iFi Zen DAC
An excellent entry-level desktop DAC.
If you’re starting out in the hi-fi
hobby, one of the first things you
should purchase is a headphone
amp and DAC, or digital-to-
analog converter. That’s because
audiophile headphones can be
tough to drive, requiring more
power than your laptop or phone
can supply. That’s where a good
headphone amp comes in – a
good DAC will improve the sound
quality of just about any device
you connect it to, whether it’s
your laptop, PC, phone, or
e ven T V.
If you don’t have much money
to spend on your first headphone
setup, the iFi Zen DAC is the
perfect starting point. This DAC
and amp combo has enough
power to drive power-hungry
headphones while also working
with sensitive in-ear monitors,
making it extremely versatile.
The iFi Zen DAC has more
features than you would think for
the price including support for
MQA, DSD256, PCM384, DXD384.
There’s also balanced inputs,
outputs, and the ability to bypass
$299, ifi-audio.com
the amp if you want to use it
solely as a DAC. While you may
not use all of these features, it’s
nice future-proofing as you
mature during your audio
journey.Design
The iFi Zen DAC features a
trapezoidal design and
is made entirely out of
metal. The thing is
built like a tank and
will be able to stand up
to the abuse of being
tossed into a backpack
repeatedly. The unit
measures 117mm long,
100mm wide, and
30mm tall. While not
the most compact DAC/amp, it is
certainly still portable.
On the front of the Zen DAC
you’ll find a lovely, smooth-
operating volume knob that’s
backlit with different color LEDs
depending on the sampling rate
of the file being played. It’s a nice
visual indicator without
requiring a screen. There are alsobuttons for Power Match (gain),
TrueBass (bass boost), a 6.35mm
single-ended output, and a
4.4mm balanced output.
Around the back, there’s a
4.4mm balanced input, switch
for variable and fixed options if
you’re using it as a preamp,
single-ended RCA outputs,
USB-A port and a DC
5V input for the
optional power supply.
Out of the box, the iFi
Zen DAC runs off of
USB power only and
you’ll have to
purchase a wall-wart
power supply if you
want to help improve
the sound. It’s slightly
disappointing that the power
supply isn’t included but
headphones sound good without
it and it helps reduce the price.
One important thing to note is
that the iFi Zen DAC is always on.
There is no power switch to turn
the unit on or off as it powers up
as soon as it’s connected to a PC.
The volume LED will alwaysOn the front of the Zen
DACyou’llfindalovely,
smooth-operatingvolume
knobthat’sbacklitwith
different color LEDs...2020EDITOR’S
CHOICETEST BENCH
Reviews