Outstanding review! For anyone like me who has a vintage 2 ch. system and wants to play audio from your phone the iFi Zen Blue is a truly awesome solution. The sound quality is well beyond its price point.
After a year with the Blu V2, in part based on this review - it's fantastic. Smooth, gapless play. I've only used the on board DAC as I'm connecting it to 15+ year old gear. No complaints at all.
Absolutely wonderful presentation! You have a new subscriber. Thanks for the calm, precise and unbiased review. I am convinced. I shall buy one just for the heck of it, who wouldn't at this price?
Nice job , I also reviewed the ZenBlue and I was surprised how well John curl desighned the power section , And the ess sabre chip pairs well , The sound gets better as you go up the later in codec acc/sbc didn't sound nowhere near as good as L-Dac or aptX hd . Yes a good transmitter Phone/tablet is a major factor also most phones now days have atleast AptX , But my gf loves it with her New galaxy phone She has L-dac codec I only have aptxHD shes got me beat 😆 Your correct ! Bluetooth has came a long ways if you have a good transmitter also , I used my outboard dacs also thanks again ! Great job ! Love the channel tune in and tune out 😆
Another great video @The Audiophile Man! I’ve had the IFI Zen Blue Bluetooth Dac in my System for almost a year now. I have it connected to my Mac C52 preamp. I was pleasantly surprised by the build quality and sound quality of this unit. A very good investment and a bargain at that price. You’d think something of this stature costing more. 😃🎼👍🏾
I've had the the ifi zen for a while and it's a very good piece of kit, both in terms of build and sound quality. Pity they couldn't pick a more stylish antennae for the blue. Great review - thanks
Agreed. In fact, I look forward to the day when technology allows the complete removal of these ugly aerials. They always ruin the lines of the chassis design.
@@TheAudiophileMan actually, I too felt the antenna was a letdown for an otherwise nice design. Had the antenna been color matched to the cabinet it would be better
On the latest Android devices you can choose your Bluetooth codec in the developer settings. With the Zen blue you could choose to use LDAC only, which is by far the best codec.
no LHDC is a better codec but a friend of mine and myself listened to a song at the same time on different input LHDC codec and on another input LDAC codec and after few hours of listening we could not here a difference in sound maybe a tad like one precent so we decided to stay on LDAC codec no point paying more for the difference........
Well done review, most impressed. If I used the 4.4mm balanced outlet what cable would I need to connect to balanced XLR input of Denafrips Haden ...I cannot seem to find such a cable ?
Another quality video kind sir,yes £129 for such a devise with it`s claimed audio quality does seem like a bargain. This video gets a thumbs up from me!
Simple question Mr Audiophile. What would yield better sound, this device (using LDAC), or a £10 3.5mm jack from device to phono into the line I'm of my amp? Forget a seperate DAC for now - though I may get one soon. Thanks
Depends. Depends on the device(s), the quality of the amp and the rest of the hifi. In general, I prefer wired connection with wireless being a great convenience feature but that's not set in stone with so many variables up for grabs.
Would you recommend this DAC or the Topping E30? I plan to use my NAD CD player C521BEE and my Yamaha WXC-50 Streamer with a dac. I earlier saw your review about the D50s which I had my eye on, but Im contemplating it due to the coaxial sound drop out issue.
This is a Bluetooth unit - the E30 doesn't support Bluetooth. If you also need other DAC-related facilities then you might also like to check out the iFi Zen DAC.
@@TheAudiophileMan which one you recommend as per my CD player and streamer (I use only do streaming) between the E30 and the SMSL Sanskrit? I’m not sure if the IFi dac has a coaxial
Just bought the Project phono amp MkII to use my second turntable a Systemdek in my system after watching your phono amp video and your advice in the comments. I now need something to play my Apple Music on my iPhone 8 through my hifi so clicked on this. Do I need to have another DAC as well as this iFi or is the iFi Blue all that I need? I really am stuck in the 1980’s when it comes to hifi knowledge so your advice will be very helpful. Also I see there are v1 and v2 of these on eBay so I am presuming the v2 will be better. Also there are other lower price brands of Bluetooth DAC on there so are they any good?
If Bluetooth is all you need, Tony then you only need to plug this into your amplifier and you're off and running. Version 1 is fine. Version 2 increases the range.
