iFi Audio Zen DAC V2 Headphone Amplifier & DAC by Addicted To Audio
The Zen DAC V2 is an amplifier and digital-to-analog converter that impresses with both perfect sound quality and a compact design. As the ideal companion for your headphones, it becomes an essential part of your music enjoyment at the office or at home. Thanks to its 16-core technology, it can render demanding audio files and decodes even the highest quality MQA data effortlessly. This means you can experience music not just in good quality, but exactly as the artists and producers intended: crystal clear, balanced, and studio-verified. For those who want to experience top-notch sound, bass is a must. That's why the Zen DAC V2 features TrueBass, offering the perfect solution for real bass, realistic depths, and clear definition. Open over-ear headphones and in-ear monitors particularly benefit from the selectable bass boost, without compromising the precision in the mid-range, which is often the case. Get the most out of your music enjoyment. In addition to its various technical features, the Zen DAC V2 also offers the option to adjust the strength of the audio signal through PowerMatch. This allows you to lower the signal for in-ears, which are usually very sensitive, and increase it for on- or over-ear models with low impedance. Experience for yourself how much you can extract from your favorite headphones. No headphones on hand? No problem. You can also easily use the Zen DAC V2 to enhance your amplifiers or active speakers. Tune in and Zen out.
The Zen DAC V2 is an amplifier and digital-to-analog converter that impresses with both perfect sound quality and a compact design. As the ideal companion for your headphones, it becomes an essential part of your music enjoyment at the office or at home. Thanks to its 16-core technology, it can render demanding audio files and decodes even the highest quality MQA data effortlessly. This means you can experience music not just in good quality, but exactly as the artists and producers intended: crystal clear, balanced, and studio-verified. For those who want to experience top-notch sound, bass is a must. That's why the Zen DAC V2 features TrueBass, offering the perfect solution for real bass, realistic depths, and clear definition. Open over-ear headphones and in-ear monitors particularly benefit from the selectable bass boost, without compromising the precision in the mid-range, which is often the case. Get the most out of your music enjoyment. In addition to its various technical features, the Zen DAC V2 also offers the option to adjust the strength of the audio signal through PowerMatch. This allows you to lower the signal for in-ears, which are usually very sensitive, and increase it for on- or over-ear models with low impedance. Experience for yourself how much you can extract from your favorite headphones. No headphones on hand? No problem. You can also easily use the Zen DAC V2 to enhance your amplifiers or active speakers. Tune in and Zen out.
The Zen DAC V2 is an amplifier and digital-to-analog converter that impresses with both perfect sound quality and a compact design. As the ideal companion for your headphones, it becomes an essential part of your music enjoyment at the office or at home. Thanks to its 16-core technology, it can render demanding audio files and decodes even the highest quality MQA data effortlessly. This means you can experience music not just in good quality, but exactly as the artists and producers intended: crystal clear, balanced, and studio-verified. For those who want to experience top-notch sound, bass is a must. That's why the Zen DAC V2 features TrueBass, offering the perfect solution for real bass, realistic depths, and clear definition. Open over-ear headphones and in-ear monitors particularly benefit from the selectable bass boost, without compromising the precision in the mid-range, which is often the case. Get the most out of your music enjoyment. In addition to its various technical features, the Zen DAC V2 also offers the option to adjust the strength of the audio signal through PowerMatch. This allows you to lower the signal for in-ears, which are usually very sensitive, and increase it for on- or over-ear models with low impedance. Experience for yourself how much you can extract from your favorite headphones. No headphones on hand? No problem. You can also easily use the Zen DAC V2 to enhance your amplifiers or active speakers. Tune in and Zen out.
