Unveiling the iFi NEO iDSD 3, NEO Stream 3, and ZEN Stream 3: A Trio of Digital Audio Devices
The World of Digital Audio Just Got More Exciting
Southport's iFi has just unveiled three new digital audio products that are sure to captivate audiophiles and music enthusiasts alike. These devices, the NEO iDSD 3, NEO Stream 3, and ZEN Stream 3, are designed to enhance your listening experience with their advanced features and innovative technology.
A Common Thread: JVCKENWOOD's K2HD Processing
What sets these devices apart is their shared reliance on JVCKENWOOD's K2HD processing technology. This technology aims to restore harmonic content lost during digital encoding or compression, ensuring that your music sounds as clear and vibrant as possible. Additionally, upgraded capacitor arrays and revised internal circuitry contribute to the overall performance of these devices.
The Flagship: NEO iDSD 3
The NEO iDSD 3 is a desktop DAC and headphone amplifier that stands out as the flagship of the trio. Built around a custom Burr-Brown chipset, it offers separate PCM and DSD signal paths. It can handle PCM up to 768kHz and DSD512 via USB, coaxial, TOSLINK, and Bluetooth, supporting aptX Lossless, LDAC, and LHDC. A new RCA line-in replaces the previous model's 3.5mm input, making it more versatile for turntables with built-in phono stages or external phono preamps.
Headphone Amplification: A Powerful Boost
On the headphone side, the NEO iDSD 3 boasts an impressive amplification stage, drawing on the Diablo 2 portable's power. It can push up to 2,532 mW RMS out of the balanced 4.4mm output, which is five times the output of the original NEO iDSD according to iFi's figures. Both XBassII and XSpace analogue processing modes are carried over, and a 2" colour display rotates to accommodate vertical or horizontal positioning.
NEO Stream 3: A Network Streamer and Pre-Amplifier
The NEO Stream 3 is a network streamer and pre-amplifier with a built-in DAC. It borrows the DAC stage from the NEO iDSD 2, again using a Burr-Brown chipset. It handles 768kHz PCM and DSD512 natively and now includes Qobuz Connect alongside Tidal Connect, Spotify Connect, and Apple AirPlay 2. The idea here is a single box that adds streaming, D-to-A conversion, and K2HD upsampling (to 24-bit/192kHz) to any system with a power amplifier or active speakers.
iFi's OptiBox: An Optical Isolation Module
iFi's OptiBox, an optical isolation module for the Ethernet socket, returns from the first-generation model. Both S/PDIF outputs incorporate iPurifier2 processing, and the USB output includes Active Noise Cancellation. New IoT hardware promises faster setup and firmware updates through the iFi Nexis app or a web-based interface.
ZEN Stream 3: A Pure Digital Transport
The ZEN Stream 3 is the stripped-back option: a pure digital transport with no onboard DAC. It's designed to feed an external D/A converter via USB or S/PDIF, supporting up to 384kHz PCM and DSD256. It shares the NEO Stream 3's updated streaming engine (Qobuz Connect, Tidal Connect, Spotify Connect, and AirPlay 2) and gets the same upgraded polymer and ELNA Silmic II capacitors, iPurifier2 processing on its S/PDIF outputs, and Active Noise Cancellation on its USB output.
K2 Processing: Preserving Native Resolution
The ZEN Stream 3 receives K2 processing (which preserves the file's native resolution) but not the K2HD upsampling mode found in its NEO siblings. iFi's Exclusive Modes, which shut down unused system processes during playback, also return.
Pricing and Availability
The iFi NEO iDSD 3 and NEO Stream 3 are both priced at €999/US$999/£999. The ZEN Stream 3 comes in at €399/US$399/£399. All three devices are available now from ifi-audio.com and select dealers.
Further Information
For more information, visit iFi's website at https://ifi-audio.com/ or explore the products at https://darko.audio/tag/neo-idsd-3/, https://darko.audio/tag/neo-stream-3/, and https://darko.audio/tag/zen-stream-3/.
