iFi Zen Blue 3 - Hi-Fi Lossless Bluetooth 5.4 DAC – Transmitter & Receiver with Qualcomm QCC5181 Chipset - aptX Lossless - LDAC, LHDC/HWA - USB DAC Functionality, and Dual RCA/4.4mm Balanced Outputs

I tried other Bluetooth transmitters. They are toys compared to this which offers many other functions. You know the old saying: you get what you pay for. I'm so pleased.

Producto de excelente calidad y prestaciones, lo unico a criticar es que el cable de alimentacion es muy corto

I have purchased many iFi products over the years and I truly regret this purchase.I have had issues with Bluetooth connections, especially with my Pi8 earphones. Those few times that I have connected there was no aptx Lossless signal. Unit goes to sleep after way too short of a time.But my main issue, which remains unsolved, is the audio delay when in Dac mode. There is a 2 second delay when starting to play a new song or video. I opened up a ticket on October 14th and it is now December 19th.Here are some transcripts of my communication with Tech Support.Here is an update on the audio delay issue which I reported on October 11th. Issue is still not resolved and it appears that iFi has no clue on how to fix the problem. Just thought you might like to have this information if any of your customers complain.Support reply on October 15thI have replicated the issue with a unit here in our service centre. I will pass this information on to our product development team, and will let you know when any further updates regarding this are available. Thank you.Reply received early December after asking for update after two months with no resolution.The delay you experienced is the Zen Blue 3’s Auto Mute feature. We have made a request that this auto mute be shortened in a future firmware update. The automute feature on Zen Blue 3 is designed to improve the listening experience by reducing unwanted noise when the audio signal is interrupted or absent.When there’s no input signal or the DAC transitions between tracks, sources, or sample rates, the automute feature silences the output. This prevents any residual noise, such as hiss, static, or pops, from being amplified and heard. Switching between audio sources or formats (e.g., PCM to DSD) can generate audible pops or clicks. Automute suppresses these artifacts by muting the output temporarily during transitions. As well as this, loud transient sounds caused by signal interruptions can damage sensitive equipment (like speakers or headphones) or cause discomfort. Automute mitigates this risk.While automute is generally helpful, there are scenarios where users might find it problematic, such delays in unmuting, leading to missed parts of audio (e.g., the beginning of a track).We have found that a third-party app, named Sound Keeper, is able to prevent the auto mute feature from engaging. It does not do this in a way that interferes with audio quality, so your listening experience should be unaffected. Please see below for a link to the Sound Keeper app webpage, containing information about the app and a download linkSound Keeper v1.3.3As I am using this with my Mac mini and Apple TV the Sound Keeper solution is no solution. When I replied back stating I could not use their “solution” this is the reply I received.Thank you for your patience, unfortunately, there isn’t anything that we can find. The only possible way that we have seen other users have success is by emulating SoundKeeper by looping a silent audio clip in Quicktime or something similar. It’s not great but until there is a firmware that stops the auto-mute for people who don’t want it, it’s the only workaround really on macOS.I’m sorry that there isn’t a better solution right now.My reply to message stating they were closing the ticket.I do not know why you are closing this ticket as this is still an ongoing issue and you have provided no resolution. Missing the first few seconds of audio is not something that I would accept in any audio product, mush less. than one that claims to be of “audiophile” quality.Support reply on December 13th.As stated, this should provide a suitable workaround for the meantime, while we continue working toward a permanent fix for this issue. If you have any further questions or queries, please feel free to reply to this support ticket and we will be happy to help.Thank you for getting back in touch, I’m sorry to see that you are unhappy with the auto-mute future and I completely understand it but I don’t have a good solution for you at the moment so I closed your ticket. We are working on it, we understand some users do not like the mute at all and it doesn’t work for them and the way they intend to use the device. We’re looking into it and will hopefully find a good solution. If you would rather I keep the ticket ope, I will.

I'm using the Zen Blue 3 solely as a Bluetooth transmitter to Sony WH1000-XM5 headphones. The source is a MacBook Pro playing lossless and some hi-resolution files via Apple Music. I haven't tried the unit wired, balanced, or in any other way.I purchased the Zen Blue 3 to improve the quality of Bluetooth wireless listening, as it's the only device with all the cutting-edge Bluetooth codecs and the latest BT radio. LDAC is the Bluetooth high-resolution codec (up to 24-bit/96kHz lossy) for the Sony WH1000-XM5. The Zen Blue 3 transmits LDAC and Apt-X Lossless, among other codecs.At first listen, you wonder if the Zen Blue 3 is more impressive because it boasts a tremendous amount of gain, enough to blow your head off. (Be sure to ride the volume control when you hit "Play.") However, it takes only a few seconds to realize that the sound is substantially better than either the iPhone 14 Pro or the M1 MacBook Pro's Bluetooth. In fact, it's better than either of those devices WIRED--and easily the best Bluetooth sound I've ever heard. There's copious detail, muscular bass, clean treble, and impactful dynamic range. I wanted to listen for longer because listener fatigue (a problem with so much expected information missing in Bluetooth music) is a thing of the past.Pairing was a hassle. There's no real software for the iFi device. (iFi offers a firmware update app, but it's beyond horrible and won't help during pairing.) And Sony's app doesn't let you know that something's trying to pair. iFi says that pairing will be automatic if you wait. How about that, they were right...if you wait a looooooonnnnng time, many minutes. (As a contrast, Apple AirPods and Beats headphones pair in like two seconds with confirmation via app and prompts.) I finally learned that it's good to leave the room and get yourself a meal while Bluetooth pairing with the Zen Blue 3, instead of sitting there grinding my teeth.The other con is it's a total mystery which volume level you'll get when you start listening via Bluetooth. The only thing you can count on is that it'll be way too loud. It's an unfortunate way to start off a listening session, nervously riding the volume control.But I'll put up with just about anything for that phenomenal sound. Also, the thing is built like a tank. Metal everywhere. Five stars for both performance and industrial design.