Does your IFi Zen Steam have Low Gain?

@jamesgoff Thanks for your input…I was able to identify the problem and it was related to the iFi app.  The app is where you have to set your device settings each time you use the device.  I have to go into the app settings and select my audio output device which I choose my dac.  Then I have to select my Audio Volume Output which I select “hardware” then I can ensure or set my volume to 100. The iFi stream does allow for volume control which is good but I wish it would save settings last used. Kind of annoying to set them each time it’s used.

Once you set the output volume in the iFi app and save it you don’t have to set it again. Mine has not moved in almost nine months. If your volume issue is when using a streaming source you might want to check for a volume setting in it. With the iFi app you have to hit the save button for each separate category you make a change in not just for the overall app. That should stay unless you change it.

@jackd thanks for the interesting input.  When I turn my Stream off it reverts back to the output  volume setting of “none” which lowers the fixed volume by about 50%.  It also reverts the output device to spdif which I don’t use, I use USB with my Dac.  So each time I use the stream I have to go in and change those two settings to my Dac and the volume to hardware so I can set volume to 100.  I do save each one after setting them. The only other volume control is my Integrated Amp. I use a sonic transporter as my roon core network player.

@tksteingraber 

Try going to this thread on Head Fi and following the factory re-set procedure and see if that clears your unusual problem off.  Also not sure why you turn the Zen Stream off everytime you stop playing it. 

@jackd  Ok well I did a reset to factory settings (actually multiple times) and it now saves the DAC setting and the volume setting but it will not show up in roon as an output device no matter what is done.  It’s a nice paperweight now about to become a hockey puck.  This streamer is so glitchy, not intuitive with horrible instructions.  It does sound good when you can get it set up.  My Bricasti M5 set up on my main system is the complete opposite. Time to go back to my Macbook Pro and start shopping for another streamer.