iFi Audio Zen Dac V2 is a compact, desktop usb dac and balanced headphone amp. New V2 version has an upgraded XMOS USB interface, is now better with MQA files now that it is a full decoder.
Improve the sound from your computer via the usb input, out to your headphones. iFi Zen Dac V2 takes a digital signal via usb input and has 2 line outs on the rear panel - rca and 4.4mm balanced; it also has 2 headphone outs on the front - 6.5mm and 4.4mm balanced. Its XBASS feature provides a nice extra sub-bass fullness that is great with plenty of open back headphones or to add fullness listening at lower volumes and the XSPACE feature nicely compliments some headphones / music genres, so its nice to have these all-analogue options at the ready.
ZEN Dacv2 has very good clarity and dynamics, full sounding and not tending to be bright, so it is very easy to match up with a huge variety of headphones. Often purchased for / with Sundara (Sundara + XBass feature is a very fun match) / Edition XS, Sennheiser HD660S2, which includes a 4.4mm balanced cable, Audio Technica MSR7b, Sivga SV023 and the brighter sounding, DT1770 / DT1990 work great with ZEN DACv2. USB powered, optional 5v power supply in our accessory section.
For even better headphone performance, add the optional, matching iFi ZEN CAN headphone amp - makes a perfect high performance stack (shown in last photo)
Whathifi: 5 Stars: Compare the iFi with price rivals and it’s clearly up there with the best when it comes to sound quality. But it also offers a degree of versatility that those rivals don’t. If you’re looking for a well-built, budget desktop DAC, this iFi should be top of your list.
Techradar.com: 4.5 / 5: The iFi Zen DAC is an excellent DAC and amp for the price... sound from the iFi Zen DAC is excellent, providing enough power for power-hungry headphones like the HD600 and DT1990Pro that we used to test... if you’re looking to squeeze out a few extra drops of performance, the optional iFi power supply is worth purchasing.
iFi Zen Dac v2 specs:
Incredible value and superb sound. Next will be the CAN amplifier to make an iFi stack that will certainly drive all of my headphones. Prompt delivery as always.
I’m still new at experiencing sound at an entry audiophile level, but the Zen DAC sounds great! The True Bass function does wonders for the low end (I leave it on it sounds so good). I also haven’t had any problems running higher ohm headphones (300 range).
I wish the iFi had more structured and up to date information about the product on their web site. It seems, they assume that the users had used DACs before. Internet search brings many videos describing the nice look of the unit and its parameters. It would be nice to know how to configure Windows 7 Pro for proper operation. I am still not sure if the conversion from Digital to Analog actually happens in my new unit. Quoting the mass of the unit at 491 grams does not help much.
Currently have this paired with my Sennheiser HD560s and it has been a great pairing! Love the simplicity of this unit as well as the build quality. Sound is clear and the TruBass functionality is great for adding some bass to my HD560s without it being overwhelming. Totally recommend this to anyone looking for an entry level way of getting into this hobby.
I bought this to drive some small studio monitors from my iMac. The sound is a huge improvement over external powered speakers. Lovely clarity and a nice sound stage. I really love the analog volume control. Simple to set up - wonderful sound. I couldn’t be happier.