ifi ZEN CAN User manual

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Thank you for purchasing the CAN from ZEN series.The CAN isa
balanced audio amplifier.
1. Power switch
This is the power switc h.
2. Input channel switch
U se the button to choose betw een the following input options:
Input 1: RCA
Input 2: S ingle -e nded 3.5mm
Input 3: Balanced 4.4mm
3. Gain selection: 0dB/6dB/12dB/18dB
Always st art from 0dBand then incr ease the gain level to attainan
enjoyable and comfor table level of volumefrom th eheadphon es.
Warning: at the outset do not useexcessive gain, otherwise damage to hearing
or connected headphones may ensue. AMR /iFi audio Is not responsible for any
damage/injury from misuse.
4. Analogue Volume Control
At normal listening levels, thevolume control should bearound the 12
o'clockposition. Increase the gain level to enjoya higher listening l eve l.
5. Single - ended 6. 3mm output
For connecting single-ended 6.3mm headphones. With single-ended
3.5mm headphone s. connect with a 3.5mm to6.3mm adapter.
6. Balanced 4.4mm analogue output
Forco nn ec ting balanced 4.4mm h ea dph one s.
Tip: As ZENCANisbalanced, we recommend the 4.4mm output.
7. XBass9 LED
XBass • (O n /Off) was uniquely designed to ex tend bass response
to suit diff erent headphones. It isa pure anal ogue signal cir cuit.
8. 3D • Matrix LED
The 30• Matrix (on /o ff) recreat es a hol ograp hicso und fi e ld .
It isa pure analogue signal processingc ir cuit d es igned for
li stening to headphon es as if one was listeni ng to speakers.This
addresses the ' mu sic inside the head' sensation, which makes
fo r unsettling listening.
Tip:Sonically-hindering DSP is NOTused for XBoss• nor JD• Matrix systems. They
use the highest- quality di scretecomponents and operatepurely in theanalogue
domain. Hence all the clarity and resolution of the original musicis retained.
9. Settings
This button c ho oses between:
-Off
- 3D •
- X Ba ss•

10 11 12 13
10.Balanced 4.4mm analogueinput
This is a balanced analogue input.
11.Single-ended 3.5mm input
For connecting single-ended 3.5mm input.
12. RCA analogue input
This is an analog ue input.
13.Balanced 4.4mmanalogue output
14
This is an analogue output via 4.4mm > X LR or other balanced
interconnects. You could use this for an active speaker.
Tip:AsZENCANIs balanced, this is the recommended output.
14 . DC SVpower
Pl ease connect Z EN CAN to the enclosed power s upply ,
ZEN CAN mu st ON LY be powered by 5 volts.
Tip:For best performance upgrade the enclosed power supply toa super-low
noise power adapter suchas if/ iPower or iPower X.
Specifications
Input voltage:
Max Output:
Balanced:
S-E:
THD&N :
Balanced:
S-E:
SNR:
Balanced:
S- E:
Max.Input :
Balanced:
RCA :
3.5mm:
Gain:
FrequencyResponse:
Power consumption:
Dimensions:
N et weight :
War rant y p erio d:
DC 5V/2.5A
AC 100-240V, 50/60Hz (Powers upply Inc lud ed)
>15.1V/385 mW(@600 Ohm)
>11.0V/1890 mW( @64Ohm)
>6.2V/1200 mW (@32 Ohm)
>7.6V/98 mW (@600Oh m)
>7.4V/870mW(@64 Ohm)
>7.2V/1600mW (@32 Ohm)
<0.006% (@ 360mW/2.4V16Ohm)
<0.005%(@ 100 mW/1.27V 16Ohm)
>120dBA (@ 15.2V)
> 11 SdBA (@ 7.6V)
7.4VRMS
3.SVRMS
l.92VRMS
0dB,6dB, 12d8 and 18d8
1 0Hz- 200kHz(-3d8)
No Signal -SW
Max Sig nal -13W
158x117x35mm
6.2"X 4.6"X 1.4"
515g(1.141bs)
12 months
Sptti6cotlonsaresubjecttochangewithout no tin.
ifi -aud io .com
Verl .1

