The wired world is changing. Where cables were once king, Bluetooth audio is now making its way, and with the advent of Lossless Bluetooth audio, the gap between wired and wireless audiophile options is narrower than ever. The ZEN Blue 3 brings these two worlds together in a spectacular way. Building on the resounding success of the ZEN Blue range, we took everything that made them great and dared to do more.
Adding aptX Lossless was our "baby step". Our “big leap” came when we added USB DAC capability and Bluetooth streaming. With USB, optical and even analog inputs available, there have never been so many ways to connect to the music you love, while enjoying the freedom of wireless high-resolution audio. The ZEN Blue 3 offers wireless audio without compromises by incorporating Bluetooth Lossless audio, courtesy of Qualcomm's flagship QCC518x Bluetooth audio chip and aptX Lossless codec, supporting aptX Lossless, LDAC, LHDC/HWA, aptX Adaptive, aptX, AAC and SBC and offering a maximum bit rate of 1200 kbps, aptX Lossless is the first and only Bluetooth codec currently capable of sending and receiving CD-quality audio wirelessly without losing data during compression. For example, if your phone supports aptX Lossless, you can stream high-quality lossless music from your phone to your hi-fi system.
In this increasingly wireless world, high-resolution Bluetooth headphones and TWS (True Wireless Stereo) headphones are essential for audio enthusiasts. However, the need for a Bluetooth connection can often make them incompatible with your home audio setup. The ZEN Blue 3 breaks down this wall with Bluetooth streaming in all supported codecs, including CD-quality aptX Lossless. Connect your ZEN Blue 3 to audio sources such as laptops, mobile phones or televisions, via USB-C, SPDIF or even analog RCA, and introduce your favorite Bluetooth headphones to the rest of your audio world. Whether it's a late-night vinyl session, enjoying your aptX Lossless headphones while working on your laptop, or binge-watching your favorite Netflix series on the TV via headphones, the ZEN Blue 3 offers new opportunities for enjoy listening.
Leveraging the capabilities of the Qualcomm QCC518x chipset combined with a dedicated ESS Saber DAC and Hi-Fi circuitry, outperforming most Bluetooth transmitters and receivers, the ZEN Blue 3 can also function as a fully wired DAC, offering 96kHz audio/ 24-bit via USB-C, or 192kHz/24-bit audio via SPDIF, which can be output via RCA or 4.4.
When using ZEN Blue 3's Low Latency Mode with a device receiver that supports aptX Low Latency, the time required to send and receive audio is dramatically reduced. When your eyes see it, your ears hear it, returning you to the moment, to the place where you belong. With so many high-resolution audio options available for the ZEN Blue 3, making balanced circuits available to users is more important than ever. By including a balanced line output, users with a balanced audio setup can expect a significant reduction in signal noise and crosstalk between channels, delivering all the clarity without any audio clutter.
Performance can be further enhanced with the optional SilentPower iPower2 power supply, which features patented Active Noise Cancellation II technology.
The discrete ESS Saber Hyperstream DAC chipset with time-domain jitter eliminator, discrete oscillator, and 112 dB dynamic range for demanding listeners is superior to the traditional single-ended circuit approach. Balanced circuitry reduces noise and crosstalk. Less interference: clearer sound. You'll typically find this setup on products at the higher end of the price spectrum, such as the Pro iCAN Signature, but iFi now uses it across its range to produce the highest quality audio for all our customers. As with many other iFi audio products, we have incorporated a custom OV series op amp. This top-notch component contributes to extremely low noise, low distortion (0.0001%) and wide bandwidth. A key advantage of the ESS Saber DAC chip is its Hyperstream architecture with integrated Time Domain Jitter Eliminator, which delivers incredibly low distortion and high dynamic range.
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