iFi Audio ZEN One Signature Review

Design & Build Quality

Appearance-wise the iFi Audio ZEN One Signature retains iFi Audio’s classic looks and the shape is the same as the Zen Blue. The new colour scheme, however, makes the device look more professional and studio-like. The Signature line of products always comes in darker and more serious colours so it’s not a surprise. It looks very slick and cool without a doubt.

Right from the start, you feel that this is solely a device for home audio use. The front side has an LED on the right, which indicates the sample rate. There’s a source switching button on the left side together with the power button. In the middle, we see the iFi logo which lights up to show that the device is active. The button on the far right is the BT pairing button, which also doubles as a LED on/off button.

The device feels very rigid; from its silicone stoppers underneath to the outputs on the back, everything is solid and durable. Considering that it is a home device, nothing gives any worries to the user in terms of long term durability. It’s rugged, smooth, and reassuring. The new Signature device has better buttons though, which feel tighter and more rigid with no wobbling. Good job right there.

Overall Experience

The user experience is quite positive with the iFi Audio ZEN One Signature with its minimal design language and simple operation, and the BT connection is flawless overall. It has a very good range thanks to that antenna on the back and Bluetooth 5.0 support. You hear a nice woman speaking in the background, letting you know the connection and codec types when you’re operating the device. Pairing is extremely easy and straightforward, so you don’t have anything to worry about here.

As I remarked, you have several inputs and outputs from this device and I’m sure you can make it work with every possibility in your home environment. Speaking of it, the 4.4mm balanced output on the back is getting more and more common across the market. If you want to utilize it with your active speakers or a balanced amp, you need to have a 4.4mm to RCA or 4.4mm to XLR cables. iFi Audio puts a standard RCA cable to the package so you need to purchase it separately.

Yet, I would’ve liked to see remote control and volume control for this device, just for an easier operation and more comfort at home. I mostly use a TV optical output to my devices for home audio purposes, and since my speakers are active, I don’t have a dedicated amplifier to control the volume. The NEO iDSD does that job perfectly for me with its remote, but this one doesn’t have that feature.

Sound Quality

ZEN One Signature carries on the iFi Audio’s house sound with a very clean presentation and delivery, a nice background, good resolution, and clarity. To me, it has a very neutral and linear response and good transparency in mids & treble.

The unit sounds very clean with a spacious staging and good balance in terms of mids & treble. It’s quite crisp, a little bright and mid-forward. The sound has a linear response in general except for the boost in the mid-range. The impressive parts here are the resolution and transparency. iFi Audio usually nails these two areas in every product I’ve tried or tested from them. This one is no exception.

Bass is not big, but it’s easily trackable and very much under control. It lets your other gear do the colouring part and stays truthful to the original sound in many aspects. Lows are a good example of that. The bass overall doesn’t have the best texture, but it has a good resolution and impact. The midbass section is more pronounced than the sub-bass, and I think the lows separate from the mids smoothly. There’s good separation in that regard.

Page 1: Information About iFi Audio & Zen ONE Signature, Packaging

Page 3: More on Sound, Conclusion