@@TheAudiophileMan thank you your advice is much appreciated. I will add to next month’s shopping list. I bought a cheap £10 Bluetooth receiver/transmitter off eBay but it is not very good to listen to, in fact terrible. I am using my iPhone 8 with AKG 500 Bluetooth headphones and they sound great, also through my TV sound bar which is surprisingly pleasant as well for background music so I know that there is some quality in the source somewhere, it’s just a matter of getting it out using my hifi.
I'm using naim muso2. I'm curious because it's connected to LDAC. If I buy it, I'll connect it to Muso2 with an optical cable. Is there any difference in ldac compared to Chromecast? Technically, I know that chromecast has the upper hand, but if you know how it feels when comparing Chromecast?
Very detailed review - thanks! Comparatively dumb-ass question here: there's no on off switch as such, so would one just leave it sitting there plugged in the whole time? Or should it be de-charged regularly?
Here's iFi's thoughts on the lack of a switch, "Generally speaking, electronics are best left running. In 99% of the cases components in iFi products are ran at power/voltage that means there is little difference between shelf life and operation, so this does not really impact longevity either. For devices with tubes, however, there are components (the tubes) which have a limited lifespan and which are not easily or cheaply replaced (NOS tubes are becoming extinct at a rapid rate), so they can (and should) be powered down when not in use to preserve tube life. Past that we adhere to the 2013 EU law on standby."
I've been using Zen dac blue for the last one year. Superb sound quality with LDAC. I recently went on Ifi website and upgraded the software. Now after upgrading the software, it turns off or perhaps go to the sleep mode after i switch off the bluetooth on my android Samsung cellphone.
Looking for a Bluetooth receiver and transmitter. To connect to my vintage pre amp. Just to connect to the tape in/out and done. Of it also has a usb in or hdmi (2ch) in and it would be perfect. Anyone knows if something like that exists?
"On the latest Android devices you can choose your Bluetooth codec in the developer settings" Do those of us with iPhones/iPads & Amazon Fire Tablets have any codec options???
A great man to listen to. I find the Logitech bluetooth receiver to be excellent sounding, at least for the 30 feet range. But my goodness, I think Paul would like the Audioengine B1 that has a range of up to 100 feet. It receives audio using the aptX codec which provides an ideal connection particularly with the Audio Technica LP60XBT. This pairing actually makes my Logitech Z130's sound more like midrange speakers rather than low end. It really does provide an incredible enhancement to speakers which only sell for about 30 dollars or so.
This is a Bluetooth DAC for streaming - if you want a basic DAC, you'll need to grab one of those. The Zen DAC, for example: th-cam.com/video/QbOiKKfDog0/w-d-xo.html
@@TheAudiophileMan I understand. I thought I could connect this to my av and stream thru the ifi and out my av amp. I think the ifi is a better dac than what my reciever has.
Am I able to hook this right up to my amp via red and white ? Or do I need another piece of kit ? Slightly confused on this. I figure I should be good to go just with this and a amp .
I’m still using an Apple Airport Express for streaming Spotify to my integrated amp over wi-fi. I plug my Bottlehead Crack amp into the amp. Would this be a decent upgrade? I hear you saying “for a Bluetooth stream”...
I have an Arcam Solo Movie 2.1 (1st series) which has digital and analogue inputs. If I used the dig in I would bypass the DAC in the ifi. Is there a cheaper solution of similar quality without a DAC that I can use to add BT to my system?
Sorry - my misunderstanding. I thought you were looking to change the Arcam for a different product. If you want to add Bluetooth to your hifi chain, what budget do you have there?
@@TheAudiophileMan Thanks. I might stretch as far as the iFi, but have also been looking at Arcam Miniblink which comes up on ebay - but only has analogue out. Presumably the Arcam Solo Movie will do a decent analogue conversion from its digital inputs?
The iFi unit really does provide a good solution and one that provides quality to boot. Sure, if you can find a good deal on eBay for another component then go for that but, in sound quality terms, it's hard to beat the iFi for the asking price.
@@TheAudiophileMan I apologies in advance, but where I fail to understand is, if the phone only sends hd via plugged headphone jack and will not activate it otherwise, how does the dac increase a the music signal. Moreover, how does the that increase signal help if the bluetooth headphones do not support the higher codec? I'm just confused. I have a Sennheiser Momentum 3 bluetooth headphone with a Note 10 phone for reference.