Southport, UK –July 2020
ZEN CAN
the Tech
!
iFi audio ZEN CAN
Executive Summary
A revolutionary analogue headphone amplifier. Your headphones will sound like
never before.
• Passionately designed balanced amp with latest 4.4mm Pentaconn
connectors for input and output
• Circuit design derived from our $1,799 flagship Pro iCAN
• Proven 3D and XBass analogue signal processing circuits
Introducing a new headphone/pre-amp that will punch well above its price class.
The ZEN CAN is not to be confused with our ZEN CAN Signature 6XX amp which was launched
recently in the US market via the DROP platform. The Signature version was specially designed to
drive the Sennheiser 6XX headphone range so is a specialist match made in heaven. Our ZEN CAN
headphone amp is designed to drive ALL manner of headphones.

the Tech
ZEN CAN
Designing an OK headphone amplifier is easy.
Boutique Op-Amp + Output Stage + Vol control + power supply = voila!
But this is approach is not ideal.
- Fixed gain creates more noise
- Single signal input with lack of load matching means limited source flexibility
- Lack of EQ & sound-field corrections hampers listening enjoyment
Designing a one-of-a-kind balanced headphone
amplifier like the ZEN CAN is not.
Inputs
o A dedicated input circuit stage pairs sources & adjusts levels to match
eg Pentaconn 4.4. at 24k Ohm/high impedance and a 1M Ohm for SE input avoids
loading the source, the amplifier remains in Class A operation for lowest distortion
Class A Balanced/SE amplifier
o Draws heavily from the iFi’s flagship Pro iCAN, using the same discrete Class A
output buffer combined with a J-FET Op-Amp (OV2637A)
o Super-low loading means exceptionally low distortion
o FET input avoids loading volume control – low distortion/noise
o Low impedance feedback circuit enhances circuit performance and totally avoids
resistor noise
o Output amplifier gain of four steps in +6dB perfect for headphone matching
o Output stage drives headphones effortlessly and least noise/distortion
o Full protection of headphones/amplifier from overload/shorts

Southport, UK –July 2020
ZEN CAN
the Tech
Equalisation and sound-field know-how
o XBass for adding back the lost bass for headphones, most especially open-backed
headphones
o 3D for ‘in-room speaker listening’ as opposed to ‘in-head listening’
Power Supply
o ‘Pro’ series Stealth mode voltage conversion circuit
o Large inductor/capacitor filtering and ‘isolation’ power supply means separate
audio to power circuit
o 4,000uF power supply capacitance acts as huge ‘power reservoir’ for short
transient signals (ie: music signals)
MCU Control
o FET-based switching to avoid distortion/noise which is measured below limit of
Audio Precision2
o FET-based switches are 100% sonically transparent and handle ‘beyond rails’ peak
signals
o MCU and LED do not pollute music signal as they are in ‘wake mode’ only when
actioned. If not in use they default to ‘sleep mode’ even during listening to music
All these factors and ground-up custom designs mean that the ZEN CAN looks
different and is different by offering outstanding performance in a compact platform
Maxed out with audiophile components.
Beneath the ZEN CAN is a discrete Class A amplifier
circuit taken from the flagship $1,799 Pro iCAN, with a
full symmetric dual-mono headphone amplifier and
integrated gold-plated 4.4mm balanced connections.

