iFi Zen Blue 3

One DAC to rule them all – combining wired and wireless audio

- Cliff Joseph

> £299 > FROM ifi-audio.com > FEATURES Bluetooth 5.4 (AAC, aptX Lossless); RCA (phono), optical/coaxial and USB-C inputs; RCA (phono), optical/coaxial, 4.4mm outputs; 35x158x115mm, 0.45kg

Most digital-to-analogue converters (DACs) are designed for use with wired headphones or speakers, but iFi's Zen Blue 3 casts its net much wider. It's pretty expensive, at £299, but along with an variety of wired audio connectors it also supports the latest Bluetooth features too.

That mix of features enables the Zen Blue to work in three main modes. 'RX' mode allows it to work as a Bluetooth receiver, so that you can stream audio to the DAC from your Mac, iPhone or iPad, then use the RCA, 4.4mm or optical connectors on the back to connect wired headphones, speakers or other hi-fi kit.