iFi ZEN Blue | Desktop Bluetooth Streamer

From iFi Audio

You only achieve true ZEN when totally chilled. We’ve given you peace of mind (and pocket) with the ZEN Blue. Whether you’re a Spotify, Amazon or Apple Music lover or totally prefer Tidal, the ZEN Blue will deliver fabulously flawless music to suit your mood via breathtaking hi-res Bluetooth®.

All current and future Bluetooth® audio formats are supported. This includes Qualcomm’s aptX and aptX HD, LDAC and HWA, hi-res Bluetooth® codecs created by Sony and Huawei respectively, AAC, Apple’s favoured format and SBC, the standard Bluetooth® codec. Phew! This means every possible source device is covered, at the highest resolution Bluetooth® specification.

Have utter confidence in the sound quality of the ZEN Blue. It uses Bluetooth5.0®, the very latest version, and the newest Qualcomm 5100 chip to process all incoming Bluetooth® data. There ESS Sabre DAC chip is there to ensure an extremely smooth digital to analogue conversion. Banish standard ‘Bluetooth Blues’ with the iFi hi-res implementation.

Chill with the best of both worlds. Analogue – connect via RCA to amps or active speakers or via the 4.4mm output to amps/speakers with a balanced input. Digital – use the optical and coaxial connections to connect to anything with a built-in DAC and corresponding digital input; your TV, an AV amp or an external DAC in your hi-fi set-up.

The analogue output stage is balanced, not normaaly seen in DACs at this price point. Balanced means less noise interference/crosstalk. This equals more ZEN in our book. It has RCA and balanced outputs at HiFi standard level; 2V SE and 4V BAL and thus is compatible with both HiFi and Pro systems. All underpinned by high-quality circuit components such as C0G capacitors from TDK. All fed by a precision low-noise power supply from Texas Instruments to make this a rare entry-priced beast. Go and grab yourself one today. And ZEN out…