If you have balanced connectors on the back, for the love of all that is sacred, USE THEM. You paid for them, and they are the best. Ed: The DAC has no balanced output, but the amp has balanced in? That's dumb. I have an original Zen DAC and it has them so naturally I assumed this one did. A half-balanced stack IMHO is an incomplete stack. But you do you. Rock on.
Balanced input on the amp? It has 3.5mm and RCA, none of those are balanced. Also the regular non-air versions are substantially more expensive, can't expect the same feature set on the cheaper option of an already relatively budget line.
I don't see the harm. If the Zen is first in line, then activating Powermatch merely boosts the IN for the Topping. That's assuming I'm understanding your setup right.
The Ifi Zen Air CAN is an amp only so no you can't use it as a standalone device as you need a DAC source of some kind to first decode the digital signal into analogue which the CAN then amplifies.
Nice review! I am about to buy my first headphone amp for my PC and I have a 100 eur budget. My question is what would give me a better sound for my Sennheiser 560s (just got them from their outlet refurbished for 99 eur, it was a steal) - Zen Air DAC connected via USB and with its internal amp OR Zen Air Can connected to the analog line out of my desktop PC ? If you ask why I don't go for both, well, for 200 eur there IMHO better options with truly balanced circuits. Now, I do not want to pair a 100 eur headphones with 200 eur gear, I can do that later when and if I upgrade from the 560s...
Hi Aaron. I know you have both Zen Air Can and DAC and HE400se. I now have the Zen Air DAC and HE400se. Is it worth it to get the Zen Air Can for my current setup?
You're perfectly fine as you are. The CAN easily drives the Hifiman. The amp will probably add SOME extra kick, but it's so marginal, it's not worth it. Hope that helps some!
Yum! Pancakes! Sorry, what was the video about again?😛 I'm a basic DAC dongle guy at this point but even my $30 earbuds sounded good with those amps running😊 Thanks for the video!
@@gearupaaron To be honest I don’t know much about audio but l want to connect speakers to my PC so I thought you can have a amp/dac and connect everything to it like speaker headphone and microphone. That’s why I asked
@@axelrivas2914 I see. You definitely can connect this to a PC to use with whatever audio output device you want. However, PCs generally already have some kind of DAC/amp, so you might wanna check your device manager or owners manual first.
@@gearupaaron ok, I’m just trying to have a better audio quality when I’m gaming from the PC or PS5 but as well when I’m working in case I have to do a zoom call or something or just music while work or study
![Breath of Fresh Air~ | iFi Audio Zen Air Stack (Zen Air DAC [DAC/Amp] & Zen Air CAN [Amplifier])](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/5on45qBMTo0/mqdefault.jpg)
If you have balanced connectors on the back, for the love of all that is sacred, USE THEM.
You paid for them, and they are the best.
Ed: The DAC has no balanced output, but the amp has balanced in? That's dumb.
I have an original Zen DAC and it has them so naturally I assumed this one did.
A half-balanced stack IMHO is an incomplete stack. But you do you. Rock on.
Balanced input on the amp? It has 3.5mm and RCA, none of those are balanced. Also the regular non-air versions are substantially more expensive, can't expect the same feature set on the cheaper option of an already relatively budget line.
What an excellent review! Congratulations on the great vibe too. Greetings from Brazil!
Olá Adriano! Appreciate the props - hope the good vibe keeps bringing you back for more, lol. Cheers, mate!
I am doing a stack of Zen Air Dac + Topping L30 via RCA, do you recommend ON or OFF the powermatch on the Zen Air Dac ?
I don't see the harm. If the Zen is first in line, then activating Powermatch merely boosts the IN for the Topping. That's assuming I'm understanding your setup right.
Good Review! Would u recommend a power bank bcuz the power cable is so short!?
You could or just use a longer cable, lol!
What if you want to use the CAN alone? How would you do that?
The Ifi Zen Air CAN is an amp only so no you can't use it as a standalone device as you need a DAC source of some kind to first decode the digital signal into analogue which the CAN then amplifies.
Nice review! I am about to buy my first headphone amp for my PC and I have a 100 eur budget. My question is what would give me a better sound for my Sennheiser 560s (just got them from their outlet refurbished for 99 eur, it was a steal) - Zen Air DAC connected via USB and with its internal amp OR Zen Air Can connected to the analog line out of my desktop PC ? If you ask why I don't go for both, well, for 200 eur there IMHO better options with truly balanced circuits. Now, I do not want to pair a 100 eur headphones with 200 eur gear, I can do that later when and if I upgrade from the 560s...
Hello friend. Is it possible to use an amplifier to connect an iPad? So that the iPad can be used as a source and a DAC?
Hi Aaron. I know you have both Zen Air Can and DAC and HE400se. I now have the Zen Air DAC and HE400se. Is it worth it to get the Zen Air Can for my current setup?
You're perfectly fine as you are. The CAN easily drives the Hifiman. The amp will probably add SOME extra kick, but it's so marginal, it's not worth it. Hope that helps some!
Love my iFi Hip Dac 2.
How long have you had it for?
@@gearupaaron Bought it when it was released, xbass is the best in the industry imo.
Yum! Pancakes!
Sorry, what was the video about again?😛
I'm a basic DAC dongle guy at this point but even my $30 earbuds sounded good with those amps running😊
Thanks for the video!
I think I overdid it with the pancakes. Big thumbnail a/b testing fail!
Your support means a lot, fam -- enjoy your Friday and weekend! Today's affiliate link for the Zen Air CAN amzn.to/40iYkpb (10% off right now)
Hey Aaron! Great video 👍 I was also here for the pancakes jk 😂 cheers 👍✌️
Never can have too many pancakes!
Can you use this if you doing conference call like zoom ??
How so? Like piping audio through headphones/speakers?
@@gearupaaron To be honest I don’t know much about audio but l want to connect speakers to my PC so I thought you can have a amp/dac and connect everything to it like speaker headphone and microphone. That’s why I asked
@@axelrivas2914 I see. You definitely can connect this to a PC to use with whatever audio output device you want. However, PCs generally already have some kind of DAC/amp, so you might wanna check your device manager or owners manual first.
@@gearupaaron ok, I’m just trying to have a better audio quality when I’m gaming from the PC or PS5 but as well when I’m working in case I have to do a zoom call or something or just music while work or study
@axelrivas2914 if you can't swing it, the stack would be a good set up for ya 😁
Get review despite the kink shaming 😏
Lol 😂 Thanks for watching!