@@Leo.SKDXL05 you are comparing analogue output of the phone via 3.5mm jack to the digital output of the phone via usb or bluetooth. In the first case you get from mini jack the signal that is analogue that can be used directly with the wired headphones or you could use the external amplifier to increase the power and maybe quality of the sound before it gets into the headphones. While when you use digital output of the phone (bluetooth or usb) you connect it to external DAC (digital to analoogue converter) that shall be in 99% superior to the one that is in the phone. Then from external DAC the signal goes to amplifier and then to your headphones. Such configuration - provided the sound itself is good quality i.e. FLAC of lossless stream - will bring your headphones to another level (of course it depends also on the quality of your headphones). Hopefully I helped a bit
I talked to iFi about this and this is what they said, "The ZEN Blue is a Bluetooth receiver, not a transmitter - so, you can transmit audio wirelessly from, say, a phone of a computer via Bluetooth to the ZEN Blue, which is connected via cable to an existing audio system. Its purpose, in a nutshell, is to enable the highest possible quality of Bluetooth audio through an audio system that either doesn’t have Bluetooth reception or does offer this facility but the owner wishes to upgrade it. The ZEN Blue doesn’t transmit Bluetooth audio. Even if it did, the nature of Bluetooth headphones/earphones is that they already have (comparatively basic) Bluetooth decoding, D/A conversion and amplification built in. You can’t upgrade their sound over Bluetooth with an external DAC, if that’s what he wants to do - the sound you get is the sound you get. (Incidentally, iFi is looking into whether it can create something that would give a boost to the sound of Bluetooth headphones, but that’s one for the future, potentially…) You can, of course, use the ZEN DAC to receive Bluetooth audio from, say, a computer or a phone, and connect it to a headphone amp like the ZEN CAN. This makes a great little Bluetooth DAC/amp system for use with cabled headphones; but again, Bluetooth-only headphones cannot be upgraded, because all the conversion/amp technology is already built in." Hope that helps.
Hi Kevin - you know what? I could take a running guess at this one...but I won't. Let me ask iFi to get the facts on this one. Might be a while because brands can be a bit slow in replying but hang on it there and I'll be back ASAP.
Your car most likely has a 12V system, so you could use a 12V -> 5V voltage regulator and run the DAC off from any 12V wire that's hot only when the car is running or in "radio" position. Not a link to order, but an equivalent product should do www.dimensionengineering.com/products/de-sw050
To save time, I talked to a chap connected to iFi - one step away, as it where. He said, "In theory it should be possible, as long as he can provide 5V DC power to the Blue and his amp is equipped to accept an analogue signal from the Blue’s RCA stereo output or an a digital signal from the coax or optical. I’ve had a quick look at the amp online and it looks to me that he’d be using the latter. You could direct him to iFi’s support desk: support.ifi-audio.com"
1- blue has analogue output so CAN will work as amp, DAC is inside BLUE obviously (as it has analogue output) 2- BLUE with PC will work as well (connection is via BT only)
Can i connect my Denon sound bar to this via the optical out and so play the sound from my home cinema projector via this device rather than Bluetooth my sound bar to my home cinema projector directly?
@@TheAudiophileMan it does have an internal DAC - it worked! Will it work if I try the following also: connect the sound bar: via the ZEN (optical connection) then into My AV receiver (does have internal DAC) then out to sound bar (optical connection) and wired speakers? Looking to create home cinema.
I must be in the minority ...I Owned this for three days to Upgrade The Bluetooth on my audiolab 6000A, how Very wrong was I, sounded more clinical more harsh and less musical, A very sterile sound When ran via my Oppo 10x zoom mobile in LDAC Codec, Please excuse grammar as I use speech to text due to sight loss
The Blue is Bluetooth only. It's a bit like putting your hand inside a typical amplifier, ripping out the Bluetooth module and plugging that into the mains, separately. Well, kinda. So it doesn't handle the other areas of what a DAC does. In some ways, I wish iFi had not even called it a DAC. It's confusing, as you've found. It's a Bluetooth Receiver, in effect. That needs to be plugged into a DAC, then an amplifier.
