iFi’s Zen Air range was launched in 2022 with the aim of making high-performance audio more accessible – it includes unmodified versions of the company’s Zen range of products with a lower price point and wider appeal. Now it has been renewed with the arrival of the following three products: Zen Air Phono 2, Zen Air DAC 2 and Zen Air Blue 2.
Here’s what’s new.
The Zen Air Phono 2 (above) aims to capitalize on the ever-growing vinyl market. An entry-level phono stage that promises a huge improvement over the built-in phono stages you find in record players and amplifiers.
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It uses iFi’s proprietary subsonic filter to compensate for recorded warp without removing anything or introducing unwanted audio artifacts. It has selectable gain modes for moving magnet (MM) and moving coil (MC) cartridges.
It uses iFi’s RIAA playback curve to deliver “true, accurate music playback” that promises to be exactly as the artist intended.
iFi says the bass is very quiet, with a uniform input noise of -151dBV that brings out more detail within the recording. This is aided by a high current power supply isolated from the amplification stage.
The balanced channel structure seeks to deliver lower crosstalk and improved channel separation.
Next up is the Zen Air DAC 2, pictured at the top of this story. A desktop DAC and amp with a midnight blue plaque. It offers a more premium look and feel with the original Zen Air DAC, claims to deliver more headphone output, and has a newly upgraded DAC.
iFi says it chose the Cirrus Logic DAC for the way it presents details naturally without sounding forced or analytical. This DAC has previously been available on iFi portable devices, but this is its first use on an iFi home device.
The promise is clear, flexible benefits and distortions.
The 4.4mm balanced earphone is also new, and has dropped from the flagship Zen series. It should reduce noise and crosstalk, and enable a more open, separated sound, and it claims to deliver up to 300 percent more headphone drive than its predecessor.
XBass+ is also on board to add extra oomph to the bottom end, while PowerMatch unlocks another 6dB gain for hard-to-drive headphones.
Along with the new finish, it has a new power button for more control over when and how it’s used on your system.
Finally, the Zen Air Blue 2, a Bluetooth receiver that delivers lossless sound wirelessly to your hi-fi. But because of its compatibility with 5-12V, it can work in cars, boats and other vehicles as well as at home.
Bluetooth 5.4 with aptX Lossless allows bitrates up to 1200kbps.
Inside is iFi’s three-stage Bluetooth design, each stage receiving a specific component. Bluetooth reception is taken care of by the Qualcomm QCC3095 chipset, the ESS Saber DAC handles the signal conversion, while custom op-amps are on amplification duty.
Along with aptX Lossless, it plays well in the LDAC format, as well as the standard SBC and AAC codecs.
All three devices are available now, and cost £129 / $129 (around AU$244).
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