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ifi Audio ZEN DAC 3
Amid the rush of everyday life, the ZEN DAC 3 is your escape to pure harmony.
This multi award-winning desktop DAC delivers high-end, Hi-Fi performance to your headphones and speakers - all in a simple, plug-and-play design.
Refined to Perfection
The award-winning ZEN DAC 3 doubles its high-resolution support to 768kHz, DSD512, and MQA decoding, continuing its legacy as WHAT Hi-Fi?’s Best DAC under £200 for four years. With USB-C connectivity, overvoltage protection, and reduced DC offset, it delivers superior performance and seamless usability.
Fresh New Look. Unleash Every Music Detail.
The ZEN DAC 3 supports sample rates up to 768kHz, ensuring compatibility with all high-resolution streaming formats for exceptional sound quality. With a built-in headphone amplifier and the ability to function as both a DAC and DAC/Pre, it’s your all-in-one solution for connecting headphones, amplifiers, or active speakers—perfect for home or office setups.
Powering Your Headphones.
The ZEN DAC 3 is more than a USB DAC, it features a 390mW headphone amplifier with both balanced 4.4mm and SE 6.3mm outputs, compatible with a wide range of headphones.
Enhance bass with XBass+, a pure analogue mode perfect for IEMs or open-back headphones, while PowerMatch provides switchable gain for demanding headphones. For even more power, pair it with the ZEN CAN via a 4.4mm balanced cable to create a stacked ZEN system
DACtivate your speakers and amplifier.
The ZEN DAC 3 features a Variable or Fixed output switch. In Variable mode, adjust volume using the knob when connecting directly to active speakers via our 4.4mm to XLR cable or RCA cables.
Use Fixed mode for connecting line outputs to a receiver or main amplifier. The ZEN DAC 3 is the most versatile USB DAC in its class, offering multiple usage options.
USB-C Powered, Upgradeable Performance.
The ZEN DAC 3, powered by USB-C, offers simple cable management with an upgrade option via its 5V power input. Pair it with the iFi iPower2, an ultra-quiet power supply featuring Active Noise Cancellation II, eliminating EMI and RFI noise for a cleaner, purer audio signalover 10 times quieter than standard audiophile power supplies.
Beautifully Balanced
ZEN DAC 3 features two 4.4mm balanced outputs, one for headphones and one for other amplifiers, effectively minimising distortion and crosstalk.
ZEN DAC 3 also benefits from input overvoltage protection
via the all-new USB-C port
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iFi Audio ZEN DAC 3 — compact, balanced desktop DAC/headphone amp
The iFi Audio ZEN DAC 3 pairs a Burr-Brown-based True Native converter with a muscular headphone stage and 4.4mm balanced I/O, delivering a clean, neutral-natural presentation with tight bass, articulate mids and a smooth treble. Reviewers from HiFi News and What Hi‑Fi? note its low noise floor, wide format support (DSD/DXD/MQA) and surprisingly generous dynamics for its size. The aluminium chassis and useful accessory pack make it desktop-ready, while PowerMatch and TrueBass offer flexible headphone matching. It's ideal for listeners who want a versatile DAC/preamp for near‑field systems or as a daily headphone workhorse. With industry recognition from StereoNET/EISA, the ZEN DAC 3 stands out as exceptional value in its class.
Pros
- Outstanding value and award-backed performance — widely recognised as a category-leading ‘giant-killer’ for its price.
- Flexible desktop utility and headphone support — balanced 4.4mm output, variable/fixed line outs, PowerMatch gain and TrueBass EQ make it a versatile DAC/preamp and headphone amp.
- Low noise floor and broad format support (native DSD, DXD, PCM up to 384kHz and MQA) yield detailed, natural tonal balance and strong imaging for desktop listening.
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Cons
- TrueBass can be heavy-handed on some recordings or with the setting left engaged, requiring user adjustment to avoid bass domination.
- No dedicated mains power supply is included; reviewers note an external iPower/iPower X improves noise floor and refinement, making an optional upgrade worthwhile for critical listening.
Sound Quality
86/100
The unit provides healthy desktop-level power (e.g., >390mW @64Ω, >300mW @32Ω on balanced) so it retains good headroom and transient punch for most headphones. Review commentary emphasizes the importance of power and gain for dynamics, and the ZEN DAC 3's outputs/gain implementation should deliver lively, controlled transients for typical closed/open headphones though it won't match high-wattage reference amps for the most demanding planars.
Noise Floor
90/100
Measured DNR specs and the Burr-Brown implementation point to a very low noise floor (Headphone Section ≥109 dBA), and reviewers do not report audible hiss. That supports a near-black background suitable for sensitive IEMs and quiet listening, consistent with 'very quiet' / 'IEM-friendly' expectations.
Headphone Compatibility
89/100
Low output impedance (≤1Ω), balanced 4.4mm output, and measurable power (e.g., ~390mW@64Ω, 300mW@32Ω) make it able to drive a wide range of IEMs and most full-size dynamic and many planar headphones. It may struggle with the most power-hungry, inefficient planars that demand multi-watt amps, but for the vast majority of cans it offers excellent flexibility (balanced output and healthy power for its class).
Build Quality
86/100
Compact, well-finished unit (456g) with included quality accessories (gold-plated adapters, RCA cables) that reviewers singled out as value-adding. No structural or workmanship issues were raised in reviews; the ZEN DAC 3 appears solid for its price and use case, though it is not a luxury chassis.
Features Connectivity
89/100
Baseline features include a built-in Burr-Brown DAC, USB-C input (+USB), balanced 4.4mm headphone output and single-ended 6.35mm, and RCA line outputs. Feature score reflects USB input (+2), built-in DAC (+3 baseline for quality implementation), balanced headphone output (+2), multiple headphone outputs (+1) and line outputs (+1), producing a well-rounded 89 for a compact desktop DAC/amp.
Value for Money
91/100
At the listed price (~$229) reviewers explicitly praise the included accessories and the ready-to-use package, calling out the added value from cables/adapters. Given the feature set, Burr-Brown DAC, balanced output and measured performance, the ZEN DAC 3 represents a strong value in its segment and justifies a near-top score in the value tier.
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