Quobus hi res files from my Sony xz3 with ldac with digital out to my hegel h 190 dac, the sound is fantastic and hegel reads the signal as hi res, its indicated on the amp screen, so easy
@@TheAudiophileMan I bought a bluetooth at best buy it was 175 bucks max was 40 feet range and I had to leave the door open where it was for the signal and it's a hollow door. that's why I was asking.
Dumb question... does the antenna have to be upright like that? I plan to put it on a shelf that has a "ceiling" .... Fairly spacious shelf but it won't accommodate that antenna sticking straight up. Can it be folded straight back and still function? I understand this will likely cut down on range but I'm willing to make that sacrifice. Thanks!
wireless connection is self adapting - poorer conditions (i.e. obstructed receiving or so) will degrade the performance of the sound. However if your BT device is 1-2 meters from the BLUE it should have completely no impact.
Why not just use the phone over wifi instead? With usb C to 3.5 to coax to preamp. If you have two phones, you can also control spotify from your chair What then is the point/advantage of let's say IFI Blue
apple really fucked us audiophiles and has left us with the dinosaurs with its atavistic grip on the ACC streaming codec. everyone else is using newer standards like aptxHD ect. apples recalcitrance has left us in the dark ages. why cannot some one make a usb streamer that could plug into a MacBook and stream the capable 24/96 digital to a wireless device such as a zen blue. this would not require a hardware or software update by apple. i can already stream a wired digital high res audio signal from my MacBook. this wold simply be a transmitter that would convert the the USB from the MacBook to a format that could be interpreted by the receiving device. i would love to stream Tidal from across the room via my MacBook. this would obviate signing up for Signet, since i can receive Tidal over WiFi. save dome money too.
Outstanding review! For anyone like me who has a vintage 2 ch. system and wants to play audio from your phone the iFi Zen Blue is a truly awesome solution. The sound quality is well beyond its price point.
I bought one to improve my bluetooth coverage and got a lot more than I expected. Great product for an amazing price
After a year with the Blu V2, in part based on this review - it's fantastic. Smooth, gapless play. I've only used the on board DAC as I'm connecting it to 15+ year old gear. No complaints at all.
Absolutely wonderful presentation! You have a new subscriber.
Thanks for the calm, precise and unbiased review. I am convinced. I shall buy one just for the heck of it, who wouldn't at this price?
Nice job , I also reviewed the ZenBlue and I was surprised how well John curl desighned the power section , And the ess sabre chip pairs well , The sound gets better as you go up the later in codec acc/sbc didn't sound nowhere near as good as L-Dac or aptX hd .
Yes a good transmitter Phone/tablet is a major factor also most phones now days have atleast AptX , But my gf loves it with her New galaxy phone She has L-dac codec I only have aptxHD shes got me beat 😆 Your correct ! Bluetooth has came a long ways if you have a good transmitter also , I used my outboard dacs also thanks again ! Great job ! Love the channel tune in and tune out 😆
It’s an absolutely amazing dac. I’ve bought waaaay more expensive hifi but this kicks it’s arse.
Another great video @The Audiophile Man!
I’ve had the IFI Zen Blue Bluetooth Dac in my System for almost a year now. I have it connected to my Mac C52 preamp. I was pleasantly surprised by the build quality and sound quality of this unit. A very good investment and a bargain at that price. You’d think something of this stature costing more. 😃🎼👍🏾
I've had the the ifi zen for a while and it's a very good piece of kit, both in terms of build and sound quality. Pity they couldn't pick a more stylish antennae for the blue. Great review - thanks
Agreed. In fact, I look forward to the day when technology allows the complete removal of these ugly aerials. They always ruin the lines of the chassis design.
@@TheAudiophileMan actually, I too felt the antenna was a letdown for an otherwise nice design. Had the antenna been color matched to the cabinet it would be better
Thank You. I , thanks to You, bought one and from day one I ceeo smiling.
Having seen your review I ordered one which will be with me tomorrow...Thank you..
On the latest Android devices you can choose your Bluetooth codec in the developer settings. With the Zen blue you could choose to use LDAC only, which is by far the best codec.
no LHDC is a better codec but a friend of mine and myself listened to a song at the same time on different input LHDC codec and on another input LDAC codec and after few hours of listening we could not here a difference in sound maybe a tad like one precent so we decided to stay on LDAC codec no point paying more for the difference........
Just subscribed as a fellow youtuber I love your videos I’m fairly new to Hifi and I’ve found your videos very helpful 👍🏻🇬🇧
Greetings. Great video indeed. I’m looking at buying this as well. Can i connect it to my Monoblocks directly ?
