iFi ZEN DAC 2: King of the Budget DACS?
iFi have long held a reputation for producing great sounding, wallet friendly gear. Does the latest iteration of the ZEN DAC uphold that tradition?
Our iFi ZEN DAC 2 arrived very nicely packaged, which is par for the course with iFi gear.
The new and improved version of the ZEN sports a new chip with double the processing power and more memory, as well as MQA processing on board for the first time — which is sure to delight TIDAL fans everywhere.
The first thing you’ll notice is the large volume dial on the front which feels sturdy and has a nice smooth glide to it.
Also on the front panel is a ‘Power Match’ button, which performs gain adjustment to match your headphones or amp/speakers, while the ‘True Bass’ button is akin to a more refined version of Sony’s ‘MEGA BASS’ feature, to put it bluntly.
It’s All About the Connections..
The ZEN’s output can be set to fixed or variable, so you can use the ZEN DAC 2 as a preamp if needed. You’ll find a balanced/Pentaconn output on the rear panel here (as well as on the front panel), stereo RCA outs, a good old fashioned USB input (for connecting tablets, laptops or desktops etc) and a DC 5V power socket. iFi haven’t included a mains adaptor with the package in order to keep costs down, although most people would be drawing power using the USB input from source anyway. iFi do produce their own power options, available from https://ifi-audio.com, but any correctly rated adaptor would do the trick; in our experience the USB power is fine.
We tested the iFi ZEN DAC 2 with a MacBook Pro running Roon, a DENON PMA600NE amplifier and a pair of KEF Q150 speakers. We used a pair of Grado SR325X’s for headphone listening.
You can always rely on iFi to improve the sound of a source ‘all-round’, meaning that trebles are clearer, mid’s are well handled and bottom end is more authoritative. It’s what I would call a ‘quick fix’ for a muddy source and the ZEN DAC 2 fixes things quickly and gets us well and truly on track to a great listening experience.
When you consider just how much this DAC upgrades the listening experience for the price you’ll pay, it’s really quite staggering.
In the Listening Booth..
Listening to Manic Street Preachers ‘Small Black Flowers That Grow In The Sky’ sounds incredible — despite the fact that only three instruments (including the vocal) are in play. The harpsichord and the plucked guitar work so well with James Dean Bradfield’s haunting vocal here, creating a beautiful yet simple soundscape. I’ve heard this song a thousand times, but not so engrossing as when listening using the ZEN DAC 2.
Using the ZEN DAC 2 with the Grado headphones and an iPad running TIDAL, I was struck by how perfect this combination really is. It’s a pleasure to listen to and as it’s such a small group of components, you can happily sling it into a backpack for extended train journeys for high quality headphone listening on the move.
You can read more about the iFi ZEN DAC 2 and the Grado 325x as a combo here.
So, What’s the Verdict?
If you’re in the market for a DAC, and your budget is around £150/150EUR to £200/200EUR mark then add getting yourself an iFi ZEN DAC 2 to your to-do list quick sharp. For a truly fantastic listening experience on headphones or bringing that digital source (laptop, iPad etc) to life we can’t think of a better way to spend your hard earned cash.