The Zen DAC V2 is an amplifier and digital-to-analog converter that impresses with both perfect sound quality and a compact design. As the ideal companion for your headphones, it becomes an essential part of your music enjoyment at the office or at home. Thanks to its 16-core technology, it can render demanding audio files and decodes even the highest quality MQA data effortlessly. This means you can experience music not just in good quality, but exactly as the artists and producers intended: crystal clear, balanced, and studio-verified. For those who want to experience top-notch sound, bass is a must. That's why the Zen DAC V2 features TrueBass, offering the perfect solution for real bass, realistic depths, and clear definition. Open over-ear headphones and in-ear monitors particularly benefit from the selectable bass boost, without compromising the precision in the mid-range, which is often the case. Get the most out of your music enjoyment. In addition to its various technical features, the Zen DAC V2 also offers the option to adjust the strength of the audio signal through PowerMatch. This allows you to lower the signal for in-ears, which are usually very sensitive, and increase it for on- or over-ear models with low impedance. Experience for yourself how much you can extract from your favorite headphones. No headphones on hand? No problem. You can also easily use the Zen DAC V2 to enhance your amplifiers or active speakers. Tune in and Zen out.
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The lowest price for iFi Audio Zen DAC V2 Headphone Amplifier & DAC by Addicted To Audio right now is $414.02 at eBay.com.au.
The all-time low was $282.83 on 28 Dec 2025 — today's price is 46% above the lowest ever. It has been notably cheaper before — worth setting a price alert.
Prices last updated 28 June 2026.
Last updated at 28/06/2026 07:24:46
Ifi Zen Dac Usb Dac Hi-res Audio Good Condition Used W/accessories
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originally posted on headamp.com
I am beyond happy with this product. I'm new to audio but have done my homework. I hooked it up to my PC and am using Qobuz for hi-res music. The sound is incredible. I was concerned about whether the amplifier would be enough to drive my Sennheiser HD 800 S headphones (as I was using an ifi xCAN prior,) but I was pleasantly surprised that the ZEN was more than adequate in this department and that after consulting with the experts at HeadAmp (which I should have done a long time ago) learning that I could pair that amp with the ZEN, I discovered that I don't need to and that I can go with the ZEN alone. I trust the expertise of the folks at HeadAmp, and I decided to pull the trigger on this DAC following the honest and sincere advice I received. I am looking forward ... MoreI am beyond happy with this product. I'm new to audio but have done my homework. I hooked it up to my PC and am using Qobuz for hi-res music. The sound is incredible. I was concerned about whether the amplifier would be enough to drive my Sennheiser HD 800 S headphones (as I was using an ifi xCAN prior,) but I was pleasantly surprised that the ZEN was more than adequate in this department and that after consulting with the experts at HeadAmp (which I should have done a long time ago) learning that I could pair that amp with the ZEN, I discovered that I don't need to and that I can go with the ZEN alone. I trust the expertise of the folks at HeadAmp, and I decided to pull the trigger on this DAC following the honest and sincere advice I received. I am looking forward to future purchases with them!
originally posted on headphonezone.in
I can't find any issue with it. Yeah, go for it blindly. I don't see any reason why this dac + optional ifi zen can will not suffice for all your needs.Power match (basically gain switch) will be sufficient for anything you might have. But I have a planar which is power hungry and needs ~75% volume. But that volume is too high for long listening sessions, so ~50% is still good enough for me.True bass is magic. Equalizers have some issues like degraded sound quality or reduced staging/imaging and thus ideally should be avoided to adjust bass. But true bass is purely analogue, and will not cause any issue. Also, if you have mqa (on tidal), equalizers don't work, as mqa has dedicated chip which can't use the eq on most dacs, and software based eq will lose all mqa ... MoreI can't find any issue with it. Yeah, go for it blindly. I don't see any reason why this dac + optional ifi zen can will not suffice for all your needs.Power match (basically gain switch) will be sufficient for anything you might have. But I have a planar which is power hungry and needs ~75% volume. But that volume is too high for long listening sessions, so ~50% is still good enough for me.True bass is magic. Equalizers have some issues like degraded sound quality or reduced staging/imaging and thus ideally should be avoided to adjust bass. But true bass is purely analogue, and will not cause any issue. Also, if you have mqa (on tidal), equalizers don't work, as mqa has dedicated chip which can't use the eq on most dacs, and software based eq will lose all mqa information. But true bass works on them. I love mqa and I love this!Build is perfect. Fully solid metal build and feels substantial (not hollow) when you hold it. Size is also perfect. Not big, not small, just perfect.It comes with 6.5mm and balanced input and a 6.5mm to 3.5mm adapter.