Great review. How does the ifi internal DAC compare with the topping E30? Could it replace the E30 completely in terms of sound quality?
I prefer the external DAC, Jay. If you just look at the DAC as a DAC. The Zen Blue is superb as a Bluetooth tool though.
Well done review, most impressed. If I used the 4.4mm balanced outlet what cable would I need to connect to balanced XLR input of Denafrips Haden ...I cannot seem to find such a cable ?
Great video, the best Zen Blue video in my opinion. Thank you.
Another quality video kind sir,yes £129 for such a devise with it`s claimed audio quality does seem like a bargain.
This video gets a thumbs up from me!
Thanks ev!
My small bedroom setup is this, Topping D30, JDS Atom into some powered Edifier bookshelves...works and sounds wonderful.
Very nice - in fact I tested the Zen Blue in this video with the E30. Works well together.
Excellent review… Subscribed…
How does this DAC work If BT doesn’t support lossless audio?
i have this. is coaxial or optical connection better on this for apple lossless music? or it doesn't matter because they are digital?
Very helpful. Thanks!
Simple question Mr Audiophile. What would yield better sound, this device (using LDAC), or a £10 3.5mm jack from device to phono into the line I'm of my amp? Forget a seperate DAC for now - though I may get one soon. Thanks
Depends. Depends on the device(s), the quality of the amp and the rest of the hifi. In general, I prefer wired connection with wireless being a great convenience feature but that's not set in stone with so many variables up for grabs.
Would you recommend this DAC or the Topping E30? I plan to use my NAD CD player C521BEE and my Yamaha WXC-50 Streamer with a dac. I earlier saw your review about the D50s which I had my eye on, but Im contemplating it due to the coaxial sound drop out issue.
This is a Bluetooth unit - the E30 doesn't support Bluetooth. If you also need other DAC-related facilities then you might also like to check out the iFi Zen DAC.
@@TheAudiophileMan which one you recommend as per my CD player and streamer (I use only do streaming) between the E30 and the SMSL Sanskrit? I’m not sure if the IFi dac has a coaxial
Can you use an extention cable to remotely mount the antenna? If so, how long a cable can you use before unacceptable loss, in your opion? Thanks
Great review have one it's excellent
Just bought the Project phono amp MkII to use my second turntable a Systemdek in my system after watching your phono amp video and your advice in the comments. I now need something to play my Apple Music on my iPhone 8 through my hifi so clicked on this. Do I need to have another DAC as well as this iFi or is the iFi Blue all that I need? I really am stuck in the 1980’s when it comes to hifi knowledge so your advice will be very helpful. Also I see there are v1 and v2 of these on eBay so I am presuming the v2 will be better. Also there are other lower price brands of Bluetooth DAC on there so are they any good?
If Bluetooth is all you need, Tony then you only need to plug this into your amplifier and you're off and running. Version 1 is fine. Version 2 increases the range.
@@TheAudiophileMan thank you your advice is much appreciated. I will add to next month’s shopping list. I bought a cheap £10 Bluetooth receiver/transmitter off eBay but it is not very good to listen to, in fact terrible. I am using my iPhone 8 with AKG 500 Bluetooth headphones and they sound great, also through my TV sound bar which is surprisingly pleasant as well for background music so I know that there is some quality in the source somewhere, it’s just a matter of getting it out using my hifi.
I'm using naim muso2. I'm curious because it's connected to LDAC. If I buy it, I'll connect it to Muso2 with an optical cable. Is there any difference in ldac compared to Chromecast? Technically, I know that chromecast has the upper hand, but if you know how it feels when comparing Chromecast?
I'd go for this unit in streaming terms.
Does this replace the internal dac in my old stereo receiver?
Very detailed review - thanks! Comparatively dumb-ass question here: there's no on off switch as such, so would one just leave it sitting there plugged in the whole time? Or should it be de-charged regularly?
Here's iFi's thoughts on the lack of a switch, "Generally speaking, electronics are best left running. In 99% of the cases components in iFi products are ran at power/voltage that means there is little difference between shelf life and operation, so this does not really impact longevity either. For devices with tubes, however, there are components (the tubes) which have a limited lifespan and which are not easily or cheaply replaced (NOS tubes are becoming extinct at a rapid rate), so they can (and should) be powered down when not in use to preserve tube life. Past that we adhere to the 2013 EU law on standby."
