be for Audio
A quick question ifi zen dac v2 vs signature??? Which will be better ?
Thanks in advance
Usb 3.0 cable connects to the dac what's the other end of the cable? What can I connect to?
I am new to this could I play my vynil player through this and is it worth it or stick to blutooth headphones to listen to my records?
I got one discounted because I got it along a pair of Sundara. The headphones costs $400 and the V2 cost $50. I mean 50 friggin dollars is basically a steal.
PS: I canceled my Tidal hifi membership because I didn't notice a difference from Deezer Hifi which I like more. So yeah, I don't trust the authenticity of MQA as well, especially after watching a video of a guy showing great statistics suggesting that this thing is actually lossy and not what ot was claimed to be.
PS 2: Angel was the first song I played on the new setup.
Hi. Would this be a good match for Beyerdynamic Amiron Home headphones please ?
if i buy one of this, will that make my headphones louder? becasue everythingi s so slow on my poc
im a dummy could someone let me know if i'll need to buy a cable? I just purchased the HD560s and This Dac off of Amazon, but im not sure if i need an special cord separately or if there are cords to upgrade? Totally my first go at improving my audio!
This is weird, your Zen DAC looks so much darker than mine and the iFi logo so much lighter! Its like black and light grey! On mine its darker grey for both, cant even see the logo when it stays on my desk
Zen dac v2 vs Topping D50s which sound better?
Thanks. Can you tell me exactly the cable I need to connect the iPad to this thing? Thanks
Also I have the Sennheiser 650 HDs but have never paired them with a headphone amp, would this make a big difference?
If it's a USB C iPad, I believe a USB C male to USB A male cable.
Can this be used as a pre-amp, and feed directly into a power amp (I have an ancient NAD 214 power amp) and then use that to drive floor-standing speakers?
Don't know about a Power amp but it goes nicely into an integrated amp.
yes. i did that with an Emotiva power amp.
@@benegesserit9838 Thank you for responding.
Hello!
I use Marantz PM 6006 + Dali Oberon 3+ Cambridge dac Magic 100. I listen to Spotify streaming and Flac files from my laptop.
If I sell Cambridge Dac Magic 100 and buy Ifi Zen V2 or Topping E30 (Smsl Sanscrit 10th MKII) do I get more quality?
What do you recommend?
Thanks.
Hi there. To be honest I haven’t heard the DAC magic 100, but both the zen DAC v2 and the topping e30 are good.
hello, I own a hd600 and planning on buying a hifiman ananada. Do you think I should buy a ifi zen dac v2 only or a zen dac v2 and ifi zen can stack ? Will the ifi zen dac v2 have enough power to drive both of these cans well at low gain ? ( i listen to music at moderate sound levels)
Hmm, I'm afraid I haven't got a pair of the anandas - it drives the sundara just fine though although there is deffo more power with the zen can. I would save your money, just buy the DAC and see how it fares.
Is ifi Zen DAC V2 capable enough to properly drive DT990 Pro (250 ohm)? I was told by a seller that it wont drive to the full potential
Well it works ok with my HD650 (300 ohm) so I think it’ll be ok with your beyers .
I have 1990pro and it does fine, especially with the power match. The seller probably wants you to spend more money on an amp you don't need.
In this audiophile space many times the best and only way to have answers is to try out stuff by yourself, make use of the returning policies as a way out for things that might come to be disappointing.
Hi bro
Did this zen dac v2 support x box series x??
Any other great dac/amp similar in size to this? (One without built-in battery) I want a powerful but compact amp/dac so stack is out of the question. Thanks.
Ifi hip-dac
Bought this dac recently and love it.still trynna figure out the set up with the M1 iMac tho.I thought the dac would select the format automatically,because the iMac doesn’t.I went into midi audio settings but needs to be change manually for each track.confused 🤔
Yea that’s a nuisance but if you use a program like Roon or Audirvana it bypasses the midi audio stack and will interface with the DAC directly.
@@AudioFixation I thought that would be my next move.never heard of roon until last night.I’ll look into them thanks.great review.
Video on roon in the works 👍🏾
@@AudioFixation super.sounds complicated.video for dummies perhaps 🤔😁 thanks
@@daveryandub working on it 😀
Hi from Belarus.Can i use it without power supply without loss of sound quality.Use with PC.Thank you for this video.
Yes works pretty well without dedicated power supply!
Hi! I´m a beginner here can someone explain the difference between the balanced and unbalanced port ?
It's a little complex, but basically the balanced output provides a balance signal the left and right channel separately so it generally has a higher overall power output, and improved measurable features such as total harmonic distortion. For most use cases in budget and mid Fi scenarios, it doesn't make a huge difference
Can i use this with ipad or iphone with apple lightning camera adapter?
You'll also need s power supply to use it with iPhone.
