Rudy Sagittarius: "11 tahun kemudian 🗓⏳"
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Febby Ayu Safitri memposting hal baru
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Reykanza Dan Syafara: "7 hari sudah kepergian sampean ma, semoga mama disana mendapatkan..."
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In review: ifi Zen Air DAC 2
A $129 DAC doesn’t sound like it could do very much to your music. The iFi Zen Air DAC 2, however, is something different and, dare I say, well worth the price. Basically, this is a USB-C DAC for your desktop. It supports RCA out for speakers as well as 1/4-inch and balanced headphone outputs. When you plug in a pair of good headphones or monitors you essentially get a surprisingly good audio system with lots of headroom and plenty of detail. Housed in iFi’s familiar curved desktop chassis, the ZEN Air DAC 2 strips away some of the premium materials found in the company’s higher-end models while retaining the core audio technology that made the original ZEN series popular among headphone enthusiasts. Basically it’s a plastic box clad in rubber which doesn’t give a premium vibe but is definitely cool looking.
At the heart of the ZEN Air DAC 2 is a Burr-Brown True Native DAC chip paired with a 16-core XMOS USB processor. This combination allows the unit to handle PCM files up to 32-bit/384kHz, native DSD256, DXD, and MQA content. Unlike many entry-level DACs that convert everything to a single format internally, the Burr-Brown architecture preserves the original data stream, helping maintain the character of the source material. The ZEN Air DAC 2 functions as both a standalone DAC and a headphone amplifier. A front-mounted 1/4-inch headphone jack is paired with an analog volume control, while rear RCA outputs allow the unit to feed powered speakers or an external amplifier. PowerMatch gain adjustment helps users match the amplifier output to different headphones, whether they are using sensitive in-ear monitors or more demanding over-ear designs. One of the most useful features is XBass+, iFi’s analog bass enhancement circuit. Rather than using digital signal processing, XBass+ adds low-frequency weight through an analog circuit that can help compensate for headphones that sound thin or lack extension in the lower registers. The effect is subtle enough for daily listening and can add welcome warmth to smaller headphones without overwhelming the rest of the frequency range. In use, the ZEN Air DAC delivers the smooth, slightly warm sound signature that has become associated with iFi products. Vocals sound natural, instruments retain good separation, and the presentation avoids the harshness sometimes found in budget DACs. While it lacks the outright power and refinement of more expensive desktop amplifiers, it offers a substantial improvement over the audio outputs built into most laptops, desktop computers, and gaming systems.
I compared the Zen Air with the Fosi Audio ZH3 and there was honestly no contest. Bass was deeper, resolution was better, and, as you’d expect, the ZH3 was $100 more expensive than the Zen Air. That said, the Zen Air performed admirably in comparison to the ZH3 and an older tube DAC I use but, in the end, you get what you pay for.
The ZEN Air DAC is aimed at listeners taking their first steps into dedicated desktop audio. It combines broad format support, solid headphone performance, and useful analog features in an affordable package. For anyone looking to improve their listening experience without building a complicated audio system, it remains one of the strongest values in the entry-level DAC and headphone amplifier category. The bottom line? Plugging this into your computer and adding a nice pair of entry-level headphones will change your life when it comes to digital audio. It’s a great first step for anyone wondering what the fuss is about when it comes to dedicated audio hardware and it’s well worth the price of admission.
SpecsDAC Bit-Perfect DSD & DXD DAC by Burr Brown DIMENSIONS 158 x 117 x 35 mm DNRLine Section: 44.1/48/88.2/96/176.4/192/352.8/384kHz PCM 2.8/3.1/5.6/6.2/11.2/12.4MHz DSD INPUT USB2.0 B Socket INPUT VOLTAGE DC 5V/2.5A NET WEIGHT 315 g
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The Innovators: This app makes music therapy accessible to everyone
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The Innovators: This app makes music therapy accessible to everyone
Most people think of music as entertainment. Rachel Francine thinks of it as infrastructure for the brain.
On this episode of Innovators, I spoke with the SingFit co-founder and CEO about how her company is using therapeutic music to help people with dementia, traumatic brain injuries, and speech loss. The idea sounds almost deceptively simple. People who lose the ability to speak can often still sing. Music activates multiple regions of the brain at the same time, creating pathways that normal speech sometimes cannot access.
SingFit turns that principle into software.
The platform recreates part of what music therapists do in clinical settings. Songs include lyric prompts, guided vocal tracks, and structured timing designed to encourage participation and cognitive engagement. The result is something that can be used not just by trained therapists, but by caregivers, nursing assistants, and families at home.
Francine said the company now operates in more than 10,000 skilled nursing and senior living centers across the United States. The company recently launched a caregiver-focused version with AARP aimed at helping families support loved ones at home.
One of the more interesting parts of the conversation was how deeply personal the company’s origin story is. The original idea came from Francine’s father, an inventor and former opera student who was fascinated by the role of lyric prompters in live performance. He imagined a system that could feed people lyrics in real time long before the technology existed to build it.
Years later, Francine’s brother became a music therapist after seeing a friend recover from a traumatic brain injury and emerge from a coma mouthing the words to “Wish You Were Here.”
That combination of therapy, family history, and technology became the foundation for SingFit.
Francine also made an important point about startups in healthcare and assistive technology. Too many founders start with technology instead of problems. Her advice was direct. Find a real problem first, then build the system around solving it.
In SingFit’s case, the company focused on one issue inside dementia care: social isolation. Patients often begin withdrawing socially as their condition progresses, which can accelerate decline and increase care costs. The platform was designed to create engagement, connection, and routine through music.
The broader issue she kept returning to was aging. Dementia care, caregiver support, and cognitive decline remain massively underserved compared to other parts of healthcare. Francine pointed out that only a handful of dementia drugs have been approved over the past century while cancer treatments continue advancing rapidly.
Music may not solve dementia. But the company is betting that engagement, memory, rhythm, and emotional connection can improve quality of life in ways that medicine alone often cannot.
And honestly, there is something refreshing about hearing a founder talk about care instead of scale for once.
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