I've been using Zen dac blue for the last one year. Superb sound quality with LDAC. I recently went on Ifi website and upgraded the software. Now after upgrading the software, it turns off or perhaps go to the sleep mode after i switch off the bluetooth on my android Samsung cellphone.
@@S_Rizvi Thanks. That sounds better than having it flashing away for 5 mins!
Looking for a Bluetooth receiver and transmitter. To connect to my vintage pre amp. Just to connect to the tape in/out and done. Of it also has a usb in or hdmi (2ch) in and it would be perfect. Anyone knows if something like that exists?
"On the latest Android devices you can choose your Bluetooth codec in the developer settings" Do those of us with iPhones/iPads & Amazon Fire Tablets have any codec options???
no, only AAC for apple. Not sure about the fire tablet
Is there any promo code for this…thanks
Hi, can I use the ifi zen blue directly with active speakers without another amp or stereo receiver ?
Meaning to replace the BT on the speakers with something better? Do you have volume control - since the Blu abd Blu2 don't have it.
Great video but I’m an absolute newb...I’ve got a Rega io on the way...will this connect to the Rega ok? For Spotify etc
Yep.
A great man to listen to. I find the Logitech bluetooth receiver to be excellent sounding, at least for the 30 feet range. But my goodness, I think Paul would like the Audioengine B1 that has a range of up to 100 feet. It receives audio using the aptX codec which provides an ideal connection particularly with the Audio Technica LP60XBT. This pairing actually makes my Logitech Z130's sound more like midrange speakers rather than low end. It really does provide an incredible enhancement to speakers which only sell for about 30 dollars or so.
Has anyone any idea how to get rid of the annoying overly loud voice confirmation when you connect/disconnect?
Can it be used as pre-amp? Thanks
I also wanted to know that
If I want to by pass the dac on my av reciever do I use coaxial or toslink?
This is a Bluetooth DAC for streaming - if you want a basic DAC, you'll need to grab one of those. The Zen DAC, for example: th-cam.com/video/QbOiKKfDog0/w-d-xo.html
@@TheAudiophileMan I understand. I thought I could connect this to my av and stream thru the ifi and out my av amp. I think the ifi is a better dac than what my reciever has.
LDAC codec was promising but a pain to get android phones to even use half the time, not to mention connectivity issues.
Am I able to hook this right up to my amp via red and white ? Or do I need another piece of kit ? Slightly confused on this. I figure I should be good to go just with this and a amp .
Yes, it will hook up to your amp.
You cannot use it without hooking up to the amp. You have to hook it up via red n white or coaxial/ toslink.
Does it give a high or low sound?
I’m still using an Apple Airport Express for streaming Spotify to my integrated amp over wi-fi. I plug my Bottlehead Crack amp into the amp. Would this be a decent upgrade? I hear you saying “for a Bluetooth stream”...
Do you mean is plugging an external head amp into an integrated an upgrade to, say, an internally fitted head amp? Sure - absolutely.
Just ordered one. Should I but the upgraded power supply? Is it worth it?
Indeed it is.
no need for any audible difference - don't go with they hype ;-)
The antenna needs to be black. Thanks for the review
I painted mine
I've a rega brio would this enable me to stream my music? Sorry a bit of a novice!
The Brio is a basic amp so you'll need to buy a separate streamer to plug into the Brio.
I have an Arcam Solo Movie 2.1 (1st series) which has digital and analogue inputs. If I used the dig in I would bypass the DAC in the ifi. Is there a cheaper solution of similar quality without a DAC that I can use to add BT to my system?
Do you need those HDMI ports too?
@@TheAudiophileMan Not entirely sure I understand the question but I am only looking for a way to stream audio into the Arcam via BT
Sorry - my misunderstanding. I thought you were looking to change the Arcam for a different product. If you want to add Bluetooth to your hifi chain, what budget do you have there?
@@TheAudiophileMan Thanks. I might stretch as far as the iFi, but have also been looking at Arcam Miniblink which comes up on ebay - but only has analogue out. Presumably the Arcam Solo Movie will do a decent analogue conversion from its digital inputs?