originally posted on headphonezone.in
The ifi Zen DAC V2 has been something on my radar for a while as I prime my workspace for more powerful headphones. While I eventually aim to pair it with the CAN to create the perfect ifi stack - the DAC V2 is more than capable of driving anything I currently own.It's build is truly beautiful and this is the immediate stand out upon unboxing. No seams, no nothing, and the volume knob is a highlight. Honestly I thought the FiiO Q3 was a well built piece but this knocks it into the sand.The sound quality also is unbelievably beautiful. It's a really fun and energetic sound to listen to, and it's made even much much better once you press that stunning X-Bass button.This is by far the best bass boost I've heard. It never seems intrusive, nor does it affect the ... MoreThe ifi Zen DAC V2 has been something on my radar for a while as I prime my workspace for more powerful headphones. While I eventually aim to pair it with the CAN to create the perfect ifi stack - the DAC V2 is more than capable of driving anything I currently own.It's build is truly beautiful and this is the immediate stand out upon unboxing. No seams, no nothing, and the volume knob is a highlight. Honestly I thought the FiiO Q3 was a well built piece but this knocks it into the sand.The sound quality also is unbelievably beautiful. It's a really fun and energetic sound to listen to, and it's made even much much better once you press that stunning X-Bass button.This is by far the best bass boost I've heard. It never seems intrusive, nor does it affect the tonal quality of the song.Overall this is an absolutely worthwhile unit for the price. I know the idi Zen Air series is more affordable - I don't own that as I decided to purchase this instead - but for this price - I would recommend waiting a bit, saving up - and settling on this unit once and for all.
| Batteries Included | No |
| Batteries Required | No |
| Connector Type | RCA, USB |
| Mounting type | Plug Mount,Tabletop |
| Product dimensions | 16 x 11.68 x 3.56 cm; 453.59 Grams |
Ifi Zen Dac Usb Dac Hi-res Audio Good Condition Used W/accessories
Free delivery
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
Ifi Zen Dac V2 Usb Dac Hi-res Audio Good Condition Used W/accessories
Delivery $47.86
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
Ifi-audio Zen Dac V2 Amplifier Good Condition From Japan W/accessories
Free delivery
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
I am beyond happy with this product. I'm new to audio but have done my homework. I hooked it up to my PC and am using Qobuz for hi-res music. The sound is incredible. I was concerned about whether the amplifier would be enough to drive my Sennheiser HD 800 S headphones (as I was using an ifi xCAN prior,) but I was pleasantly surprised that the ZEN was more than adequate in this department and that after consulting with the experts at HeadAmp (which I should have done a long time ago) learning that I could pair that amp with the ZEN, I discovered that I don't need to and that I can go with the ZEN alone. I trust the expertise of the folks at HeadAmp, and I decided to pull the trigger on this DAC following the honest and sincere advice I received. I am looking forward ... MoreI am beyond happy with this product. I'm new to audio but have done my homework. I hooked it up to my PC and am using Qobuz for hi-res music. The sound is incredible. I was concerned about whether the amplifier would be enough to drive my Sennheiser HD 800 S headphones (as I was using an ifi xCAN prior,) but I was pleasantly surprised that the ZEN was more than adequate in this department and that after consulting with the experts at HeadAmp (which I should have done a long time ago) learning that I could pair that amp with the ZEN, I discovered that I don't need to and that I can go with the ZEN alone. I trust the expertise of the folks at HeadAmp, and I decided to pull the trigger on this DAC following the honest and sincere advice I received. I am looking forward to future purchases with them!
