Here?s a nice option for these two headphones, it doesn?t preclude you from using other cans, apparently it can be bought as a package with the Signature Zen dac. Taken from the January? 22 Stereophile magazine, some quotes:
two versions of the ZEN CAN Signature headphone amplifier: either the ZEN CAN Signature 6XX, or the ZEN CAN Signature HFM. Each has a custom EQ curve optimized for a different pair of headphones. ?6XX? designates the Sennheiser x Drop HD 6XX and HD 650 headphones; the newer (though both are quite new) CAN Signature HFM is optimized for the HiFiMan x Drop HE4XX ?phones. Apart from the optimized EQ curves, the two versions contain identical circuitry. I auditioned both.
The ZEN CAN Signature headphone amplifier has the same analog volume control dial as the DAC Sig V2, based on the same TOCOS potentiometer. Also on the front are small pushbuttons for power on/off, input switching, gain levels (0dB, 6dB, 12dB, 18dB), and activation of iFi?s XSpace feature, which is intended to expand the perception of space and get the music outside your head. The same button turns on and off the optimized EQ curve for the intended HD 6XX (or HD 650) or HiFiMan HE4XX headphones, depending on which kit you buy.
A few cables are included with the Signature Set: an interconnect with USB Type A to Type B, which I used to connect my laptop, a pair of RCA-to-RCA interconnects of respectable quality, and a balanced 4.4mm-to-4.4mm Pentaconn cable to join the DAC V2 with the CAN amp in the iFi-recommended balanced configuration. The DAC and CAN each come with a 5V DC power supply, a more attractive design than ?wall wart? suggests.
There?s no Bluetooth. I didn?t miss it....
The ZEN CAN Signature headphone amplifier has the same analog volume control dial as the DAC Sig V2, based on the same TOCOS potentiometer. Also on the front are small pushbuttons for power on/off, input switching, gain levels (0dB, 6dB, 12dB, 18dB), and activation of iFi?s XSpace feature, which is intended to expand the perception of space and get the music outside your head. The same button turns on and off the optimized EQ curve for the intended HD 6XX (or HD 650) or HiFiMan HE4XX headphones, depending on which kit you buy.
A few cables are included with the Signature Set: an interconnect with USB Type A to Type B, which I used to connect my laptop, a pair of RCA-to-RCA interconnects of respectable quality, and a balanced 4.4mm-to-4.4mm Pentaconn cable to join the DAC V2 with the CAN amp in the iFi-recommended balanced configuration. The DAC and CAN each come with a 5V DC power supply, a more attractive design than ?wall wart? suggests.
There?s no Bluetooth. I didn?t miss it.
What?s more, the iFi website contains a headphone-matching calculator,1 which allows you to choose an amp and a pair of headphones and determine whether (gain-and-sensitivity-wise) they?re a good match. Doing that exercise with the two versions of the ZEN CAN and their intended headphones, the calculator advised me that, connected directly, with no attenuation, they?re not a good match: The volume would be too loud?unless you add another iFi device, the iEMatch, an inline attenuator that?s used between amplifier and headphones. The iEMatch costs $49; two other versions, the iEMatch+ (which can switch between single-ended and balanced operation) and iEMatch 2.5 (which has 2.5mm balanced connections) each cost $59. Neither is included in the ZEN DAC/CAN package.
I noticed the iEMatch as I explored the iFi site and asked iFi to send me one. They did, and after that?with the iEMatch inline?no more problems with too much gain.
Why, when two components are sold together, intended to be used with a specific third component, is an attenuator needed to make it work that way? I don?t know. But if you plan on buying one of the ZEN Signature combos?and it is, otherwise, a fine, affordable headphone setup?be sure to check the iFi headphone calculator first; you may want to add an iEMatch to your order.....9
two versions of the ZEN CAN Signature headphone amplifier: either the ZEN CAN Signature 6XX, or the ZEN CAN Signature HFM. Each has a custom EQ curve optimized for a different pair of headphones. ?6XX? designates the Sennheiser x Drop HD 6XX and HD 650 headphones; the newer (though both are quite new) CAN Signature HFM is optimized for the HiFiMan x Drop HE4XX ?phones. Apart from the optimized EQ curves, the two versions contain identical circuitry. I auditioned both.
The ZEN CAN Signature headphone amplifier has the same analog volume control dial as the DAC Sig V2, based on the same TOCOS potentiometer. Also on the front are small pushbuttons for power on/off, input switching, gain levels (0dB, 6dB, 12dB, 18dB), and activation of iFi?s XSpace feature, which is intended to expand the perception of space and get the music outside your head. The same button turns on and off the optimized EQ curve for the intended HD 6XX (or HD 650) or HiFiMan HE4XX headphones, depending on which kit you buy.
A few cables are included with the Signature Set: an interconnect with USB Type A to Type B, which I used to connect my laptop, a pair of RCA-to-RCA interconnects of respectable quality, and a balanced 4.4mm-to-4.4mm Pentaconn cable to join the DAC V2 with the CAN amp in the iFi-recommended balanced configuration. The DAC and CAN each come with a 5V DC power supply, a more attractive design than ?wall wart? suggests.
There?s no Bluetooth. I didn?t miss it....
The ZEN CAN Signature headphone amplifier has the same analog volume control dial as the DAC Sig V2, based on the same TOCOS potentiometer. Also on the front are small pushbuttons for power on/off, input switching, gain levels (0dB, 6dB, 12dB, 18dB), and activation of iFi?s XSpace feature, which is intended to expand the perception of space and get the music outside your head. The same button turns on and off the optimized EQ curve for the intended HD 6XX (or HD 650) or HiFiMan HE4XX headphones, depending on which kit you buy.
A few cables are included with the Signature Set: an interconnect with USB Type A to Type B, which I used to connect my laptop, a pair of RCA-to-RCA interconnects of respectable quality, and a balanced 4.4mm-to-4.4mm Pentaconn cable to join the DAC V2 with the CAN amp in the iFi-recommended balanced configuration. The DAC and CAN each come with a 5V DC power supply, a more attractive design than ?wall wart? suggests.
There?s no Bluetooth. I didn?t miss it.
What?s more, the iFi website contains a headphone-matching calculator,1 which allows you to choose an amp and a pair of headphones and determine whether (gain-and-sensitivity-wise) they?re a good match. Doing that exercise with the two versions of the ZEN CAN and their intended headphones, the calculator advised me that, connected directly, with no attenuation, they?re not a good match: The volume would be too loud?unless you add another iFi device, the iEMatch, an inline attenuator that?s used between amplifier and headphones. The iEMatch costs $49; two other versions, the iEMatch+ (which can switch between single-ended and balanced operation) and iEMatch 2.5 (which has 2.5mm balanced connections) each cost $59. Neither is included in the ZEN DAC/CAN package.
I noticed the iEMatch as I explored the iFi site and asked iFi to send me one. They did, and after that?with the iEMatch inline?no more problems with too much gain.
Why, when two components are sold together, intended to be used with a specific third component, is an attenuator needed to make it work that way? I don?t know. But if you plan on buying one of the ZEN Signature combos?and it is, otherwise, a fine, affordable headphone setup?be sure to check the iFi headphone calculator first; you may want to add an iEMatch to your order.....9
