Audiophiles and music enthusiasts looking for an affordable yet high-quality converter will be thrilled with the iFi Audio ZEN DAC Signature V2, a portable USB digital-to-analog converter that's designed to feed an external headphone amplifier or an amplifier with speakers.
The ZEN DAC Signature V2 features a balanced 4.4mm output and a set of unbalanced stereo RCA outputs. The upgraded XMOS chipset features 16 cores to power the digital engine, while the updated clock circuitry reduces jitter, which provides 20 dB of better noise reduction. Audiophile components are used throughout— including C0G capacitors from TDK—with Panasonic OS-CON and ELNA Slimic II capacitors completing the design. The ZEN DAC Signature V2 includes MQA technology, which enables you to play back MQA audio files and streams, delivering the sound of the original master recording. A power supply, stereo RCA cable, and USB cable are included.
- This new low-latency XMOS microcontroller has greatly enhanced processing power. Compared to the current generation of eight-core chips, this new 16-core IC delivers double the clock speed (2000 MIPS) and four times the memory (512KB), as well as the latest SuperSpeed USB standard.
- iFi’s in-house digital development team has programmed the XMOS firmware to optimize sound quality and ensure a perfect partnership with the Burr-Brown DAC.
- The Burr-Brown True Native chipset means file formats remain unchanged or bit-perfect. This means you are listening to music as the artist intended in the format in which it was recorded.
- iFi uses Burr Brown extensively in our products having selected it for its natural-sounding musicality and True Native architecture.
- MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) is supported through the USB with full decoding of MQA files up to 384 kHz, thanks to the processing power of the new 16-core XMOS chip.
- This means that the full Three Unfold decoding process is performed internally as opposed to only the final unfold, like in the manner of an MQA renderer.
- Globally, MQA has become an important consideration for any comprehensively equipped DAC. It is available through Tidal Masters, Audirvana, and Roon.
- Extensive jitter-eradication technologies are applied to the digital stage, including our GMT (Global Master Timing) femto-precision clock and the intelligent memory buffer
- The low-jitter crystal clock has been updated to provide >20 dB better performance
- Panasonic OS-CON caps totaling 5410 uF give very low Equivalent Series Resistance (ESR), and excellent noise reduction capability and frequency response characteristics.
- OS-CONs have a long life span and its ESR changes little even at low temperatures since the electrolyte is solid.
- muRata control-type low-ESR high-Q multilayer capacitors. The ESR control aspect of the muRata is something special. Their noise-suppression abilities are impressive.
- The primary constituent of the newly developed dielectric is silk fiber. This material was believed as unfathomable as an aluminum electrolytic capacitor.
- The new material beats silk fiber and mixes it with Manila hemp fiber to provide the dielectric to an aluminum electrolytic capacitor used for high-grade music. The result is second to none—superior acoustic properties and excellent linearity.