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iFi Audio ZEN air Blue – A breath of fresh Air

Easily transfer music via Bluetooth from smartphone, tablet or computer, that’s the task of the new iFi Audio ZEN air Blue, with which the specialist in desktop audio systems presents its new iFi Audio ZEN air Series.

The new iFi Audio ZEN air Blue is the first offspring of the new iFi Audio ZEN air Series, a product line that the specialist for desktop audio systems iFi Audio sees as an entry into the world of audiophile music playback, just like the simultaneously presented iFi Audio ZEN air DAC. One addresses oneself with this product line thus to price-sensitive users, who place nevertheless high requirements at the quality.

The new iFi Audio ZEN air Blue is a solution that seems tailor-made for this customer group, as it is a compact Bluetooth receiver with an elegant form factor.

iFi Audio ZEN air Blue – The new Bluetooth receiver

Bluetooth is the preferred method of signal transmission for many users, as it allows music to be transferred from a smartphone, tablet or computer to countless audio systems in no time at all. This does not require any configuration around the integration of the devices in the network, source and player are simply paired, and you’re ready to go.

The new iFi Audio ZEN air Blue is designed for exactly this task, whereby the manufacturer promises a solution that equips any audio system for Bluetooth, and can come up with a correspondingly high quality.

The manufacturer calls the new iFi Audio ZEN air Blue a high-quality Bluetooth audio receiver that is supposed to offer the maximum of this technology for a wide range of customers.

Foto © iFi Audio | iFi Audio ZEN air Blue
Foto © iFi Audio | iFi Audio ZEN air Blue

Equipped for Hi-res Audio Wireless

For example, the new iFi Audio ZEN air Blue is emblazoned with the logo Hi-res Audio Wireless, which is supposed to indicate that it is not content with the possibilities that many other implementations of Bluetooth in audio systems are capable of.

The newiFi Audio ZEN air Blue uses Bluetooth 5.1, relying on a module from the specialist Qualcomm. The special feature here is that the new iFi Audio ZEN air Blue supports all relevant standards, not only the lossy codecs SBC and AAC, but also aptX, aptX LL, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive as well as LDAC and LHDC/ HWA.

The signal transmission not only allows playback in CD quality, but also hi-res audio with 24 bit and 48 kHz or even 24 bit and 96 kHz, provided that the source device supports the corresponding codecs.

Converter from ESS Technology Inc.

The signal processing is carried out with the help of an ESS Sabre Hyperstream DAC chipset with time domain jitter elimination, which offers particularly high dynamics, low distortion and low noise. In addition, the new iFi Audio ZEN air Series relies solely on high-quality components for signal processing, whether in the form of low-noise ICs from Texas Instruments or capacitors from TDK.

Analog signals are output from the new iFi Audio ZEN air Blue via a pair of RCA sockets on the rear panel, the only interfaces on this solution besides the connection for the external power supply.

The front of the new iFi Audio ZEN air Blue is also very “uncluttered”, because apart from a button as the main switch or for pairing with the source devices, there is only an illuminated logo of the manufacturer and a display of the resolution of the played signals.

Prices and availability

The new iFi Audio ZEN air Blue will soon be available in this country, as announced by the manufacturer. The recommended retail price is aimed exceedingly attractive, as the customer only has to budget € 99,- for this solution.

Getting to the point

With the new iFi Audio ZEN air Series, the specialist iFi Audio rounds off its product range with a new product line down. With this series, they want to reach first and foremost beginners who are looking for good quality at an attractive price. Of course, a solution like the new iFi Audio ZEN air Blue fits perfectly, because it addresses those users who want to play music on various systems directly from their smartphone, tablet or computer via Bluetooth in the simplest way.

PRODUCTIFI AUDIO ZEN AIR BLUE
Price€ 99,-
BrandIFI
ManufacturerIFI AUDIO
DistributionWOD Audio
More about this manufacturer at HiFi BLOG
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Michael Holzinger

Michael Holzinger, founder and editor-in-chief of HiFi BLOG and sempre-audio.at, has been working for years as a journalist in the fields of IT, photography, telecommunications and consumer electronics.

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