iFi's next-gen streamers promise "a more refined listening experience"

iFi has unveiled its next generation of streamers and DACs. The Neo Stream 3 and Zen Stream 3 are both hi-res streamers that can free digital files from external hard drives and NAS drives, the former of which has a built-in DAC/amp. The Neo iDSD 3 is a standalone DAC/amp.

All three promise a host of improvements over what came before. In fact, iFi claims these models represent "a true generational leap in their capabilities."

We'll start with the Stream models. Both have upgraded polymer capacitors for cleaner low-noise power, while their ELNA Silmic II capacitors should make for a smoother treble and more refined listening experience.

Also onboard is iFi's new IoT hardware, which makes them easier to set up and update either through the web-based interface or the iFi Nexis app.

Like their predecessors, they have iFi's Exclusive Modes, which disable system processes that aren't in use while streaming to improve efficiency and reduce the potential for signal noise.

The S/PDIF outputs feature iPurifier2 tech, while the USB ports have active noise cancellation, to eliminate signal noise from external sources. The Neo Stream 3 takes this on a step with its OptiBox, which aims to eliminate noise from the wired network before it enters the system.

We're promised greater stability and a more intuitive interface from the latest version of iFi's streaming engine, which supports Qobuz Connect along with the Connect forms of Tidal and Spotify, plus AirPlay 2 and more.

The Neo Stream 3 serves as a one-stop shop modernisation upgrade for a hi-fi setup, thanks to its native 768kHz PCM and DSD512 support, plus its DAC stage which is built around a Burr-Brown chipset and is "guaranteed to extract the maximum performance from those formats."

The Zen Stream 3 brings native 384kHZ PCM and DSD256 support to a setup that already contains a DAC – handy if you don't want to swap yours out.

Both also feature JVCKenwood's K2 tech, which aims to restore harmonic content lost during the digitisation process to make digital music warmer, more nuanced and more musical. While the Zen Stream 3's standard K2 preserves the file's original resolution, the Neo Stream 3's more advanced K2HD tech upscales it to 192kHz/24-bit.

For the Neo iDSD 3 DAC/amp, iFi claims to have refocused the critical hardware at a component level to create greater musicality and playback accuracy. Its new amplifiers offer around 50 per cent less distortion, while upgraded polymer capacitors reduce power supply ripple. Higher frequencies should be smoothed out by the WIMA MKS2 caps.

It features the same K2HD tech as the Neo Stream 3 to add musicality to digital files.

The Neo iDSD 3 draws on the headphone amplification design of iFi's Diablo 2, with up to 2532mW RMS and over 5550mW max at 32 ohms. That's more than five times the maximum output of the first-generation Neo iDSD and 18 times that of the Zen DAC 3. It should be enough to drive a wide array of demanding headphones.

Wireless support comes in the form of Bluetooth 5.4, enabling codecs like aptX Lossless, LDAC and LHDC, among others.

Its DAC stage is built around a Burr-Brown chipset, and handles both PCM and DSD via dedicated paths. Customised code within the chipset should unlock ultra-resolution, PCM768kHz/DSD512 playback, while data handling is managed in such a way to ensure "natural dynamics and exceptional low-level linearity."

You can also personalise the sound using iFi's analogue processing tools, for example by emphasising the bass or midrange. The XSpace setting will create a more spacious soundstage, making your headphones sound more like a pair of speakers.

The 3.5mm headphone input has been replaced by an RCA line-in for hooking up a turntable with built-in phono stage or an external phono preamp. You can adjust the brightness of the power LED to better suit your living space, and you can control the iDSD 3 using iFi's Nexis mobile app.

The Zen Stream 3 is the cheapest of the bunch, costing £399 (around $540 / AU$760). The Neo Stream 3 and Neo iDSD 3 both cost £999 (around $1300 / AU$1900).

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