What could be observed – looking through the prism of a wider context – is that the ZEN DAC 3 compared to a few other converters in its price range (and also those approximately twice as expensive) is definitely on the smooth side. Yet still without unnecessarily greying-out the sound too much. The very good ROHM-based S.M.S.L D300 will have a more saturated sound, yet the fluidity of it will be better on the ZEN. The ESS “small” (Q2M, K2M) silicon based DACs will sound completely different, with colder midrange and generally better frequency extensions – obviously depending on implementation (the exception would be for example EarMen Tradutto, but it’s more than twice expensive than ZEN DAC 3 and doesn’t have it’s own volume control).
As for the integrated headphone amplifier – it’s actually not an after-thought and will be a very, very good place to start your journey. I am usually not fond of any of those additions if they are even a bit sub-par, yet here I simply have no comments – it’s really good for what it is. Obviously, it is definitely more suited to power smaller and generally more efficient phones that something like HEDDphone TWO, but what’s important is that it will also make do with IEMs of more-than-average sensitivity.
iFi Audio iPower 2 and the 4.4 mm cable
Since the ZEN DAC 3 can be both USB-C powered as well as draw its power from a dedicated 5V power supply – let me comment a bit on those. There’s also a bit unusual 4.4mm connector for a balanced out, so I also tested the 4.4 mm to 4.4 mm balanced cable that iFi Audio offers. Regarding the first thing, the PSU, I would say that: “it depends”. Because the improvement with it connected (I used the iPower2 5V PSU) will be always, but the difference will be depending on the usage scenario. If you are going to connect the ZEN DAC to your PC – then it will definitely make sense. In a scenario where it will be able to draw more clean power – like from the ZEN Stream digital transport – the difference will still be there, yet not that obvious. In general, the USB-C power delivery actually works better than expected, so it’s not like the external PSU is a necessity. Yet it still will be a good addition and an improvement to the general breath of the sound and increase both the smoothness and the resolution of the sound a bit at the same time.
As for the 4.4 mm cable – it’s quite a bargain, you won’t find anything better at the price. It’s transparent in its nature and if made by any of those dedicated cable companies – would probably cost more.
iFi Audio ZEN DAC 3 – conclusion(s)
I think that iFi Audio has just another winner on its hands here. What makes the ZEN DAC 3 so special is the way it just moves all those particular objective aspects away from your attention and gets straight to the music. While we can say that its main qualities are its lush and fluid delivery, it is still able to differentiate well and provide an insight beyond its asking price. But what’s actually more important: it’s just a great daily-driver. It’s that type of sound that wins you over time. And this also makes it a great affordable DAC for people who actually wants to listen to the music. And considering this and its functionality too – this is a Best Buy.
Adam Kiryszewski
Price: 229 EUR/GBP/USD
Manufacturer: iFi Audio https://ifi-audio.com/
Product page: https://ifi-audio.com/products/zen-dac-3/