![]() ![]() V2, it mainly comes down to sound quality. So when you talk about the Zen DAC V1 vs. You can read my original Zen DAC review for that. Since the core functionality of the Zen DAC V2 is pretty much the same as the original, I won’t do a full breakdown here. I consider neither one a dealbreaker, but it’s worth mentioning. Of course, you’ll also find some of the bugaboos we found with the V1, like the lack of a dedicated power supply (sold separately) and a slight channel imbalance at the beginning of the volume range, limiting the ability to listen at low volumes with sensitive headphones. You get the same nice chassis, SE and Balanced connections, Truebass analog bass enhancement, and Power Match gain control. ![]() Other than that, the two Zen DACs are basically the same. Ifi says this will provide improved sonics over the original Zen DAC. This makes sense because lower noise and jitter mean less distortion of the music signal, which means you should get a cleaner signal overall. This chip has double the clock speed of the original Zen DAC chip.īesides a new processor, there’s also an upgraded crystal clock to reduce jitter and noise. This MQA decoding capacity is made possible by a new 16x XMOS controller chip (the same one used in their excellent iDSD NEO DAC). MQA Studio authenticates that the sound you are hearing is exactly as played in the studio when the music was completed and, by implication, that this is also the definitive version of the recording at that point in time.Ī second level, ‘MQA’ (green light) is available to indicate that although the stream is genuine, provenance may be uncertain or that it is not yet the final release.īy the way, if you still decide to have a Core Decoder like TIDAL do the initial decode of the MQA file, then use the Zen DAC V2 as a renderer, you will get the same magenta light that was present on the original Zen DAC. The MQA ‘Studio’ (blue light) gives confirmation directly from mastering engineers, producers, or artists to their listeners. If a track is fully decoded by the DAC but doesn’t have Provenance, it’s represented by a “green” light. This is called “Provenance” in MQA parlance. Because of this, the Zen DAC V2 can “authenticate” MQA tracks as “MQA Studio” (blue Light), which means the music represents the exact sound produced in the studio. It can keep all the decoding in-house, applying DAC-specific compensation and management to the file. That would be the Zen DAC V2’s ability to act as a full MQA decoder, as opposed to the V1, which was just an MQA “renderer.” That means the V2 doesn’t need a piece of software like TIDAL or Roon (a Core Decoder) to do the initial “unfold” of the MQA music file. On the new version, MQA can be signified by either a Green or Blue LED on the front of the DAC, as well as Magenta, bringing to light (no pun intended) a sensational new feature. On the original version, you’ll see a Magenta indicator light on the front of the unit. ![]() However, upon feeding them an MQA signal, you’ll see the other difference. Without turning them on, those are the only differences you’ll see. Build/FeaturesĪt first glance, there isn’t much difference between the Zen DAC V1 and V2, but a closer look reveals a darker iFi logo on the top of the V2 and “Zen DAC V2” branding on the back. As of this writing, iFI Audio is a sponsor of Hifitrends, but all opinion in this review is solely our own, and no input has been given from the manufacturer. Read on for more details!ĭisclaimer: The iFi Zen DAC V2 has been provided to us on loan for this review. If you’re looking for an inexpensive yet sophisticated way to both upgrade the sound coming from your digital sources (laptops and phones) and make your headphones sing, the Zen DAC V2 should be your first stop. ![]()
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