
Product highlights
What's in the box
Written by Crutchfield's Archer A.
I've always appreciated that iFi's ZEN Air line of products lets budget-conscious audiophiles enjoy music without compromising on sound quality. The new Zen Air Blue 2 is a second-generation Bluetooth audio receiver and digital-to-analog converter. It provides an easy, cost-effective way to add new life to home stereos, receivers, and powered speakers that lack Bluetooth capabilities. You can stream music from your smartphone, tablet, or computer, and the DAC's high-quality internal components ensure you get the best sound quality possible.
The ZEN Air Blue 2 uses Qualcomm's advanced QCC3095 chipset, so it supports all major Bluetooth codecs (including high-fidelity aptX Lossless). If your device doesn't support aptX Lossless, the Blue 2 supports LDAC, another option for high-quality streaming. The digital signal is converted to analog via an ESS Sabre digital-to-analog converter chip. Custom-designed op-amps and circuitry make up the analog signal path and ensure clean, accurate output.
iFi made the Zen Air Blue 2 compatible with 5-to-12 volts of input power so you can use it even in your vehicle. You can power this Bluetooth DAC/streamer with the USB port in your car and connect it to your stereo or aftermarket amplifier. It'll even turn on with your car to make streaming your music a seamless experience.