iFi Audio ZEN DAC V2

Compact and stylish

This ZEN DAC V2 is the same award-winning hi-res USB DAC/headphone amp as before but with added oomph! They’ve upgraded its digital engine from an 8-core XMOS chip to a 16-core chip. It’s ultra-capable while still being super-affordable. Compact enough to use as a USB DAC/amp on your work desk and stylish enough to use at home with your favorite active speakers or amp, it delivers a level of specification and performance that punches above its super-affordable price tag. The ZEN DAC V2 supports PCM and DXD to 32-bit/384kHz, DSD256 and MQA. DSD remains ‘bit-perfect’ thanks to the True Native Burr-Brown chip design.

The ZEN DAC V2 supports PCM and DXD to 32-bit/384kHz, DSD256 and MQA. DSD remains ‘bit-perfect’ thanks to the True Native Burr Brown chip design. Their R&D maxes out the circuitry with bespoke, easy to install firmware to bring you the joyous musicality of hi-res. The ethereal music quality will leave you grinning ear to ear. And thanks to the 16-core tech, the ZEN DAC V2 is now an MQA Decoder rather than a Renderer only.

Zen Dac V2 brings balance

They’ve used a balanced design for the analogue stage – rare and not found at this price point. This makes it pretty special for the best sound quality. With super-low noise performance, it will remain quiet even in noisy situations such as yachts or RVs. The ZEN DAC V2 sports Pentaconn 4.4mm balanced outputs at both the front and back. On the front, there’s also the popular 6.3mm (1/4") headphone socket. You get both headphone options.

A new and improved low jitter, crystal clock means >20dB better performance. The super-low noise performance means the ZEN DAC V2 will remain quiet even in noisy situations such as yachts or RVs.

Power. Performance. Flexibility

Switch effortlessly between ‘variable’ and ‘fixed’. Set to ‘Variable,’ use the ZEN DAC V2 as a pre-amp to feed a power amp or active speakers. On ‘Fixed’ to bypass the volume control. Connect to an external pre-amp or integrated amp. The headphone amp output has PowerMatch – switchable gain to perfectly match your headphones. IEMs are high-sensitivity, Leave PowerMatch at its lower setting for hiss-free listening. On/over-ear types with relatively low impedance require more oomph – press PowerMatch to increase the level of drive.

The ZEN DAC V2 boasts TrueBass. This proprietary tech is a switchable ‘bass boost’ operating in the analogue domain. There’s no DSP with iFi gear. TrueBass enhances the bass but does not muddy the mid-range. Perfect for use with IEMs or open-back headphones which often lose out on bass. So, in the words of the great Eric Clapton and from the film Back to the Future, Heaven is One Step Away.