iFI Audio Zen Blue 3

iFi Audio Zen Blue 3

Bluetooth Receiver for Amplifier

With the Zen Blue 3 from iFi Audio, you can add Bluetooth streaming to an existing amplifier or a set of active speakers. In this third edition, iFi Audio has improved both performance and quality.

Highlights of iFi Audio Zen Blue 3

• High-quality Bluetooth
• USB and optical digital inputs
• 4.4mm balanced output
• S/PDIF and optical outputs

For a long time, Bluetooth was somewhat of a taboo in the Hi-Fi world, but in recent years, a lot has changed in this area, thanks in no small part to manufacturers like iFi Audio and their Zen Blue, which is now in its third generation. The advantage of Bluetooth is that it is platform-independent, so regardless of whether you have an Apple or Android smartphone or tablet, a Windows PC, or a Mac computer, it can connect to another Bluetooth-equipped device.

The easy way to add Bluetooth to an amplifier

The iFi Audio Zen Blue 3 is the easy way to add wireless streaming to an amplifier or a pair of active speakers. It connects to the amplifier with a set of RCA cables or a 4.4mm to XLR cable if you want to use the balanced connection and if your amplifier is compatible with this. Then, you simply pair your smartphone or tablet with the Zen Blue 3, and you can play audio from your smart device through your speakers. If the amplifier or active speaker has a digital input, you can instead opt to connect the Zen Blue 3 with a digital cable, which can be either optical TosLink or mini-coaxial S/PDIF. This way, you bypass the internal digital-to-analog conversion, allowing the amplifier or active speaker to handle that task instead. What is best depends on several factors, including the quality of the DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter) in the device that the iFi Zen Blue 3 is connected to.

Several upgrades since version 2 of Zen Blue

The Bluetooth receiver from iFi Audio has been upgraded in several ways since the previous version. The device is equipped with a DAC chipset from ESS Technology, known for its good quality. Besides benefiting from this when listening to a Bluetooth signal, iFi Audio has also provided the Zen Blue 3 with the ability to connect other digital sources to the device. It now features a DAC function, allowing other digital sources to connect via cable and take advantage of the excellent ESS DAC in the Zen Blue 3. For example, if you have a CD player with a lower-quality DAC onboard, it can be connected to the Zen Blue 3 with an optical TosLink or mini-coaxial S/PDIF cable, which will handle the conversion from digital to analog. Additionally, there is the option to connect a computer via USB-C. However, the DAC function in the Zen Blue 3 is not as advanced as what you get with an iFI Audio Zen DAC 3, but it is still a great extra feature for them to include.

Bluetooth galore!

Bluetooth is not just Bluetooth. It comes in many variants and can become especially confusing when it comes to Hi-Fi Bluetooth. iFi Audio Zen Blue 3 supports all relevant Bluetooth formats in the Hi-Fi context. This includes aptX in both its classic version as well as Lossless and Adaptive. Additionally, both LDAC and LHDC are supported, with the possibility for high-resolution Bluetooth up to 24-bit/96kHz. AAC and SBC Bluetooth formats are also onboard, all within Bluetooth 5.4. It is important to note that just because the receiver supports all these formats, it doesn't mean that this is the quality you will connect with. It also depends on what types of Bluetooth are in the transmitter, such as your smartphone. This is something we at Tape Connection cannot answer for you, so you will have to consult the user guide for your smartphone, tablet, or computer. Generally speaking, iPhones and iPads use Bluetooth AAC, which works excellently. The same goes for Apple MacBooks, which in some cases also support aptX in its classic version. Many Android products support aptX in one form or another, and selected Android products, like Sony Xperia smartphones, support Bluetooth LDAC.