Short answer
Both are desktop amplifiers, $199 against $150.
The iFi Zen CAN reaches 100 dB on 567 of the 567 models here, the PreSonus HP4 on 558.
| Specification | iFi Zen CAN | PreSonus HP4 |
|---|---|---|
| Power into 32Ω | 1.6 W | 69 mW |
| Power into 150Ω | 375 mW | 52 mW |
| Power into 300Ω | 190 mW | 26 mW |
| Power into 600Ω | 98 mW | 13 mW |
| Output impedance | 0.5 Ω unverified | not published |
| Output noise | 1.5 µV unverified | not published |
| Price | $199 | $150 |
| Headphones it reaches 100 dB on out of 567 | 567 | 558 |
Not published means the maker leaves it out, so that axis cannot be compared.
| Balanced | iFi Zen CAN | PreSonus HP4 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | 4.4mm | no separate rating |
| Power into 32Ω | 1.2 W | — |
| Power into 300Ω | 550 mW derived | — |
| Output impedance | not published | — |
| Output noise | not published | — |
| Headphones it reaches 100 dB on out of 567 | 567 | — |
Only the iFi Zen CAN has a separate balanced rating from its maker; through it, it reaches 100 dB on 567 of the 567 models here. The PreSonus HP4 may still have a balanced socket — its spec sheet simply gives no figure for one, so there is nothing to put beside it. Derived figures are worked out from the loads the maker did publish.
| Load | iFi Zen CAN | PreSonus HP4 |
|---|---|---|
| 32 Ω | Published | Derived |
| 150 Ω | Derived | Derived |
| 300 Ω | Derived | Derived |
| 600 Ω | Published | Derived |
Only one of these two columns starts from a power rating. iFi Zen CAN publishes one at 32 Ω and at 600 Ω; PreSonus HP4 publishes none at any of these four loads, so its column is worked out from power it published at other loads. Both are arithmetic on a maker’s own figures rather than guesses, and the method used for the PreSonus HP4 understates rather than flatters — but at 32 Ω and at 600 Ω are the only loads here at which its maker can be held to a figure.
9 headphones reach 100 dB on the iFi Zen CAN but not on the PreSonus HP4 — Moondrop COSMO, Moondrop PARA, Moondrop PARA 2, 6 more.
558 of the 567 models here reach 100 dB on both.
Headroom is at a 100 dB SPL peak.
The widest gap on the list is the HiFiMAN HE400se: iFi Zen CAN has +22 dB of headroom there against +8 dB. 14 dB is about 23 times the power, which matters for peaks rather than for how loud the music sits.
The hiss columns are empty for iFi Zen CAN and PreSonus HP4 because neither maker publishes no output noise figure.
| Headphone | Impedance | Needs | iFi Zen CAN headroom | PreSonus HP4 headroom | iFi Zen CAN hiss | PreSonus HP4 hiss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shure SE846 | 9 Ω | 0.04 mW | +41 dB | +27 dB | not published | not published |
| Campfire Audio Andromeda 2020 | 9 Ω | 4.0 mW | +21 dB | +7 dB | not published | not published |
| Audeze LCD-2 Classic | 70 Ω | 0.79 mW | +30 dB | +21 dB | not published | not published |
| Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro (250Ω) | 250 Ω | 0.63 mW | +26 dB | +17 dB | not published | not published |
| HiFiMAN HE400se | 25 Ω | 7.9 mW | +22 dB | +8 dB | not published | not published |
| Audio-Technica ATH-R70X | 470 Ω | 1.6 mW | +19 dB | +10 dB | not published | not published |
| Sennheiser HD 600 | 300 Ω | 6.6 mW | +15 dB | +6 dB | not published | not published |
| HiFiMAN Susvara | 60 Ω | 50 mW | +13 dB | +4 dB | not published | not published |
The iFi Zen CAN costs $49 more than the PreSonus HP4. Out of the 567 models here, that difference buys 9 more models driven to 100 dB.
Nothing runs the other way: there is no axis here on which the cheaper of the two does better.
Only published figures count here; blank axes are counted separately.
Each in full: iFi Zen CAN and PreSonus HP4.