iFi Zen DAC V2 | Desktop Digital Analog Converter with USB 3.0 B Input only/Outputs: 6.3mm Unbalanced / 4.4mm Balanced/RCA - MQA DECODER - Audio System Upgrade (Unit only)

After a ton of research and reading reviews I finally got the gadget today, a day ahead of the promised date of delivery (great work Amazon) and I am more than pleased with the gadget that was going on non-stop for a couple of hours before I decided to give it a break. The ZEN is much smaller than what I had imagined in my mind but it feels solid in its construction. First off, the ZEN DAC V2 doesn't require additional power than what is provided to it via its USB cable. Once connected to a laptop that is powered on, you'll notice a glow behind the knob of the ZEN indicating that it has been switched on. There is no separate power switch. The cable provided is short and therefore I have ordered a longer cable. Just make sure the cable is of the similar type i.e. USB 3 A to B. I have ordered the UGREEN 6ft long cable and have posted a review under the product (search in Amazon). There are others from brands such as CABLE MATTERS but these are pricier and take much longer for delivery. Since I have a music system I was going to hook up the ZEN to my amplifier and it's a breeze as the ZEN offers RCA outputs. Now flip the switch at the back to FIXED and you are all set. You can play high quality music i.e 320kbps .mp3s on your laptop or .flac or .wav files and the ZEN converts them neatly into analogue format for your amplifier. It hardly breaks a sweat. Even after playing for hours it was hardly warm. Btw, the Bass button on the ZEN DAC (with the FIXED option) made no difference while playing music via my integrated amplifier. I then switched to the VARIABLE setting on the ZEN and played the music via headphones. Bass boost switch does have some effect here though I was not very keen on this feature. For my amplifier I do have a powered subwoofer and if I needed the extra bass I could always use that one. Also this time the knob on the ZEN comes into play to increase the volume of the music being played via the headphones. I tried the Power Match switch and it did increase the volume on the headphones. So what is the source of my music? I just subscribed to Apple Music and the pic of the ZEN converting Apple Lossless 100% on the product page comes to mind and it does that AS PROMISED. I actually couldn't believe what I was listening to on my system. Apple Music's collection is humungous and listening to the rare "How to name it" album by Ilaiyaraaja was pure magic. Low, High and Midrange come alive and so true to the original recording as Apple's sound quality promises. On top of it you can create innumerable playlists and store frequently played stuff in the Library, there is actually no need for any more buying of music media. It is all here like an audiophile's dream. I then played a variety of music, Indian film songs spanning several decades, classical, heavy metal, classic rock and the music was top fidelity. But do keep your 320kbps mp3 and .flacs that you have on your PC. The DAC will help you play them all too. Go for this DAC without any regrets. I highly recommend it. It could be your last music gear for music provided you also have a Music subscription. Will post another update if I need to in the coming days or weeks. (Update - 20-6-2094) - If your TV doesn't have USB 3 (chances that it may not) connect your laptop to your TV via a good HDMI cable (at least 4k 60 Hz, check your TV for its HDMI specs) and connect your laptop to the ZEN DAC V2 using the USB 3 A to B cable and then connect the DAC via RCA cables to your amplifier for a mind-blowing performance. (Update - 29-06'2024) Though I had a Spotify account, I didn't check it till today and wow does the quality of Audio blow me away. Easily beats Apple Music. Though Apple's collection is humungous after repeated listens and subsequently comparisons I found the musc lacking bass and punch. Spotify's music has both. Some of the recordings are at par with the CD recordings I own and therefore I highly recommend Spotify over Apple Music.

It fulfils the void of low frequency and the music is soothing as well...