iFi audio ZEN Stream - The Official Thread

[dnnaudio]

If I run ethernet wire from switch to Stream I would not have router issues as the laptop also connects to the switch, local traffic betwwen the two won’t even touch the router.

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

ok. So what does' a switch do?

I like to think about switches as simpler routers without Wi-Fi.

@jmendes, great advice! As a previous user of Audirvana I have made a full transition into Roon. I like it much more.

@dnnaudio as long as your Wi-Fi is good, you shouldn't encounter any issues.

 

[Gregadd]

ok. So what does' a switch do?

I like to think about switches as simpler routers without Wi-Fi.

@jmendes, great advice! As a previous user of Audirvana I have made a full transition into Roon. I like it much more.

@dnnaudio as long as your Wi-Fi is good, you shouldn't encounter any issues.

So, I had answered my own question. I remember using one before I went wireless.
Thanks.

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

So, I had answered my own question. I remember using one before I went wireless.
Thanks.

You can count on us

 

[Edpaul]

New here today, very useful thread. I got a Zen Stream and a Zen DAC Sig V2 set up via wi-fi, and I’m enjoying RadioX London but I have some noob questions:
1. How do I play Tidal? When I switch from AIO to Tidal the set-up sequence kicks in.
2. What kind of usb formatting does the Stream recognize?
It‘s great to see such great support here from iFi. Thanks in advance for any help…

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

New here today, very useful thread. I got a Zen Stream and a Zen DAC Sig V2 set up via wi-fi, and I’m enjoying RadioX London but I have some noob questions:
1. How do I play Tidal? When I switch from AIO to Tidal the set-up sequence kicks in.
2. What kind of usb formatting does the Stream recognize?
It‘s great to see such great support here from iFi. Thanks in advance for any help…

Hi
1. To play Tidal you need to use Tidal app on your phone and select the iFi's Streamer as an output device there. Please refer to this video:

2. FAT32 is a given. I need to consult the RND about the other formatting methods.
Best

 

[Edpaul]

Hi
1. To play Tidal you need to use Tidal app on your phone and select the iFi's Streamer as an output device there. Please refer to this video:

2. FAT32 is a given. I need to consult the RND about the other formatting methods.
Best

Thanks for your helpful reply. I downloaded Tidal to my MacBook Air, played music, and the output icon appeared. Tap, and all good! Also, I loaded some ALAC files onto a Seagate Backup Plus portable drive, formatted exFAT, connected to USB in on the ZS, and it worked just fine. Thanks again!

 

[Gregadd]

I see a$399 price tag. Are there any discounts for the holidays?

 

[matthias]

As a previous user of Audirvana I have made a full transition into Roon. I like it much more.

Please, can you elaborate a little bit on Audirvana vs Roon.
Thanks

Matt

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

Please, can you elaborate a little bit on Audirvana vs Roon.
Thanks

Matt

Roon has a much better search and recommendations engine (which is one of the bigger parts of the cost). I also find it much more comfortable to use.

 

[spearl8]

I have a zen stream and dac one signature. Both with the upgraded ipower elite. Seems to be an amazing source combo

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

I have a zen stream and dac one signature. Both with the upgraded ipower elite. Seems to be an amazing source combo

Sounds awesome! Can I ask you what is the rest of your setup?

 

[spearl8]

Sounds awesome! Can I ask you what is the rest of your setup?

Revel Salon 2, McIntosh MC611 amps, McIntosh C12000 preamp soon, Cardas Clear Beyond XL power cables, Transparent gen 6 super and ultra. The ifi gear costs way less than one of my power cords even but they sound great and the technology is changing so fast now I want to be able to constantly upgrade.

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

That's a great setup! I'm sure it sounds amazing.
I understand your approach. A good streamer will allow you to change DACs as the technologies evolve. In the future, you might be interested in the NEO Stream. It works like the Zen Stream, but features optical LAN input. I think it's a great solution for Hi-End systems. Lots of folks experiment with optical LAN on this forum. It's a great advantage to separate your audio system fro the noisy ethernet network.

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

Hi guys,
It has come to our attention that some of you have discovered and uploaded beta firmware for your iFi streamer. We do not recommend updating your iFi streamer to beta software. Beta software is considered to be in a testing phase and may not be fully stable or reliable. It could cause issues with the functioning of your streamer and may also lead to loss of data or settings. It is important to use only official and stable software releases for your iFi streamer, which can be found through the device system settings. If you have any questions or concerns please reach out to our technical support team via https://support.ifi-audio.com/ Thank you for your understanding and support and we wish you the best with your iFi streamer.

 

[jasond]

Hi guys,
It has come to our attention that some of you have discovered and uploaded beta firmware for your iFi streamer. We do not recommend updating your iFi streamer to beta software. Beta software is considered to be in a testing phase and may not be fully stable or reliable. It could cause issues with the functioning of your streamer and may also lead to loss of data or settings. It is important to use only official and stable software releases for your iFi streamer, which can be found through the device system settings. If you have any questions or concerns please reach out to our technical support team via https://support.ifi-audio.com/ Thank you for your understanding and support and we wish you the best with your iFi streamer.

So when to finally expect a new official firmware?

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

So when to finally expect a new official firmware?

At this time we are still awaiting confirmation and will keep you guys updated on this thread. Thanks for understanding.

 

[jasond]

At this time we are still awaiting confirmation and will keep you guys updated on this thread. Thanks for understanding.

Ok. iFi really needs to step up a level on software development - see for example how Lumin is active in their development.
Nowadays it’s no longer like in the CD player era where solely the hardware made the difference. We are in the software driven age and that’s what users demand.

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

Ok. iFi really needs to step up a level on software development - see for example how Lumin is active in their development.
Nowadays it’s no longer like in the CD player era where solely the hardware made the difference. We are in the software driven age and that’s what users demand.

You are right, and we are working on it. In the meantime, we encourage you to try other DLNA software, like the mConnect, BubbleUPNP and others. Some folks prefer them over our app.

 

[MikeDC]

Can you use the i2S output to connect to a DAC and bypass the on-board DAC? If so, will it connect to a PSAudio DirectStream? Also, it looks like there is no built-in support as an LMS endpoint, e.g., "SqueezeLite." Has anyone tested it as an LMS endpoint in DLNA mode?