iFi Premium ZEN CAN Signature - Headphone Amp

The Ifi Audio Can Signature is a very high performance headphone amplifier, and an upgraded version of the ever popular standard Can model with revised circuitry and audiophile components.

The ZEN CAN Signature has trickle-down Class A discrete balanced circuitry from iFi audio’s flagship Pro iCAN. Connect it to your Hi-fi, ao a line level analogue output from laptop, tablet, phone or any other suitable source and get great sound with even the most difficult to drive headphones. The Zen Can signature makes even difficult to drive headphones work well by combining high power output (1,890mW) and high max out voltage (15v) so it will drive both high and low impedance headphones (including Planar designs).

The input connections include a pair of RCA sockets, a 3.5mm input and a 4.4mm balanced connection. There is also a 4.4mm balanced output connection, ideal for connecting to power speakers. The headphone outputs are via either a standard 6.3mm headphone socket or a 4.4mm balanced output socket. A plug top power supply is included to power it from the mains.

There are four levels of gain, allowing the headphone amplifier to be easy to use regardless of how sensitive your headphones are (settings of 0dB, +6dB, +12dB and +18dB).

There are also two additional features that can be switched on:

-'XSpace' As most audio recordings are made to be listened to via speakers. When played back on headphones, the sound feels limited to being ‘inside your head’. It does not have the spaciousness it was meant to have. The 3D special sound circuit solves this: Stereo image that is truly out of your head, in front with height, width & depth

-'XBass' is an active EQ circuit which meets a common gripe with headphones, a lack of bass. It consists of active and passive components and its frequency response curve corrects their low-end response problems with precision.

The Zen Can Signature is packed with premium audiophile parts from many high profile brands (Elma Silmic II and OS-CON capacitors for example) that gives a level of specification rarely seen at this price point.

Technical specifications:

Input Voltage: 5V/2.5A
Output (RMS): Balanced Single-Ended >15.1V/385 mW (@ 600 Ohm) >11.0V/1890 mW (@ 64 Ohm) >6.2V/1200 mW (@ 32 Ohm) >7.6V/98mW (@ 600 Ohm) >7.4V/870 mW (@ 64 Ohm) >7.2V/1600 mW (@ 32 Ohm)
THD&N: <0.006% (@ 360 mW/2.4V 16 Ohm) <0.005% (@ 100 mW/1.27V 16 Ohm) SNR Balanced Single-Ended >121dBA (@ 15.2V ) >120dBA (@ 7.6V )
Output: Balanced RCA 3.5mm 7.4V RMS 3.8V RMS 1.92V RMS Gain 0dB, 6dB, 12dB and 18dB
Frequency Response: 10Hz - 200kHz (-3dB)
Power consumption: No Signal ~5W Max Signal ~12W
Dimensions: 158 x 117 x 35 mm 6.2" x 4.6" x 1.4" Weight 550 g 1.21 lbs
Line Section Outputs: BAL UNBAL 6.7V max. (variable) 3.5V max. (variable)
Output Impedance: BAL UNBAL <200Ω <100Ω SNR BAL UNBAL <110dB(A) @ 0dBFS <110dB(A) @ 0dBFS
THD&N: BAL UNBAL <0.007% @ 0dBFS <0.015% @ 0dBFS Headphone Section Outputs BAL UNBAL 6.7V max. @ 600Ω 3.5V max. @ 600Ω
Output Power: BAL UNBAL >1000mW @ 32Ω; >74mW @ 600Ω >320mW @ 32Ω; >40mW @ 300Ω
Output Impedance: BAL UNBAL <1Ω <1Ω
SNR: BAL UNBAL <116dB(A) @ 0dBFS <115dB(A) @ 0dBFS
THD&N: <0.005% (1V @ 16Ω)