the Tech
ZEN CAN
Each Panasonic ECPU capacitor features some 3,500 layers of
ultra-thin dielectrics less than 0.5μm thickness. This gives
class-leading Equivalent Series Resistance (ESR), low impedance (other than at the
desired capacitance) as well as frequency stability and vanishingly low distortion. A
total of 6 pieces are used.
TDK C0G (Class 1 ceramic) capacitors offer high stability
and low losses for resonant circuit applications. They are
pricey but are a perfect addition to our products. Getting
ever closer to the theoretical ideal of pure, frequency-constant capacitance, these
capacitors reduce capacitor-induced distortion to vanishingly low levels.
iFi/AMR ‘OV’ series stands for ‘Operationsverstärker’
(German for Operational Amplifier). The ‘OV’ range ICs use
HCOFC (High Content Oxygen Free Connectors) copper
lead-frames and 4N gold bond-wire which are streets ahead
of mainstream commercial chips that use inexpensive aluminum bond-wire and
low-grade/low-cost copper in the lead-frames. Containing four independent FET op-
amps in a ‘folded cascode’ internal design as also found in the ‘HDAM’ circuitry of
certain high end speaker amplifiers,
( HDAMs consists of discrete surface mount components with short mirror image L/R signal paths. Those
devices are doing exactly the same thing as the op-amps, but outperform the regular IC op-amps dramatically
in terms of the Slew Rate and reduced noise level, resulting in a much more dynamic, accurate and detailed
sound.)
The OV2637A J-FET op-amp used in the ZEN CAN boasts an extremely low noise, low
distortion (0.0001%) and wide bandwidth.
TI low-noise ICs offer great unity gain bandwidth, very low noise
and distortion, high output drive capability, Common-mode and
Power Supply Rejection Ratios of over 100 dB, wide maximum-
output-swing bandwidths and high slew rates.

Southport, UK –July 2020
ZEN CAN
the Tech
To reduce noise even further we decided
to upgrade our design by introducing
Bipolar CMOS (BiCMOS), a
semiconductor technology that
integrates the two formerly separate semiconductor technologies to make the best
of both. As a result, ZEN CAN achieves very low noise, excellent transient response,
and excellent PSRR performance (rejection of power supply noise).
Tokyo Cosmos Electric Co. (TOCOS) multi-track
potentiometer used, with close channel matching
tolerance for optimal performance even at quiet listening levels (low positions of
pot).
SMT (Surface Mount Technology) galore: adopting SMT technology as much as
possible eliminates loadouts and terminations as possible sources of noise and
distortion. It also minimizes parasitic elements created by manual soldering, for
dramatic improvements over most mounted components.

the Tech
ZEN CAN
Technical Specifications
• Power Output Balanced: 756mW (15.1V) @ 300 Ohm, <1% THD (per channel)
385mW (15.2V) @ 600 Ohm, <1% THD (per channel)
• Power Output SE: 1,000mW (4.0V) @ 16 Ohm, <1% THD (per channel)
1,600mW (7.20V) @32 Ohm, <1% THD (per channel)
196mW (7.6V) @ 300 Ohm, <1% THD (per channel)
98mW (7.6V) @ 600 Ohm, <1% THD (per channel)
• Frequency response: 20Hz-20kHz (+0dB / -0.03dB)
< 10Hz – 200kHz (-3dB)
• SNR: - 120dB (BAL) (@ maximum output, A weighted)
• Dynamic range: 120dB (BAL) (@ maximum output, A weighted)
• THD & Noise: < 0.0069% (BAL) (4V out, 16 Ohm, 1kHz, A weighted)
• Output Imp. (HP): 24K Ohm BAL, 1M Ohm SE
• Output Imp. (Line): 200 ΩBAL
• Gain: 2X/6dB; 4X/12dB; 8X/18dB; 16X/24dB (BAL out)

Southport, UK –July 2020
ZEN CAN
the Tech
1X/0dB; 2X/6dB; 4X/12dB; 8X/18dB (SE out)
• Crosstalk : -90db
• Inputs: 4.4mm Pentaconn BAL (4.0V)
RCA L/R Socket SE (2.0V)
3.5mm jack SE (1.0V)
For further information, please contact us here:
[email protected] / [phone]
About iFi
iFi audio is part of AGL and is headquartered in Southport, UK. It owns the hi-fi brand Abbingdon
Music Research (AMR). They respectively design and manufacture portable and desktop ‘ultra-fidelity’
audio products and high-end audio ‘home-based’ components. The combined in-house hardware
and software development team enables iFi audio and AMR to bring to market advanced audio
products.