I can't find any issue with it. Yeah, go for it blindly. I don't see any reason why this dac + optional ifi zen can will not suffice for all your needs.Power match (basically gain switch) will be sufficient for anything you might have. But I have a planar which is power hungry and needs ~75% volume. But that volume is too high for long listening sessions, so ~50% is still good enough for me.True bass is magic. Equalizers have some issues like degraded sound quality or reduced staging/imaging and thus ideally should be avoided to adjust bass. But true bass is purely analogue, and will not cause any issue. Also, if you have mqa (on tidal), equalizers don't work, as mqa has dedicated chip which can't use the eq on most dacs, and software based eq will lose all mqa ... MoreI can't find any issue with it. Yeah, go for it blindly. I don't see any reason why this dac + optional ifi zen can will not suffice for all your needs.Power match (basically gain switch) will be sufficient for anything you might have. But I have a planar which is power hungry and needs ~75% volume. But that volume is too high for long listening sessions, so ~50% is still good enough for me.True bass is magic. Equalizers have some issues like degraded sound quality or reduced staging/imaging and thus ideally should be avoided to adjust bass. But true bass is purely analogue, and will not cause any issue. Also, if you have mqa (on tidal), equalizers don't work, as mqa has dedicated chip which can't use the eq on most dacs, and software based eq will lose all mqa information. But true bass works on them. I love mqa and I love this!Build is perfect. Fully solid metal build and feels substantial (not hollow) when you hold it. Size is also perfect. Not big, not small, just perfect.It comes with 6.5mm and balanced input and a 6.5mm to 3.5mm adapter.
The ifi Zen DAC V2 has been something on my radar for a while as I prime my workspace for more powerful headphones. While I eventually aim to pair it with the CAN to create the perfect ifi stack - the DAC V2 is more than capable of driving anything I currently own.It's build is truly beautiful and this is the immediate stand out upon unboxing. No seams, no nothing, and the volume knob is a highlight. Honestly I thought the FiiO Q3 was a well built piece but this knocks it into the sand.The sound quality also is unbelievably beautiful. It's a really fun and energetic sound to listen to, and it's made even much much better once you press that stunning X-Bass button.This is by far the best bass boost I've heard. It never seems intrusive, nor does it affect the ... MoreThe ifi Zen DAC V2 has been something on my radar for a while as I prime my workspace for more powerful headphones. While I eventually aim to pair it with the CAN to create the perfect ifi stack - the DAC V2 is more than capable of driving anything I currently own.It's build is truly beautiful and this is the immediate stand out upon unboxing. No seams, no nothing, and the volume knob is a highlight. Honestly I thought the FiiO Q3 was a well built piece but this knocks it into the sand.The sound quality also is unbelievably beautiful. It's a really fun and energetic sound to listen to, and it's made even much much better once you press that stunning X-Bass button.This is by far the best bass boost I've heard. It never seems intrusive, nor does it affect the tonal quality of the song.Overall this is an absolutely worthwhile unit for the price. I know the idi Zen Air series is more affordable - I don't own that as I decided to purchase this instead - but for this price - I would recommend waiting a bit, saving up - and settling on this unit once and for all.
