Sometimes there’s nothing better than settling down with a pair of headphones to get up close and personal with a favorite playlist or album. Headphones bring you closer to the music and create an awesome soundstage in your head. However, until the Sony Walkman came out in the late 1970s, few people other than hi-fi buffs ever used headphones for listening. Now most of the world uses them and it’s probably the most popular way to listen to music.
For those of us who are headphone fans, regular audio setups or cell phones don’t give you the best quality sound with headphones. For example, a lot of audio equipment doesn’t have a dedicated headphone amplifier that’s tailored just for driving headphones. So, what is a music lover to do? The answer could be a dedicated headphone amplifier, especially if you own a good pair of headphones or some high-end In-Ear Monitors.
One such amplifier is the new iFi Zen Cam 3, a stunning little headphone amplifier from the British audio brand that’s been perfected for driving headphones with 2,000mW of pure Class A amplification instead of using a cheap digital stage. This superbly built little device looks like all the other members of the iFi Zen family which includes a DAC, Bluetooth transmitter/receiver and the Zen Can 3.
The build quality of the Zen Can 3 is exceptional for the money. It feels wonderfully heavy and yet it’s smaller than a paperback book. On the front of the device (looking left to right) there is a power button and next to that there is an input selector to choose between a 4.4mm balanced, RCA Line In or single-ended 3.5mm sources. This choice covers most people’s needs and many users will probably be using the RCA Line In and connecting the Zen Can 3 to the preamp output of a hi-fi system that has an average-quality headphone output.
The other two inputs are for connecting something like a smartphone with an audio jack or maybe a Digital Audio Player with a 4.4mm output. It’s best to opt for the balanced 4.4mm input if you have such a thing, but don’t worry if not because the next control along from the input selector is a gain control which can be set at 0db, +6dBV, +12dB or +18dB. The level you choose depends on how hard your pair of headphones are to drive. All headphones and earphones have an impedance rating and whatever that is requires a certain amount of power to make them sing. Just experiment with Gain to see which works best.
The next control is a large rotary volume knob for controlling how much sound is fed to the headphones. It’s a beautifully crafted and silky-smooth control with a knurled ring to give a precise adjustment. Next to the volume control, there’s a 6.35mm single-ended jack for a full-sized pair of headphones and next to there’s a 4.4mm balanced output for a mid-tier pair of headphones like the excellent Sennheiser HD660S.
Last up, is a Mode button which toggles through the various EQ modes to tweak the sound depending on whether you are gaming, watching a movie or using a pair of xMEMs IEMs. There are also XBass and XSpace modes for applying more bottom-end or a surround sound effect. All the Mode adjustments are applied in the analog stage rather than digital, this ensures a much better output. To choose which mode suits you, just experiment. In audio there are few rules; it’s all about what sounds best for you. I love the sound without any modes applied but you do you.
At the rear of the Zen Can 3 are the physical inputs for the RCA Line In, 4.4mm balanced and 3.5mm single-ended. There is also a fixed-level output for a 4.4mm balanced connection. Whatever you do, don’t plug your expensive IEMs into that one as it could destroy the drivers in your fancy earphones. This is an output for driving a fixed input on an amplifier or something like that.
Ok, so that’s the description of controls out of the way, let’s see how this little gadget sounds. The Zen Can 3 ships with a 5V mains power supply. I’m not quite sure why iFi didn’t use a USB-C power port but no matter. The other accessory included is a short RCA phono stereo lead for connecting to an amplifier’s preamp out.
Firing up the Zen Can 3 is easy and in no time, I connected the headphone output of my Mac Mini to the 3.5mm balanced input and set the gain to 12dB. Instantly, the warmth of the sound is all enveloping. The Class A amplification of the Zen Can 3 is pure magic, even when it is simply boosting the headphone output from a computer or maybe a smartphone. This is a massive step up from the kind of headphone amplifiers in most audio systems.
First up on my playlist was Shelby Lynne’s version of “The Look Of Love” which the Zen Can 3 turned into a beautifully languid and warm rendition of this standard from the Great American Songbook. The Zen Can 3 is a classy performer and that’s because it uses some of the same technology used in iFi’s flagship iCAN Phantom headphone amp.
Next, I switched over from a pair of balanced A&K Empire Novus IEMs to the more affordable Sennheiser HD620S over-ear headphones and played some Eva Cassidy. This woman’s plaintiff vocals on “Autumn Leaves” can break the hardest of hearts. With the HD620S, every nuance of Cassidy’s voice is conveyed by the Zen Can 3. There’s a delicacy here that’s so engaging and emotional. Music can do that to you and this device can turn sometimes harsh and Hi-Res digital sources into the softest analog sound that will make you swear you are listening to vinyl.
Verdict: If you love listening to music with headphones, the iFi Zen Can 3 is a bargain. This little gizmo will transform the way almost any audio device delivers sound to headphones. It’s a gorgeous piece of analog engineering that can make any pair of headphones sing with warmth and intimate detail. It has to be heard to be believed. For the money, there’s nothing to beat the Zen Can 3. It’s capable of running the fussiest IEMs like the A&K Empire Novus IEMs with their 13 drivers to the humble Sennheiser HD620S, a superb budget pair of closed-back dynamic headphones. In short, if you love headphone listening, you need an iFi Zen Can 3 as it’s simply the best for the money.
Pricing & Availability: The iFi Audio Zen Can 3 is available now and costs $229 / £229 / €229.
Tech Specs:
- Input Voltage: 5V/2.5A DC.
- Analog Inputs SE RCA L/R (2.0V nominal @ 0dBFS, 1MegOhm Zin) / SE 3.5mm (1.0V nominal @ 0dBFS, 1 MegΩ Zin) / Balanced 4.4mm (4.0V nominal @ 0dBFS, 24kOhm Zin).
- Max input level: SE RCA 3.8V RMS / SE 3.5mm 1.92V RMS / BAL 4.4mm 7.4V RMS.
- Output impedance: BAL 4.4mm HP <2Ω / SE 6.3mm HP <1Ω.
- Headphone output (RMS): BAL 4.4mm >11.5V/2,000mW (@ 64Ω) / SE 6.35m >7.2V/1,600mW (@ 32Ω).
- Headphone output (Max.): BAL 4.4mm >15.1V/385mW (@ 600 Ω) / +>6.2V/1,200mW (@ 32Ω) / SE 6.35mm >7.6V/98mW (@ 600Ω) / >7.2V/1,600mW (@ 32Ω).
- xMEMS: BAL 4.4mm >21Vpp, 22Ω, 11V DC bias.
- SNR: BAL 4.4mm ≥125dB (7.3V 4.4mm Input 0dB @ 600Ω) / SE 6.35mm ≥122dB (1.9V Input 0dB @ 600Ω).
- DNR: BAL 4.4mm ≥119dB(A) @ 0dBFS / SE 6.35mm ≥119dB(A) @ 0dBFS.
- THD+N: BAL 4.4mm <0.006% (@ 360 mW/2.4V 16Ω) / SE 6.35mm <0.006% (@ 100mW/1.27V 16Ω).
- Output impedance: <200Ω. +
- Output level: 4Vrms (0dB 200kΩ load).
- SNR: ≥125dB (7.3V 4.4mm Input 0dB @ 200kΩ).
- DNR: ≥119dB(A).
- THD+N: 0.006% (0dB 200kΩ load).
- Gain: 0dB, 6dB, 12dB, 18dB.
- Frequency response: 10Hz-200kHz (-3dB).
- Power consumption No Signal ~5W / Max signal ~13W.
- Dimensions 158 x 117 x 35mm.
- Net weight: 495g.
