Review on iFi Zen Blue: The Ultimate HiFi Bluetooth Receiver & DAC - Wireless Inputs/Outputs, Optical/Coaxial/SPDIFRCA/4.4 Balanced, Audio System Upgrade by Gerald Mohammed

I got it back in the end but wanted to share my thoughts on it. Maybe it's useful for someone else. I bought the iFi Zen Blue because: - I wanted to compare it to several other devices I've used over the past few years. - I wanted to use its balanced output (using a 4.4mm to XLR cable straight into my power amp) - I use these devices as preamps. want more) - better sound from a Toslink connection to a good DAC and amp, but I really wanted to use it for a balanced connection to start with. - very fast connection with my Bluetooth device (phone) - despite unlocking developer mode, I found that the best codec my phone can use is AAC. I thought it would sound good with the Toslink output and I'm sure it would sound really good with a better codec - in general I think it would work with LDAC or APTX HD codecs in combination with a high quality DAC combo/amp would be phenomenal. But as I said, I need it for its balanced analog output. Compared to other streamers I've tried: - Klipsch Gate: It uses Wi-Fi for a more uncompressed connection and has much better sound quality. The soundstage is very wide and open but with a separation of instruments and vocals. This one will stay in my main listening setup. Aiyima Tube A3 Pro Preamp: Bluetooth 5.0 with best SBC codec. I replaced the standard tubes with 5654Ws and the standard op amps with Muses 8920. Total investment: $75. Phenomenal sound here, even with the SBC codec. Broad, open sound. Very authoritative bass. Sonos Connect: Has a smoother sound and benefits most from connection to a good DAC. I really like how it can be used as a full-fledged preamp. As said, the iFi is a great device and it sounds great when using a Toslink connection with a good DAC and amplifier. But the analog outputs are underwhelming, especially considering how I used it as a preamp.