Best video I could find on this unit - informative yet not tedious or boring. It answered many questions I had about it. iFi should refer prospective buyers to you since although they throw around a lot of technical jargon they don't provide a lot of insight into how the unit actually works.
The $400 iFi Zen Stream supports PCM up to 32-bit/384kHz, plus DSD256. I am not aware of any major streaming service that can benefit from anything higher than what iFi Zen Stream supports, so unless one has their own higher resolution files then the iFi Zen Stream will probably be all than most people need. The tiny display on the iFi Neo Stream is useless to most people, and both iFi streamers (Zen and Neo) have iPhone/iPad apps as well as Android support for remote control of your music streaming service. The iFi Neo Stream has a built-in DAC (unlike Zen Stream), but one can add the Zen DAC Signature V2 for $300 which is basically the same thing as the one included in the Neo Stream.
Thanks for the review! I wonder how it stacks up against the competition within its price range, cause been considering it as a next purchase. Congrats on your new Alta Audio’s Adam! Cheers.
Nicely done and comprehensive review, thanks! One question-did you happen to test I2S out to your PS Audio Stellar Strata? I’m considering the Neo Stream for my system, which includes the Gain Cell DAC/preamp and M700 monoblocks.
My first time seeing your channel, I found it looking for the IFi Neo streamer reviews. Great review, thanks for your honesty. I have all PS Audio gear, 2 M700 monoblocks and the Stellar again Cell DAC which has I2S connection. Did you try the I2S? Or Balanced? Thanks again
Hi, great vid. I have a question a bit related to this content. Have you tried the Neo IDSD Performance Edition, and if so, did you try it with consoles like PS5? I do have a Zen Stack that works, but I don't know about the PE. I have a Fiio e10K that is not compatible with the PS5, so I was wondering. Thanks!
Gorgeous and such HIGH RESOLUTION indeed.. Would LOVE to get one BUT I can't tell if it supports Amazon Music HD natively (I don't think so) or even has "Alexa Casting" (through Amazon Music app, cast to this device in high res, not just CD resolution) available
The Neo uses an ifi hacked version of Volumio. I looked at the Neo, was very interested in purchasing it, but could not get around the bad experience I had with their Zen Stream. I went with the Pi2 Mercury V2 streamer, which happened to come with the Volumio software, or OS, preloaded on it. I tried to like it, but the Volumio software was a nightmare, and it only worked natively with my Qobuz account. But, I also have Apple Music and like to use Amazon Music too... I could only get Qobuz to work, and even that was not a good experience. Network drops, the software was extremely buggy and quite frankly, a royal PIA to use. It took all of a few hours trying to get it to work, and I pulled the SD card out of the Mercury and burned a copy of RoPieeeXL and am not looking back. The RoPieeeXL software is rock solid, I use it as a bridge. Everything works with it, EVERYTHING. Then the stability, rock solid and extremely stable, I have had zero issues since installing and setting up. And that was extremely easy to do as long as you have a micro SD card reader/burner. It only took a few minutes to set up. It immediately connected to my wired network, and immediately found my wifi network. All I had to do was enter the password and I was streaming music. If you are considering the Neo like I was, try to use Volumio prior to your purchase to see if it will work on your network and with the programs you like to use, Amazon was a no go with my copy of Volumio without major fussing around trying to get it to work, and even then, Volumio was not stable for me, even on a wired network. I could not get Volumio stable, even with Roon. The Volumio software is it with the Neo, you cannot install a different OS. That is a lot of money for a device with some crummy software running it. But, it is ifi, and does not surprise me. Glad I went with my gut and bought the Pi2 Mercury V2 streamer and loaded up the RoPieeeXL, a true plug, play and forget streamer. And I can run it with every device I own, as long as I can get on the network, it works. Hope this helps.
Hey, I received a comment from another channel, I just want to confirm that it's you, could you please answer me from your channel, it says I won but I don't know if it's true
Sorry! Thanks Resolve. Yeah these type of people roll through the channel from time to time and I end up spending hours blocking them. I'll keep improving my auto filters the best I can. UA-cam doesn't seem to care. They give us no tools to protect our channel or viewers from it.
Best video I could find on this unit - informative yet not tedious or boring. It answered many questions I had about it. iFi should refer prospective buyers to you since although they throw around a lot of technical jargon they don't provide a lot of insight into how the unit actually works.
Really liking your audio product reviews! Keep it up!
Love your style and approach to reviewing. Great voice too. Thank you
The $400 iFi Zen Stream supports PCM up to 32-bit/384kHz, plus DSD256. I am not aware of any major streaming service that can benefit from anything higher than what iFi Zen Stream supports, so unless one has their own higher resolution files then the iFi Zen Stream will probably be all than most people need. The tiny display on the iFi Neo Stream is useless to most people, and both iFi streamers (Zen and Neo) have iPhone/iPad apps as well as Android support for remote control of your music streaming service.
