iFi Zen CAN 3 Desktop Headphone Amplifier
iFi - Zen CAN 3, Class A Headphone Amplifier and Pre-Amp, 0-18dB Adjustable Gain with +6dB Steps
Class A Headphone Amplifier and Pre-Amp
iFi - ZEN CAN 3
Incredible Power. Uncompromising Clarity.The modern world is busy, fast, and full of noise. We know how powerful music can be, and how it’s capable of taking you out of this world to someplace new. Somewhere tranquil, where melodies can uplift, and vocals you can feel.
The unrivalled clarity of the ZEN CAN 3 provides you with raw, unadulterated emotion. Hear the crack of a voice, the crescendo of a chorus, the delicate whisper of a piano – every note and nuance is delivered with stunning precision. The ZEN CAN 3 ignites late-night listening sessions with its ability to effortlessly drive headphones – from xMEMS-based IEMs to high-end planars – delivering up to 2,000mW output power through the same Class A circuitry found in the flagship iCAN Phantom.
Isolate yourself away from the chaos of the outside world with the all-new analogue EQ-modes, offering full immersion during intense gaming and movie marathons.
Amazing Features
• Sepearate EQ modes for gaming and movies
• Two-tone design with Sunlit Bronze hardware
• Up to 2,000mW continuous output power
• 0-18dB adjustable gain with +6dB steps
• iFi/AMR’s ‘OV’ series op-amps
Future-Proof Features
Ultra-fast response The ZEN CAN 3 now supports IEMs using xMEMS, an innovative micro-speaker technology pushing the boundaries of headphone performance.
By incorporating the pioneering xMEMS amplification first found in the flagship iDSD Diablo-X, the ZEN CAN 3 has the voltage required for optimal operation of this cutting-edge technology, bringing the power of xMEMS to a whole new audience and ensuring that you are ready for the future as it happens.
Loud and Clear
fully immersive experienceIf you've ever watched a thrilling movie scene but struggle to hear what people are saying, you'll know how frustrating it is, especially as streamed content often has dialogue that gets lost within background sounds and music.
Enter movie mode, an EQ specifically designed to address the clarity of dialogue in streamed content, allowing you to fully immerse in the narrative without straining to hear or decipher what is being said. Game mode caters directly to the needs of those constantly seeking any advantage they can get in competitive play. Gamers understand the importance of hearing even the faintest sounds that can give away an opponent’s position or signal an approaching threat.
Game mode’s EQ enhances this aspect of gameplay by sharpening subtle, low-level sound effects, making sure every sound becomes more distinct and easier to pinpoint. Whether navigating through intense firefights or sneaking up on enemies, this heightened audio sensitivity allows you to stay one step ahead of opponents.
Prodigious Power
audio upgradedWith its impressive 2,000mW output power, the ZEN CAN 3 offers a significant upgrade to the way you experience music through headphones, with unprecedented clarity and headroom.
Its ability to handle dynamic peaks with ease allows you to experience music as it was meant to be heard – vivid, immersive, and profoundly moving. It means more than just loudness – it’s about feeling the music resonate through you, stirring your soul and creating a connection that transcends mere sound.
If its planar magnetic headphones requiring more power to drive accurately, or high-impedance models that need ample current delivery, the ZEN CAN 3 rises to the challenge.
Superior Components. Class A Sound.
premium componentsThe ZEN CAN 3 features trickle-down Class A discrete balanced circuitry from the flagship headphone amplifier. Underpinning the circuitry are hand-picked, premium components from Panasonic, TDK, MELF, Texas Instruments and muRata. The amplification stage featuress iFi/AMR’s own ‘OV’ (Operationsverstärker) series op-amps, outperforming commercial chips that use low-grade copper and inexpensive aluminium bond-wire.
Performance of the ZEN CAN 3 is optionally upgradable by powering with an ultra-quiet power supply. The SilentPower iPower2 boasts performance more than 10 times quieter than other audiophile solutions – ensuring the clarity you long for is never compromised.
DSP-Free Purity
analogue circuitryDifferent from other audiophile offerings, all the ZEN CAN 3’s features are done with analogue circuitry, as opposed to Digital Signal Processing (DSP), where the audio signal is manipulated before being converted to true analogue sound.
Instead, the ZEN CAN 3 leverages the natural advantages of analogue circuitry: it keeps the integrity of the sound, introduces less phase shift and distortion, and boasts a more natural-sounding adjustment of frequencies. iFi’s signature analogue bass enhancement, XBass+, is designed to make bass hit harder without compromising the clarity of the midrange – perfect for when you’re listening with IEMs or open-back headphones that lack bass response.
XSpace recreates the expansive soundstage of speakers, transforming headphone listening from confined and ‘inside your head’ to natural and spacious. This technology makes music come alive, delivering a concert-like sound experience without losing any detail or resolution – all achieved through the innovative design of the circuitry.
Sonically Superior
XBassThe XBass analogue bass correction system corrects for the missing headphone/speaker bass response.
OV Series operational-amplifierThis top-notch component contributes to the extremely low noise, low distortion (0.0001%) and wide bandwidth.
(TOCOS) multi-track potentiometerA Tokyo Cosmos Electric Co. (TOCOS) multi-track potentiometer is used. This has close channel matching tolerance for optimal performance (always use above 11 o’ clock).
TDK C0G capacitorsTDK C0G (Class 1 ceramic) capacitors offer high stability and low losses for resonant circuit applications. Getting closer to pure, frequency-constant capacitance, these capacitors reduce capacitor-induced distortion to vanishingly low levels.
Texas Instruments low-noise ICsGreat unity-gain bandwidth with very low noise and distortion, high output drive capability, Common-mode and Power Supply Rejection Ratios of over 100 dB, wide maximum-output-swing bandwidths and high slew rates.
Class A DiscreteA circuit that has come straight out of iFi’s flagship headphone amplifier, the iCAN Phantom, which is priced 16 times higher than the price of the ZEN CAN 3.
The Tech Spec
| Features | Specification | Analogue Inputs | Balanced 4.4mm; Single-Ended 3.5mm; RCA |
|---|---|
| Analogue Output | Balanced 4.4mm |
| Headphone Outputs | Balanced 4.4mm; Single-Ended 6.35mm |
| Output Power (RMS) | Balanced 2,000mW @ 64Ω; Single-Ended 1,600mW @ 32Ω |
| Output Impedance | Balanced <2Ω; Single Ended <1Ω |
| THD+N | Balanced/ Single-Ended <0.006% |
| XMEMS | >21Vpp (Balanced 4.4mm), 22Ω, 11V DC Bias |
| SNR | Balanced >125dB; Single-Ended >122dB |
| DNR | Balanced/Single-Ended 119dBA @ 0 dBFS |
| Line Output Level | 4Vrms (0dB 200kΩ load) |
| Line Output Impedance | <200Ω |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz-200kHz (-3dB) |
| Dimensions | 158 x 117 x 35mm 6.2 x 4.6 x 1.4” |
| Weight | 495g 1.09 lbs |