The iFi unit really does provide a good solution and one that provides quality to boot. Sure, if you can find a good deal on eBay for another component then go for that but, in sound quality terms, it's hard to beat the iFi for the asking price.
You've convinced me.
Can i listen to music on my true wireless earbuds using this to connect to my iphone or Samsung s8?
As long as Bluetooth is part of the spec, I don't see why not.
@@TheAudiophileMan I apologies in advance, but where I fail to understand is, if the phone only sends hd via plugged headphone jack and will not activate it otherwise, how does the dac increase a the music signal. Moreover, how does the that increase signal help if the bluetooth headphones do not support the higher codec? I'm just confused. I have a Sennheiser Momentum 3 bluetooth headphone with a Note 10 phone for reference.
@@Leo.SKDXL05 you are comparing analogue output of the phone via 3.5mm jack to the digital output of the phone via usb or bluetooth. In the first case you get from mini jack the signal that is analogue that can be used directly with the wired headphones or you could use the external amplifier to increase the power and maybe quality of the sound before it gets into the headphones.
While when you use digital output of the phone (bluetooth or usb) you connect it to external DAC (digital to analoogue converter) that shall be in 99% superior to the one that is in the phone. Then from external DAC the signal goes to amplifier and then to your headphones. Such configuration - provided the sound itself is good quality i.e. FLAC of lossless stream - will bring your headphones to another level (of course it depends also on the quality of your headphones).
Hopefully I helped a bit
Can I use my PC as a source to pass music to this DAC and then to my bluetooth headphones? I need to know please.
I talked to iFi about this and this is what they said,
"The ZEN Blue is a Bluetooth receiver, not a transmitter - so, you can transmit audio wirelessly from, say, a phone of a computer via Bluetooth to the ZEN Blue, which is connected via cable to an existing audio system. Its purpose, in a nutshell, is to enable the highest possible quality of Bluetooth audio through an audio system that either doesn’t have Bluetooth reception or does offer this facility but the owner wishes to upgrade it.
The ZEN Blue doesn’t transmit Bluetooth audio. Even if it did, the nature of Bluetooth headphones/earphones is that they already have (comparatively basic) Bluetooth decoding, D/A conversion and amplification built in. You can’t upgrade their sound over Bluetooth with an external DAC, if that’s what he wants to do - the sound you get is the sound you get. (Incidentally, iFi is looking into whether it can create something that would give a boost to the sound of Bluetooth headphones, but that’s one for the future, potentially…)
You can, of course, use the ZEN DAC to receive Bluetooth audio from, say, a computer or a phone, and connect it to a headphone amp like the ZEN CAN. This makes a great little Bluetooth DAC/amp system for use with cabled headphones; but again, Bluetooth-only headphones cannot be upgraded, because all the conversion/amp technology is already built in."
Hope that helps.
Can the antennas be removed without losing connection quality?
You can try but the solidity and efficiency of the basic connection would be threatened, at the very least.
How do I connect this to my vehicle's amplifier? I am running a JL Audio Vx600/i with a built-in DSP. For power I am using a USB to 5V M barrel.
Hi Kevin - you know what? I could take a running guess at this one...but I won't. Let me ask iFi to get the facts on this one. Might be a while because brands can be a bit slow in replying but hang on it there and I'll be back ASAP.
Your car most likely has a 12V system, so you could use a 12V -> 5V voltage regulator and run the DAC off from any 12V wire that's hot only when the car is running or in "radio" position. Not a link to order, but an equivalent product should do www.dimensionengineering.com/products/de-sw050
To save time, I talked to a chap connected to iFi - one step away, as it where. He said, "In theory it should be possible, as long as he can provide 5V DC power to the Blue and his amp is equipped to accept an analogue signal from the Blue’s RCA stereo output or an a digital signal from the coax or optical. I’ve had a quick look at the amp online and it looks to me that he’d be using the latter. You could direct him to iFi’s support desk: support.ifi-audio.com"
Thank you both!
if i associate it with ifi zen can will it work also as a dac? can i connect the ifi zen blue with pc as the ifi zen dac does?
1- blue has analogue output so CAN will work as amp, DAC is inside BLUE obviously (as it has analogue output)
2- BLUE with PC will work as well (connection is via BT only)
Can i connect my Denon sound bar to this via the optical out and so play the sound from my home cinema projector via this device rather than Bluetooth my sound bar to my home cinema projector directly?