The iFi Neo Stream has a built-in DAC (unlike Zen Stream), but one can add the Zen DAC Signature V2 for $300 which is basically the same thing as the one included in the Neo Stream.
I love my two Zen streams going to my two R2R dacs.
In direct comparison Neo vs Zen, as streamers only, Neo is clear winner.
Thanks for the review!
I wonder how it stacks up against the competition within its price range, cause been considering it as a next purchase.
Congrats on your new Alta Audio’s Adam!
Cheers.
can this sound better with good LPS?
Very helpful video thx
Nicely done and comprehensive review, thanks! One question-did you happen to test I2S out to your PS Audio Stellar Strata? I’m considering the Neo Stream for my system, which includes the Gain Cell DAC/preamp and M700 monoblocks.
My first time seeing your channel, I found it looking for the IFi Neo streamer reviews. Great review, thanks for your honesty. I have all PS Audio gear, 2 M700 monoblocks and the Stellar again Cell DAC which has I2S connection. Did you try the I2S? Or Balanced? Thanks again
Keep them coming 👌🏼
Nice review. You reviewed the Denafrips Ares 2 a while back. Any thoughts on how the two compare sound wise and if you have a preference.
Thank you.
The software the Neo uses is a hacked version of Volumio, test drive it if you can, it is not very stable and does not play well with most services.
Hi, great vid. I have a question a bit related to this content. Have you tried the Neo IDSD Performance Edition, and if so, did you try it with consoles like PS5?
I do have a Zen Stack that works, but I don't know about the PE. I have a Fiio e10K that is not compatible with the PS5, so I was wondering. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing.
Gorgeous and such HIGH RESOLUTION indeed.. Would LOVE to get one BUT I can't tell if it supports Amazon Music HD natively (I don't think so) or even has "Alexa Casting" (through Amazon Music app, cast to this device in high res, not just CD resolution) available
The Neo uses an ifi hacked version of Volumio. I looked at the Neo, was very interested in purchasing it, but could not get around the bad experience I had with their Zen Stream. I went with the Pi2 Mercury V2 streamer, which happened to come with the Volumio software, or OS, preloaded on it. I tried to like it, but the Volumio software was a nightmare, and it only worked natively with my Qobuz account. But, I also have Apple Music and like to use Amazon Music too... I could only get Qobuz to work, and even that was not a good experience. Network drops, the software was extremely buggy and quite frankly, a royal PIA to use. It took all of a few hours trying to get it to work, and I pulled the SD card out of the Mercury and burned a copy of RoPieeeXL and am not looking back.
The RoPieeeXL software is rock solid, I use it as a bridge. Everything works with it, EVERYTHING. Then the stability, rock solid and extremely stable, I have had zero issues since installing and setting up. And that was extremely easy to do as long as you have a micro SD card reader/burner. It only took a few minutes to set up. It immediately connected to my wired network, and immediately found my wifi network. All I had to do was enter the password and I was streaming music.
If you are considering the Neo like I was, try to use Volumio prior to your purchase to see if it will work on your network and with the programs you like to use, Amazon was a no go with my copy of Volumio without major fussing around trying to get it to work, and even then, Volumio was not stable for me, even on a wired network. I could not get Volumio stable, even with Roon. The Volumio software is it with the Neo, you cannot install a different OS. That is a lot of money for a device with some crummy software running it. But, it is ifi, and does not surprise me. Glad I went with my gut and bought the Pi2 Mercury V2 streamer and loaded up the RoPieeeXL, a true plug, play and forget streamer. And I can run it with every device I own, as long as I can get on the network, it works. Hope this helps.
Tray zen one signature with this stremer . Will be …. 🎉
Tray one signature and idsd neo dac. With farad super3 and neo dac ia by far best sound but light in bass. One is better on bass and bass information
Any chance your gonna do an updated wz2.0 audio settings ?
Yes! I’ve been spending the last few days on it :). Coming this week.
@@GadgetryTech looking forward to this! Curious to see what they have changed!
Hey, I received a comment from another channel, I just want to confirm that it's you, could you please answer me from your channel, it says I won but I don't know if it's true
@SolveQ wow he almost fooled me, he told me to win some headphones until he asked me for money for shipping I realized it was fake
Sorry! Thanks Resolve. Yeah these type of people roll through the channel from time to time and I end up spending hours blocking them. I'll keep improving my auto filters the best I can. UA-cam doesn't seem to care. They give us no tools to protect our channel or viewers from it.