This is a very good value for the price. Once you have it set up, you can hear the difference from your regular outputs (Using in a laptop and a Desktop). This offers easy access to options such as the Power Matching and Truebass in both the balanced and unbalanced outputs, which makes it great for when you are in the mood for different types of music, movie watching and gaming all around.Now the bad. As another reviewer mentioned the lack of documentation and/guides is frustrating. The documentation and videos that you DO find on their site is grossly outdated telling you to go to paths that do not exist anymore or have changed since then. This wouldn't be a problem for most people, but the big issue is that there's no real steps to follow, instead, once you have ... MoreThis is a very good value for the price. Once you have it set up, you can hear the difference from your regular outputs (Using in a laptop and a Desktop). This offers easy access to options such as the Power Matching and Truebass in both the balanced and unbalanced outputs, which makes it great for when you are in the mood for different types of music, movie watching and gaming all around.Now the bad. As another reviewer mentioned the lack of documentation and/guides is frustrating. The documentation and videos that you DO find on their site is grossly outdated telling you to go to paths that do not exist anymore or have changed since then. This wouldn't be a problem for most people, but the big issue is that there's no real steps to follow, instead, once you have put your serial number in their site, you get some options... but no indication on which one to use.I had to install two versions of the drivers and then found out that once I upgraded it, I had to go back to the old version to be able to properly upload the firmware... which there are about 4-5 options, again no idea which one to use. I tried a few (see the picture) and after some struggles and troubleshooting, ended up using 7.3b.I'll give this 4-Stars because the quality of the sound is great at its price range with multiple output options. Please be aware of a key issue that could make it deserve 3-Stars at the most for some people. Key features that ifi advertises about this DAC v2 are disabled depending on the firmware upgrade you use... you upgrade firmware and lose features like the LED indicator and for some of them even some quality option settings, so read their description the best you can so you know what you are getting. If this was for PC usage, I can only imagine how it goes setting it up on Android.
Bought this to go along with my new Meze 109 Pros because why not, and I wasn't disappointed. I went with this DAC because of its reputation of having a warmer sound signature, which I thought would help mitigate any of the hot treble I had read so much about in the 109 Pros. I haven't been able to spend a ton of time comparing the 109 Pros with and without the Zen, but I can say that I've not had a single issue with the treble while plugged into this DAC. I'm a big fan of the true bass feature, which has been killer for A LOT of my music; sometimes it's too much and muddies the sound just a little, but it's had far more hits than misses so far. I also love the appearance and build quality, and adjusting the smooth-as-butter volume knob is extremely satisfying.
This is a well-made DAC/Amp, and it powers and extends the listening pleasure of my headphones and IEMs exactly as advertised. However, getting to the point of the best audio production has been a challenge. Zen V2 is a relatively new product, and there is really no good documentation on it other than here are the ports and buttons. There are two micro fine print notes that are important on the flimsy instruction manual, which is a tiny 2-sided card with tiny print -1. For use with a PC it is necessary to download drivers. Does it say where to find them? No! You have to go looking for it. There are two drivers there, but does it say which one to use? No, but you can guess it's the latest one. Okay, got that loaded. I hope it's the right one.2. Tip - for latest ... MoreThis is a well-made DAC/Amp, and it powers and extends the listening pleasure of my headphones and IEMs exactly as advertised. However, getting to the point of the best audio production has been a challenge. Zen V2 is a relatively new product, and there is really no good documentation on it other than here are the ports and buttons. There are two micro fine print notes that are important on the flimsy instruction manual, which is a tiny 2-sided card with tiny print -1. For use with a PC it is necessary to download drivers. Does it say where to find them? No! You have to go looking for it. There are two drivers there, but does it say which one to use? No, but you can guess it's the latest one. Okay, got that loaded. I hope it's the right one.2. Tip - for latest firmware updates, go to ..... So, should I install firmware updates? Okay, maybe - let's go look. Oh, there are 3 different firmware updates, each of them various versions of 7.30, all with the same date. Which one should I install? It really doesn't tell you - there is a lot of technical information. I wanted to support MQA on Tidal and Audirvana, and two of the firmware updates mention MQA. So I tried one, and it seemed to work fine under most circumstances, until it didn't.Long story short, and after a lot of back and forth with Audirvana tech support, I needed to install the other set of firmware (7.30c) to get MQA tracks to play without stuttering. Now that I've done that, the sound is incredible, and I'm a happy camper.So, I now love the product, but I should not have to do that much work to make it sound great. Ifi needs to explain things in a little more detail in their manual, and on the firmware page, there needs to be a more detailed explanation of which version you should use for what purposes.