@@AudioFixation but can it play?
@@adamdanial9420 Yes. I use it with the USB 3.0 CCK adapter (powered) and it sounds excellent!
Yes. Absolutely. But it may drain the battery of your iPhone pretty fast. I don’t notice that fast with iPad though.
After update colors light works like this, green light when not playing music and white when playing music. Why is this, I feel ripped off as it is advertised as color coded
Green is 44.1 kHz to 96 kHz. White is 192 kHz… it’s on the little card in the box…..
@@steven2809 just last week colors started to work, green 44 to 96, white is 96 to 192 and dsd is blue.
I have no clue why they started to work
In the Music Bee player they still don't work, work now in Foobar and JRiver
@@TheCujo1956 Glad it’s sorted ok. I only see white because Amazon Music on the iPad upsamples everything to 24/192 ! 🙂
@@steven2809 Thanks for the help
Appreciate it
Several of the reviews from customers on Amazon here in the U.S. are definitely reporting a channel imbalance issue.
Definitely at low volumes, which is why I wouldn’t recommend for iems unless you add a resistor.
@@AudioFixation would it help is we turn the power match off and higher knob level? 🤔😉
I know they have there critics, but i own a pair of audio technica ath-m50x. Ive been looking at this DAC recently and it feels apparent to me that these headphones will not connect to this DAC. I know My headphones have 3.5 jack but am i correct that there not compatible?
They will connect just fine don’t worry!
@@AudioFixation thanks for your reply. Ive purchased one and it arrived yesterday, sounds impressive
@@xabi1417 glad you're enjoying it. One of the real bargains in beginner hifi imho. Plenty of bang for the buck!
@@democritus37 thank you. In hand, its a very suave looking piece of kit
Which IS better, Dragonfly cobalt or this zen V2?
Haven’t got the cobalt. Between the Red and the zen v2 I prefer the zen, but I don’t think they are direct competitors; the zen is obviously not for portable use.
Newbie here and have a few questions, help me please!!! Just plugged my new wifi Zen Dac (V1) to a 2016 MacBook Pro. First thing I noticed is that when I select iFi in my sound output settings, it says the "selected device has no output controls". Other DACs that I have plugged in seemed to bypass the system audio controls so that I could adjust with the volume on the DAC only. I expected similar functionality there. Is this normal that I can still control with the system volume as well as the DAC volume? 2) I also upgraded the Firmware to the latest firmware (7.2) and noticed that after doing so I lost the 24 bit options in my MIDI control panel. I now only have 16 and 32 bit. Also seems odd? Any advice as I feel like something is off with my setup here. :/
Hmmm not sure. I would contact ifi. They are super helpful with product support.
Do you need drivers for this?
not on Mac - you may do on windows
Does it have Bluetooth feature
Nope. You need the Zen Blue for that.
Thanks from kerala, india
Got the regular ZEN DAC version and use it with Sundara's and I fucking hate the amp..... You can pick between an overly warm rich filter or a wider sounding cold filter both lack balance and make my headphones sound cheap, nothing like the best under 700 usd headphones available on the market everyone talks about.
Some un driven Koss headphones sound more interesting than Hifiman Sundara's on at least the Zen DAC 1........
Sadly none of the affordable competitors like the ones on Massdrop or Topping's are available in the EU unless you're willing to ship and pay import(tax) and pay a additional 100 to 200 making them a price class higher.
So pretty much spend 500 euros on a setup that sounds decent at best.
EM CUE AY?????!!!!!!!!!??
Nothing great. I did a A/B comparison with my old Audioquest Dragonfly V 1.2 and wasnt really impressed. So if you have a decent existing DAC save your money......
they jacked up the price from $160 to $190
Why does it look like a piece of fish?
I just bought this amp based on all the online hype...man I was disappointed. My best review would be "you get what you pay for".. I found the sound from this amp to be extremely displeasing and hollow. My A/B comparison with an older HPA8 amp showed this amp to be unbearable. I'm sending it back to Amazon today.
And what was your source?
@@steven2809 Hi Steve, My source was a computer mp3 file, which I don't think was the problem since I feed my HPA8 amp from the exact same source with great results. I'm starting the think that it might be my Headphone pairing that's the problem. I think that the frequency response of the amp doesn't match well to my Fostex TH900's and its just far to weak to drive my ZMF Eikon's. I found that it paired my more favorably with my Focal Clear MG's though, which of the bunch, are the easiest to drive. I've got a Topping A90 amp on the way, so I'll compare against that before I send this back.
@@johncrighton4738 Yes I think the DAC section is excellent but the amp section is not that powerful especially with hard to drive headphones. I think that’s why some people add the Zen Can to it also. My Quad Era-1 phones are only 32 ohm so no problem for me.Hopefully your Topping A90 will be an improvement. 👍
@@steven2809 Thx!