iFiZen Stream – Network Audio Transport – Inputs: Ethernet/Wi-Fi/USB - Outputs: USB/SPDIF

This thing is a crackin' piece of gear! Improved the sound (clarity, soundstage) of my streaming setup noticeably. Setup took a few minutes, and the UI is a bit....clunky, but once I set it all up, I've had zero issues using my ipad as the controller. So good to be able to sit on the couch and wirelessly direct Tidal. FWIW running the Stream into a Schiit Bifrost2 via Audioquest Carbon USB, very silent and clarity is exceptional given the Bifrost has fantastic USB interface. My only gripe is that I wish the app was a bit slicker and easier to navigate, it's not all that easy to run external storage for instance, or the radio function, but they are both nice options nonetheless.

Pro:- Great/adequate sound quality, both via Coax & USB. But so are dozen other streamers for half, or around the same priceCons- Nearly non-existing user manual. Good luck getting advertised features to work without it- Opened support ticket, but the support guy disappeared on me after first email. Because, what they promised, they didn’t deliver: USB DSD playback is buggy, slow and mostly doesn’t work.- DSD playback via Coax fails 99% of the time, even though their website is proudly and loudly promoting this feature.- playing files from USB memory is a pain (interface is terribly slow, playback freezes, etc)- Coax and USB change via user interface results in freeze. requires restart- Tidal? Forgot about it. Just check 85 pages on head-fi product discussion. Probably half of the discussion is about the problems with Tidal streaming (cracks, noises, freezing, connection drops, etc).- There is no app. Web interface is half-baked at best.- Apple Music keeps loosing connection with ZS. Nearly impossible to use it with M1 Mac. just forget about it too.I could go on and on, but my short summary would be this:iFi brought this product to the market without proper testing. The hardware is OK, but the user experience, documentation and software is not ready for prime time at all!Avoid buying and wait until these and many other issues have been ironed out, or until they release version 2.0.It’s fine as a regular streaming device for normal files, but don’t expect it to work with Hi-Res and Hi-Res streaming without issues.And for that, $35 Raspberry Pie and some audiophile hats would be a great alternative, and at half the cost.

I had been streaming music from Qobuz or Bandcamp's app via Bluetooth but feeling like I was never taking true advantage of my main system's DAC, so I decided to add the iFi Zen Stream. I have several other iFi products (Zen Air Blue, Zen Can Signature, and the sadly discontinued Nano IDSD Black Label) and they are of high quality, the Zen Stream is no different. I also like the form factor - small footprint and unique industrial design.Truthfully, I can't say whether the Stream has a particular sound, as I feel I'm more likely hearing my DAC (I am connecting Stream via coax to the onboard DAC of my Rega Elicit). That said, the sound is excellent - absolutely no coloration that I can detect, it seems to me to be a perfect passthrough. I couldn't be more satisfied.The network connectivity was, in truth, a bit of a pain. I had to look up a video on YouTube to ensure I was properly connecting to my wifi network. The iFi GUI is downright terrible, but luckily you don't seem to need it beyond initial setup. Once connected the device worked well. Connecting to Qobuz or playing local files on Android (Pixel 8) is extremely clunky - I had to install a third party app to pass through to the Stream. To me this is the greatest area of improvement needed for the device experience, I really would have appreciated direct control via the native apps I have. This is my first streaming transport, so I can't say whether this is typical or unique to the Stream if you are predominantly an Android user.Overall, I'd still recommend the Stream; great sound and value for money is what I have come to expect from iFi products, which is the most important aspect to me. Your mileage may certainly vary with your choice of remote options, especially if you're not on iOS.

I really like this streamer , l have a nice vintage system with AR 90 Speakers with an Adcom amp and a Nad preamp and this streamer unleashes a lot of micro details in your music , it wasn’t hard to setup and get going you just have to understand what it is and how it streams . If you love music like l do you really need a dedicated streamer , you will definitely notice a difference compared to an Alexa puck or just using your phone . And please don’t get caught up in having to play every thing in hi-res formats l mostly stream in 16/44 and it sounds amazing , so much depends on the recording of the record and other factors . My Denon receiver plays music in higher resolutions and doesn’t sound as good as this does to me in 16/44 , it really depends on your equipment . I highly recommend this thing !

What i didn't like about this product, is that i was one of the unlucky ones to get the generic power adapter,instead of the upgraded power supply that used to come with it.That being said, i purchased the ipower X from iFi audio,and i haven't looked back.The Zen Stream sounds marvelous, particularly with the Digital Rca coaxial cable i used.The Zen Stream is at a reasonable price, and it performs well above it's price point.Streaming music using Roon, has been easy, with no connection issues. I highly recommend the Zen Stream.

Muy importante actualizar el firmware a la última versión desde que comiences a configurarlo, de lo contrario se puede estar desconectando de tu dispositivo fuente y trabándose cada 30 o 40 minutos. Una vez actualizado, funciona con una excelente calidad de audio. Si tu DAC reproduce MQA de forma nativa y le envías la música por medio del Zen Stream, Tidal no da la opción "Passthrough MQA" para que el DAC haga el trabajo de descodificar directamente, ojalá puedan dar esa opción en próximas actualizaciones.

We received the product promptly from the vendor. Contrary to information in the question section, the device no longer comes with the well-rated IFI iPower adapter since the 2nd generation of the device. In its place, we find a more typical switching power device.We bought this streamer to improve upon the streaming function in our integrated system. The IFI Stream provides a stronger centre image (as if the sound was coming in the middle of the two speakers, a.k.a. phantom centre image). The sound is smoother as opposed to the more grainy and digital sound of our legacy integrated device. Unfortunately, the device also provides a narrower sound field that does not expand on the sides of the speakers. As a result, it is also more difficult to locate instruments in the sound field due to the strong centre image.The interface has proven quite buggy. Connection to iOS devices (Apple) has been more problematic than with Android devices.The back panel offers the ability to connect USB memory devices (stored music files). The latter accepts high resolution files 24bit / 192Khz. Unfortunately, the connection is unreliable. The device loses connection to the memory device each time it is powered off. The solution requires physically removing the memory device and reconnecting it to reinitiate scanning. Transitioning between streaming such as Tidal Direct and accessing content on a memory device often requires rebooting the device.We contacted the manufacturer and they informed us that they are aware of the problems and reported working on fixes since November 2021. As of January 4th, no fix has been issued.Although sound quality is a subject of personal preferences, the interface proves buggy and unreliable. Unfortunately, due to our busy working schedule amid Covid, we were too late to return the product in time. The device appears promising but we would recommend waiting for further updates prior to buying.

Ya no funciona- - no se conecta a Tidal ni con WiFi ni con Ethernet, ya no sirve de nada

I would have given 5 stars, but I was shipped someone else' returned defective product. Once I got it replaced however, setting up was a breeze. If you are looking for a roon endpoint on a budget, you cannot beat this. As a streaming transport only, It sounds better than a Node and it is $100 less. Of course, you do need a DAC.