Wow. Wow. wow. The quality of this DAC is out of this world. I am using this DAC with my Yamaha HS8 powered studio monitor speakers. Before this iFi DAC, I thought I had purchased cheap speakers ($750 for the pair). After installing this DAC, my speakers sound like $7500 speakers. The DAC provides such depth and breadth that you think you are in a real studio with very expensive equipment. even though the front panel has a POWER MATCH and TRUEBASS buttons to enhance the audio, I find the FIXED switch on the back that passes the signal with no enhancement a better option.
Disclaimer: This is my first proper Desktop DAC. Till now I have been using portable DACs like the Qudelix 5k and the Fiio E17k Alpen 2.I am now using this iFi Audio - ZEN DAC V2 with my Dell laptop, Shure SE535 IEMs, Hifiman Ananda headphones, and an EarAudio balanced cable. I simply love it! While listening to some songs, I just start moving and grooving in my chair and then realize how funny it may be appearing to anyone watching me :-) Some songs make me want to get up and dance. I enjoy this setup that much and recommend it to anyone who's looking for something in a budget range. This works very well. Yes, it is limited in its inputs (USB only) but the balanced output is a huge plus in my view. Later on you can buy a separate amp and plug it into this DAC ... MoreDisclaimer: This is my first proper Desktop DAC. Till now I have been using portable DACs like the Qudelix 5k and the Fiio E17k Alpen 2.I am now using this iFi Audio - ZEN DAC V2 with my Dell laptop, Shure SE535 IEMs, Hifiman Ananda headphones, and an EarAudio balanced cable. I simply love it! While listening to some songs, I just start moving and grooving in my chair and then realize how funny it may be appearing to anyone watching me :-) Some songs make me want to get up and dance. I enjoy this setup that much and recommend it to anyone who's looking for something in a budget range. This works very well. Yes, it is limited in its inputs (USB only) but the balanced output is a huge plus in my view. Later on you can buy a separate amp and plug it into this DAC using the RCA out.I think my setup sounds good for all types of songs - dance, pop, rock, hip-hop, Bollywood, Bollywood-classics/retro, lofi, etc. I am yet to come across a genre that I don't like listening to on this setup. I use the True Bass for some songs, and it works nicely in my opinion. I have the Power Match turned with my Hifiman Anandas, and the keeping volume knob between 11 and 12 o'clock is more than enough. The bass is tight and punchy while not being over-powering at all. The vocals are a little forward, just the way they should be. The highs are crisp and not ear piercing at all; they're very pleasant and just right for me. The soundstage is also very wide and open with good layering of the instruments.A personal experience I must share - while buying this setup I did a whole lot of research, literally weeks spent reading reviews and watching YouTube videos while trying to put it all together, make sense of it, and conclude. I finally realized that I was losing it because if I keep reading researching more and more, I would always be second-guessing my purchases and thinking they're not good enough. It started driving me crazy. So, keeping my basic research in mind and forgetting the nit-picking that one finds in reviews, I zeroed in on these trusted audio brands and their renowned products. I am now focusing on the actual music and enjoying it rather than constantly trying to analyze the sound quality. My advice - do a reasonable amount of research, invest your hard-earned money in equipment that will give you joy, stop second-guessing your choices and looking for the 'best of the best of the best', and enjoy your purchases!In summary, I recommend this product to anyone wanting a no-fuss, versatile, and enjoyable balanced desktop DAC at an amazing budget and also to those who are just entering the audiophile rabbit hole! :-)
