If you’re of the opinion that looks don’t matter when it comes to hi-fi gear, it should go without saying that I very much disagree. If you lean toward thinking that looks do matter but only differentiate pricier audiophile components, I’ve also got a bit of a bone to pick with you. And I sort of feel like I can simply point to any of iFi Audio’s Zen components—the Zen DAC 3 digital-to-analog converter and headphone amp (US$229, CA$279, £229, €229), for example—and rest my case.
Interestingly, although iFi Audio clearly delineates this as the third iteration of the Zen DAC on its website and in online product listings, there’s very little reference to such on the packaging, and you won’t find any “New and Improved” stickers.
There are hints if you know what you’re looking for, though, such as the fact that the Zen DAC 3 supports PCM up to 768kHz and up to DSD512 (v2 only resolved up to 384kHz PCM and DSD256). And then, in the boilerplate text, there’s one oblique reference to the Zen DAC 3 by its full government name, and the features list references the upgrade to USB‑C. But other than that, there’s very little that sets this one apart as the latest and greatest of its type, at least overtly and visibly.
Pop open the packaging and you get the expected Quick Start guide, which does a good job of breaking down the different use-case scenarios and connections. There’s also some MQA propaganda (and with apologies to iFi and MQA owners Lenbrook Media Group, I wish that snake-oil codec would just go away, but it keeps popping up like Jason Voorhees), as well as a cute iFi sticker.
Flip over the guide and you get some further deets about additional features and functionality, as well as a key for decoding iFi’s format lighting indicators.
Lift out the literature, and the Zen DAC is pretty plainly wrapped. There’s no foam padding, just a bag around the DAC itself, which is housed in a form-fitting pressed-pulp cradle. The rest of the packaging is filled up by the accessories box.
Speaking of which, the company includes a USB‑A to USB‑C cable, some really nice (but far too short, as always) RCA interconnects, and a 3.5mm‑to‑¼″ headphone jack adapter. You’ll notice there’s no power supply here. The power is delivered over USB‑C. The company does sell an add‑on 5V power supply for US$80, though, and includes a separate jack for it. I’m a little nervous about this, to be frank. I’ve found previous iFi gear to have really good filtration on the power supply, even when powered via USB. But I’m working with a new cobbled-together PC here, which has proven to have pretty dirty USB power. So that’s going to be one of the first things I listen for in my testing.
And here, finally, we have the Zen DAC 3 itself, pretty as you please with its iconic form factor and its really lovely color accents. What you can’t tell from the photos is how nice the volume knob feels, although that’s admittedly my own personal fetish, which you may or may not share.
Around back, there’s not much by way of surprises. You get a dipswitch to select between fixed and variable output, along with RCA pre-outs, a balanced line out (4.4mm), and the aforementioned USB‑C port and power connections.
I don’t expect any real surprises in terms of performance, either, since iFi always delivers, in my experience. But you never know until you listen. So keep an eye out for my full review, coming soon to SoundStage! Access.
. . . Dennis Burger
dennisb@soundstagenetwork.com
