iFi Zen Streamer - Initial comments

Hi @Michael_Harris -

When I click that button, it shows me the name of the device, the URL, and “SP/DIF.” Nothing more & no way to go any deeper down that particular rabbit hole.

Can you send a screenshot please?
Because that sounds like Roon only mode which disables the web config as mentioned above

I started this whole process with the Zen’s mode setting as “Roon Only.” It didn’t work there either, but I’ll retry & restart.

Glenn Roon only mode shuts everything else down and it runs a little web server on a different port and that is how you configure the output and settings.
If it is in Roon only mode then you can never get to the settings needed to run a firmware update or create the general settings.

Screenshot of device information:

Sorry Glenn I should have said after clicking on Device Info and configure device

Also I am assuming your DAC is connected via USB?

I got out the flashlight and double checked the Zen. It WAS in “Roon Only” mode. I switched it back to AIO mode and turned it off. Restarted it. Used Google to try “http://192.168.1.20” and got (wonder of wonders) the iFi Zen setup screen!

Changed the output from SP/DIF to USB
Enabled Roon
Changed device name from “jiffy” to “Zen”
Set device to power down after 30 minutes (keeps LED from bothering wife if she wants to sleep on couch)
Checked network type & disabled Wi-Fi
Set MQA to pass through
Verified that firmware was latest version

And now to go try it…

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in roon mode safari does not connect, only if you use 192.168.1.20:3100

but get on AIO to do the firmware update, beware it can take long
After that get back to roon mode and use 192.168.1.20:3100

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Good luck, I am hoping my New Years eve project is done

Once it is all setup as you wish (and update the firmware) then you can put it back into Roon Only mode.
That Device Info button will allow you to make minimum configuration changes after that.

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You’re a miracle, @Michael_Harris Wan-Kenobe! Happy New Year to you and yours, and should I ever be fortunate enough to meet you, I’ll owe you a dinner at the restaurant of your choice and your selection of beverages.

The irony of this is that had I but realized that the Zen was in Roon Only mode earlier, a lot of this could have been avoided. I could swear that I’d switched it back to AIO mode (and, for sure, at one time - I had). But apparently I put it back in Roon Only mode and forgot that I’d done so. I must be getting senile…

The other option (that I should have tried and didn’t) would have been to run a coaxial SP/DIF wire to my DAC. Since my DAC has ASRC on all inputs, might the coaxial connection actually have been sonically superior to the (more complex and “never designed for audio”) USB?

And finally - last question (I hope) - is the top or the bottom USB port on the iFi Zen Streamer the OUTPUT as opposed to the hard drive input?

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top for HDDs

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Ran downstairs to check and Traian had already answered.
Good that we got there in the end

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I did not try compare, but @Michael_Harris for sure has the right answer :smiling_face_with_three_hearts: probably without his help I would have use the ZS as a door stopper

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Happy it’s working for you, Glenn.

That iFi thing is suitable only for hardy individuals, I think!

That “never designed for audio” is a bit of a canard. USB was designed for many things, true. But the USB Audio Class 2 protocol that’s actually used was specifically designed for audio devices, and is both more up-to-date and more functional than the S/PDIF protocol used over coax. They both deliver the same bits, and the USB Audio Class 2 protocol has a better chance of getting them there correctly.

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Not superior, but SPDIF worked really well in 24/192 but only in Roon Only mode.

Whereas in AIO mode it works really well in USB mode.
I had a couple of DACS with SPDIF and they all sounded great with the SPDIF output, but I think a good modern USB devices will probably sound better (and do DSD etc), so I guess it is whatever you have around and it works well enough for both at least in my experience.

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Either up and running in 10 to 15 minutes or you need to phone a friend :rofl:

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So since I had a digital-specific Ixos SP/DIF cable laying around, I opted to listen to the Zen in coaxial mode first. It works. It sounds fine. But does it really sound better than my $10 Apple TV connected via TOSLINK? Not to my ears. So at 1/40th the price of the iFi Zen Streamer, I can have identical sound quality.

Will the USB connection from the Zen sound better? I’m hoping so. Even if it does, will it sound 40x as good as the Apple TV? Probably not, but I’m hoping…

On another note, I’ve discovered that my 12WPC Heathkit tube amps lack sufficient power to drive my GoldenEar Triton Three+ speakers. The little 'kits kicked booty with the Tekton Pendragons and Double Impacts. They did the same with my Klipsch RP-600m bookshelf speakers. But the GoldenEars are just enough less sensitive than those three speakers that the little amplifiers that could - just couldn’t. Yes, they’ll play fine at background levels (and sound amazing doing it), but for even medium volumes they sound flat and you can tell that they’re bordering on clipping. It’s also true that the “12-Watt” rating is highly optimistic. The amps truly put out about 4 or 5 Watts, max.

I do, however, also have in house some Emotiva PA-1 Class-D mono blocks that can drive the GoldenEars just fine. I also have a Black Ice Audio F22 tube integrated that can develop 50WPC with its stock EL-84 outputs. That will be more than enough for the GoldenEar speakers at the volumes where I listen.

Thanks again to all of you (and particularly Mr. @Michael_Harris who have taken so much of your time (and on New Year’s Eve, to boot) to work me through my hardware, software, and mental block issues.

Once I’ve heard the USB outputs of the Zen, I’ll post once more with my final impressions.

Glenn Young

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For me ZS did replace the usb from the computer that has the core to the dac. Better? Just a bit

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Is 2.31.9 a beta version of firmware since my Zen Stream can’t find it with update function? I’m at 2.31.7.

A lot of people won’t use Apple TV or Google TV for serious music listening because of resampling of everything to 48Khz regardless of sample rate.

They sound absolutely fine but people take against resampling in general.
Though personally I found SPDIF on the Stream sounded best in upsampled mode from both Roon Mad HQPlayer in the X2 upsampled mode.

I always think if you are happy with the sound then just enjoy the music on whatever you are listening to.

It was a pleasure to help get you up and running as I was getting a bit of work done and listening to music, so only 10% mentally engaged really and that helped my make my afternoon worthwhile.

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