iFi Audio - ZEN CAN Signature MZ99

The iFi Audio ZEN CAN Signature MZ99 is fine-tuned to work with Meze Audio headphones. The audio architecture featured in the device offers specific calibration for Meze Audio 99 series headphones, elevating sound across the entire frequency spectrum to bring out the best in these already remarkable headphones. ZEN CAN Signature MZ99 offers unparalleled transparency and presents a wide-open sound stage. The iFi Audio ZEN CAN Signature MZ99’s performance is cleverly balanced to bring out the best in all headphones and in-ear monitors even besides the Meze 99 series.

iFi Audio has cleverly designed the ZEN CAN Signature MZ99 with a simplistic design to enable the sonic calibration for your Meze 99 series headphones. All you have to do is press the MZ99 button on the device and it automatically calibrates the audio signal to compliment the connected headphones sonic characteristics across the entire frequency spectrum. This feature works flawlessly with the Meze 99 Classics headphones and also with the Meze 99 Neo and the Meze 99 by Drop. This feature can be switched on or off at your need at the click of a button.

The team at iFi Audio have engineered the ZEN CAN Signature MZ99 with a balanced circuit design. This circuitry showcases a symmetrical dual-mono design, which is usually featured in high-end headphone amps to deliver ample power. The circuit for the ZEN CAN Signature MZ99 has been designed based on the iFi Audio’s Pro iCAN flagship headphone amplifier with trickled down elements of the Class-A circuitry. The key components for the circuit have been upgraded to enhance the performance of the ZEN CAN Signature MZ99, including the use of Panasonic OS-CON, Elna Silmic II and TDK capacitors to deliver clean and distortion-free audio along with TOCOS multi-track potentiometer and MOSFET muting switch for precise volume controls.

The ZEN CAN Signature MZ99 features iFi Audio’s innovative ActiveEQ feature to enhance your listening experience. The ActiveEQ feature combines active and passive components of the audio signal to create a specific EQ curve to suit a particular pair of headphones. This is performed in the analogue domain without adding any additional noise or distortion. This feature adjusts the treble for more ‘vivaciousness’, and the enhanced mid-low bass extracts the last drop of sonic goodness from the Meze 99 series headphones and even other headphones that you may connect to it. When enabled, you experience magnificent audio.

The iFi Audio ZEN CAN Signature MZ99 has four gain settings in six dB steps – 0dB, 6dB, 12dB and 18db. This feature is called PowerMatch. PoweMatch enables the amp to precisely suit the connected headphones. Unity gain (0dB) is essential to ensure low noise with sensitive in-ear monitors, while the higher gain settings make the most of headphone loads, delivering excellent dynamic headroom. So whether it's headphones or IEMs, the ZEN CAN Signature MZ99 brings out the best in everything. With the PowerMatch feature, gain staging has never been this easy. Aside from the gain settings, the ZEN CAN Signature MZ99 delivers 1600mW (7.2V) into 32 ohms from the single-ended output, with 15V+ available to loads of 600 ohms or more through the balanced output enabling to drive all manner of headphones.

The X-Space matrix uses a pure analogue processing circuit in the ZEN CAN Signature MZ99 series to compensate for the ‘In-Head Localisation’ effect. This effect can occur when using headphones to listen to music mixed using a pair of speakers. To solve this issue, iFi Audio added its X-Space technology to the ZEN CAN Signature MZ99. X-Space is similar to 3D functionality and is mainly intended for albums where the soundstage is mostly centred between the ears. With X-Space processing mode, the ZEN CAN stretches the soundstage, that voices are still nicely centred, but details and effects are spaciously staged, creating a deeper soundstage. The sound delivered is more spacious and has a speaker-like experience.

The ZEN CAN Signature MZ99 offers a wide range of connectivity options allowing you to connect it to a host of audio products. The ZEN CAN Signature MZ99 offers stereo RCA and 3.5mm single-ended inputs, plus a balanced 4.4mm Pentaconn input. There is also a 4.4mm balanced output so you can connect to power amps equipped with a balanced input. It features a pair of headphone outputs – a 6.3mm output for headphones that have a standard single-ended connector (compatible with all headphones) and a 4.4mm Pentaconn balanced output for headphones offering a balanced connection.

The iFi Audio ZEN CAN Signature MZ99 works harmoniously with the ZEN DAC Signature V2. When used together, the two ZEN Signatures make an unbeatable, desktop-sized headphone system for both digital and analogue listening. This combo of ZEN Signature devices delivers monumentally low distortion, rich sonic detail, and mesmerising dynamics and the ability to play multiple formats of audio and drive the most power-hungry headphones. This combo is truly designed to bring the best in your music listening experience with a fairly simple setup.