Type A Connect
( where appl i cable )
This iFi device with a USB type A male port
f '
Type A
was designed for direct connection to mobile devices to
extract the digital signal.

Phone Connections
( where applicable)
Forconnection via
Apple ( iOS ) use Apple USB-to-USB-C/Lightning:
• •
Android* use On-The-Go (US B-C /USB-micro):
For further support FAQs and Support TicketSysten1. http s:// suppo rt .ifi- audi o.c om /.
11
Please ensureyourAndroid is USB hostmodecompatible.

Note for Charging
( where applicable)
1. If the LED is BLUE when you first switch ON the machine, it means that
it is sufficiently charged. If the LED is RED, please turn OFF the machine
and charge until no LED is lit.
2. If you cannot power ON or if there is no LED light, please insert a USB
cable with USB power 3-5 times, then the LED should be BLUE. It
should stay like this for a few hours (depending upon how flat the
battery is). If not, please re-insert the USB cable (with USB power) 3-5
times again, and once the LED is BLUE, leave for at least 6 hours.
3. After a long period on inactivity (say 3-6 months), please fully charge
the machine again. Ideally, repeat this process once every 3 months.
4. If you encounter any issues, please contact our technical support
department at: http://support.ifi-audio.com/

Dual Lock Fasteners
( where applicable)
CD
ifi-audio.com
Ver1 .0

warranty
In order to activate the warranty for this iFi product, you must
register with the iFi we !bsite.
Component:
Serial no:

3 Easy Steps...
Step 1
Access the
web site
support.ifi-audio.com
After-Sales
Step 2
Complete
name/system
details
Dear iFi customer:Thankyou for purchasing this iFi product.
Step 3
Provide as much
system information
as possible
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questionssurrounding
our products/support.
http: //support.ifi-audio.com/

MQA Setup
( where applicable)
For MQA computer setup,please scan this QR code or type ~ifi audio' into You(m search.
You will find two setupvideos:
• MQA Decoder- eg Pro iDSD
• MQA Renderer- eg nanoiDSD BL
Justsel~ct the correct video setup for your device.
Any queries,please search the FAQs or open a support ticket here:
[!]
1
[!] (https://support.ifi-audio.corn/)
+:+TIDAL
■

Ter: ms and Conditions
iFi guarantees that this IF1 product shall be free from defects in materialsand workmanship for aperiod of 1
year (electronic tube warranty for 6 months) for parts and labour.
The warrantyperiod beginsat the date of retail sale by an authorized iFi distributor/dealerandis subject to
the followinq requirements and understandings:
• It is the re">ponsib11ity of the buyer within 30 days from the original sale, to register and activate the
product warranty with the iFi website.
• The or iginal Invoicemust be produced for authentication prior to any warrantyclaim.
• The iFi product must not have beenmodified in anymanner whatsoever, or the warranty will immediately
becomevoid.
• The iFi warrantyis onlyvaltd in the country of original sale and is n ot transferable.
• The product must not havebeen stored in a humid environment; nor subjected to weather, water, or
saltwater ">pray.
• iFi shall not, under anycircumstances, be liable for anyincidental or consequential damagesdrising from
the loss of property or other damage or losses due to the failure of an iFi product. iF11s not liablefor loss
of use or inconveniencecaused by the failure of an IFi product. !Fi is not liablefordamagecaused to other
audio components because of the failure of an iFi product.
• During the warranty period, IFi will repair the pr oduct to working order, or, at IFi's discretion.replace the
defective module with a similaravailableproduct.
• All repairs performed afterexpiry of the warrantyperiod will be charged to the ownerand will carry a
180-daywarranty on partsand labour The customeris responsible for shipping the unit to the iFi
distributorIn the original packaging. This includes the payment of any shippingcharges andrelated taxes.
• Shouldanywarrantyissuesarise, iFi's decision is full and final.