So I jumped into the Headphone Dac rabbit hole. It is deep and dark. I'm writing this as mostly my review of the IFI Zen DAC v2, but will hit some ill conceived comparisons I poorly attempted to execute. Let me start with my mostly uneducated conclusions then provide some ramblings at how I arrived at them.Conclusions:The digital supply chain from a data source (streaming like Tidal or Amazon or media like CD/phone) is very long, with many different and confusing routes and many pieces of equipment touching the files between source and my ears. WIFI, USB (2 or 3, A/B or C), DAC, DSP, AMP, Cables, headphones, PC/computer/phone motherboards and operating systems (Win 7/10/11, Mac OS, Linux?). On top... streaming software, drivers, firmware. And all of the above ... MoreSo I jumped into the Headphone Dac rabbit hole. It is deep and dark. I'm writing this as mostly my review of the IFI Zen DAC v2, but will hit some ill conceived comparisons I poorly attempted to execute. Let me start with my mostly uneducated conclusions then provide some ramblings at how I arrived at them.Conclusions:The digital supply chain from a data source (streaming like Tidal or Amazon or media like CD/phone) is very long, with many different and confusing routes and many pieces of equipment touching the files between source and my ears. WIFI, USB (2 or 3, A/B or C), DAC, DSP, AMP, Cables, headphones, PC/computer/phone motherboards and operating systems (Win 7/10/11, Mac OS, Linux?). On top... streaming software, drivers, firmware. And all of the above have "set-ups" and "configurations" that can lead to different results. So unless all of those things from a single person's review is identical to your set-up and you have the same interests in music type and listening proclivities, good luck getting a solid A vs B comparison or even a solid review of any individual component. I concluded the above because I personally tried to do the exact things I say is impossible and felt the pain. Let me get on with the details of this point:I bought a Zen DAC V2 to connect to my Home Desktop PC. This same PC has a motherboard with ESS DAC and as I understand this is supposed to be decent overall DAC/Heaphone AMP/ and DSP. (It's the ASUS Crosshair VIII Extreme if you want to look go blind looking at numbers). Also this gaming computer came with the ASUS ROG clavis which is a dongle-based sound processor with (4) (Yes 4) ESS DAC's that are supposed to improve S/N ratio and making sounds better overall. So I have 3 possible sound processing DAC options: PC motherboard, DONGLE, or Zen Dac V2.Media type: Streaming. Tidal and Amazon were my selections. Two more variables.File type...(envision head exploding here)... MQA, high def, ultra high def, lots of different hz (44 khz? 48?.. up to 380 something)... 16 bit, 24 bit, 32 bit. I'm not sure, but there has to be at least 3 or 4 variables here.Firmware and USB Drivers for the Zen? Version 7.3, 7.3b, 7.3c. Three more variables.So, mathematically, there are hundreds of combinations that all of the above can turn into to test. And this doesn't even talk about going to an external amp (Zen Can or equiv), and external DSP.So I tried 10-20 of the above options, and this is my grand conclusion:On a scale of 1-10... the ASUS soundboard DAC is about a 8.2. Zen Dac V2 is a 8.5. The ROG Clavis is somewhere in between. But in every way I tried it, all options were very close AND my ridiculous approach of moving my headphone from device to device and replaying song clips was not a good approach for me because it turns out I don't have any detailed hifi sound memory. Do I think the Zen DAC is better? Yes. Would I bet more than $5 that a scientifically based blind test would prove me wrong? No.Now on to the Zen DAC V2 specifically. Installing it on my computer took me back to trying to install a printer on my computer back in the 1900's. The installed pop-up screen looked like DOS screens with odd-named files that need to be found and selected. Also, I had to enter the 10 digit 4pt font serial number from the box into the IFI website to find and download the drivers. With my 53 YO eyes, I had to use a magnifying glass to read the numbers. I'm sure IFI could print bigger if this is going to be a requirement to access needed drivers. I think I haven't "thought" about USB drivers for 15 years... it is always plug and play. I started V7.3b Firmware, but the lights on the DAC seemed to only indicate yellow and white because all files were being up-converted to high sample rates (just a hunch based on the descriptor of the firmware), so the LED would never show Green or Blue (for MQA). I rolled back to V7.3 and the green and blue lights came back. Regardless of light color on the DAC LED, I honestly could not ever hear a difference, so likely my effort was in folly, but I have to say that after I made a change to the firmware and the LED turned blue, I felt like I had accomplished something big in life. Another funny thing is in the Tidal software