Yes, if your Denon has a built-in DAC to connect the Zen to.
@@TheAudiophileMan it does have an internal DAC - it worked! Will it work if I try the following also: connect the sound bar: via the ZEN (optical connection) then into My AV receiver (does have internal DAC) then out to sound bar (optical connection) and wired speakers? Looking to create home cinema.
Dude, Bluetooth is amazing. With all its open standards. I have arround 200 bluetooth devices that all work fine.
I know, I love it aswell. I'me finding that I'me using more bluetooth connections these days than anything else.
How do I extend the range
I wish ifi make a tube base bluetooth reciever.
Can this play music from TH-cam through your 2 channel hi fi? Many thanks in advance
Yes.
@@TheAudiophileMan many thanks
I must be in the minority ...I Owned this for three days to Upgrade The Bluetooth on my audiolab 6000A, how Very wrong was I, sounded more clinical more harsh and less musical, A very sterile sound When ran via my Oppo 10x zoom mobile in LDAC Codec,
Please excuse grammar as I use speech to text due to sight loss
What did you end up with? I'm in a similar situation.
Will it work in my Bathroom?
Very good presentation indeed. Beginer question here? Why use another DAC (Topping) when Zen Blue is already a DAC?
The Blue is Bluetooth only. It's a bit like putting your hand inside a typical amplifier, ripping out the Bluetooth module and plugging that into the mains, separately. Well, kinda. So it doesn't handle the other areas of what a DAC does. In some ways, I wish iFi had not even called it a DAC. It's confusing, as you've found. It's a Bluetooth Receiver, in effect. That needs to be plugged into a DAC, then an amplifier.
Hey, does it support new Tidal CONNECT?
You can send Tidal to it with a device.
no, it is not seen as Tidal equipment, just normal streaming from your app on phone or comp
Does It support MQA?
Quobus hi res files from my Sony xz3 with ldac with digital out to my hegel h 190 dac, the sound is fantastic and hegel reads the signal as hi res, its indicated on the amp screen, so easy
For me it was this unit or the Audioengine B1 ...i chose the B1 .
I split the difference- I own both and both are very good when you have a halfway decent bitstream
But what's the range? how far can the signal go?
Well it uses Bluetooth 5.0 so that should be around 800 feet.
@@TheAudiophileMan I bought a bluetooth at best buy it was 175 bucks max was 40 feet range and I had to leave the door open where it was for the signal and it's a hollow door. that's why I was asking.
Dumb question... does the antenna have to be upright like that? I plan to put it on a shelf that has a "ceiling" .... Fairly spacious shelf but it won't accommodate that antenna sticking straight up. Can it be folded straight back and still function? I understand this will likely cut down on range but I'm willing to make that sacrifice. Thanks!
Yes, it will still function, Devin.
wireless connection is self adapting - poorer conditions (i.e. obstructed receiving or so) will degrade the performance of the sound. However if your BT device is 1-2 meters from the BLUE it should have completely no impact.
Why not just use the phone over wifi instead?
With usb C to 3.5 to coax to preamp.
If you have two phones, you can also control spotify from your chair
What then is the point/advantage of let's say IFI Blue
You can, sure. I find this offers better sound quality though. If you're happy with a phone, go for it.
Hi how about balanced in zen blue how use?
In what way - with headphones or with an amp?
@@TheAudiophileMan both... Thanks
how about asking in English not geebrish ;-)
Why this is so expensive
apple really fucked us audiophiles and has left us with the dinosaurs with its atavistic grip on the ACC streaming codec. everyone else is using newer standards like aptxHD ect. apples recalcitrance has left us in the dark ages. why cannot some one make a usb streamer that could plug into a MacBook and stream the capable 24/96 digital to a wireless device such as a zen blue. this would not require a hardware or software update by apple. i can already stream a wired digital high res audio signal from my MacBook. this wold simply be a transmitter that would convert the the USB from the MacBook to a format that could be interpreted by the receiving device. i would love to stream Tidal from across the room via my MacBook. this would obviate signing up for Signet, since i can receive Tidal over WiFi. save dome money too.
H'mmm
Bad product. Can't connect to computer, keeps disconnecting. I have to reboot 10 times a day.👎👎👎
Please don’t beleive it. I just bought one and Apple TV has much better sound quality than this DAC . I am going to return it.
Liar