I could click the "Exclusive" "MQA Passthrough" and "sound max" sliders with V7.3b and the light on the DAC would shift between white and yellow. I have no idea why but this just made me more confused. Anyway, with V7.3, the DAC LED is acting like I guess it should. It is good that I grabbed my magnifying glass for the Serial Number, because it prepared me for any even smaller printed manual included in the box. This looked like a cheat sheet I created in college when the prof said "1 page only" and I attempted to write the entire book on 1 page."OK, we get it, it was a bit of effort to get the DAC up and running and configured, can you tell me how it sounds already". Let me summarize the very specific hardware in my digital sound supply chain:5 GHz wireless router ASUS Crosshair VIII Extreme (bypass Win Codecs and software) USB 3.0 USB A/B cable Zen DAC V2 with V7.3 firmware- Sennheiser HD650, using Tidal desktop APP running exclusive mode and playing all "MASTER" tracks.I think I've already down credentialed my audio judgement to a pretty low level, but I can say that as I listened to a handful of songs (Tin Pan Alley by SRV, Come Away with Me by Nora Jones, Time by Hans Zimmer, Hotel California by the Eagles, and some Dokken just for good measure), that the sound was amazing. SRV and Nora Jones voices were beautiful and all the guitars, drums and piano was very articulate, warm, and inviting. I know that "inviting" is a foofoo word, but that is the only way I can explain my response.To be 100% conclusive, I also bought the $100 iPowerX (sold separately) and compared to the difference in sound between that and USB 3.0 power. I couldn't discern a difference in my very limited testing (i.e. I didn't test lots of different sound levels, different headphone, try to use the external outputs, etc.) There are probably load situations in which the external power supply will make a bigger difference versus what I need for my relatively low load requirements. Also, I hit the Bass Boost button and I really love the natural bass enhancement. However, with my setup the bass that came through on all tracks were fine without Boost. Maybe when I turn on Deadmau5 I bring up the thump, but I didn't feel I needed to do that on a going basis.So I feel like for $180, the Zen DAC was good value for me even with the 80's throwback installation process.
This is my first venture into dedicated DAC. I didn’t want to burn up by investing on a more capable and expensive piece of equipment for which I dont have experience to appreciate the possible awesomeness . First I hooked it up with my PC and my aging yet well maintained ATH-MX50 and it started spewing different dimensions of same music I have been hearing often. I am not an analytical listener, I enjoy music purely for the peace and happiness it gives to me. Didn’t know whether to appreciate the music or the zen or my headphones. My experience has been taken to a different plane. Now I hooked it to my iPad to listen to Apple hi res lossless through my Pm7k , I should say I never enjoyed Eagles as much before . There is an element of laid backness , which even ... MoreThis is my first venture into dedicated DAC. I didn’t want to burn up by investing on a more capable and expensive piece of equipment for which I dont have experience to appreciate the possible awesomeness . First I hooked it up with my PC and my aging yet well maintained ATH-MX50 and it started spewing different dimensions of same music I have been hearing often. I am not an analytical listener, I enjoy music purely for the peace and happiness it gives to me. Didn’t know whether to appreciate the music or the zen or my headphones. My experience has been taken to a different plane. Now I hooked it to my iPad to listen to Apple hi res lossless through my Pm7k , I should say I never enjoyed Eagles as much before . There is an element of laid backness , which even tempered my bit bright sounding Elac B6’s. It has given a good confidence that this will be an equipment that will help me appreciate and explore more genres , will consider it as my pug that accompanies the hooman in your site. All in all thanks to the guru who suggested this and HPz for a seamlessly experience, I will learn and experience the finesse further .. in this just started journey.
| Batteries Included | No |
| Batteries Required | No |
| Connector Type | RCA, USB |
| Mounting type | Plug Mount,Tabletop |
| Product dimensions | 16 x 11.68 x 3.56 cm; 453.59 Grams |
