With MM/MC, high/low and very low, the ZEN Phono is able to handle just about any cartridge. From 36dB all the way up to 72dB. So as your vinyl system grows over time, the ZEN Phono will always keep up.
Cookie-Cutter ‘Sub-Sonic Filter’
Tom Evans who makes very nice phono stages made the following astute comment:
A rumble filter simply adds to the bass cut making your already “cut” records sound bass light. Plus, it “time-steps” the bass in relation to the higher frequencies (where our hearing is most sensitive) so much so it can confuse the ear into believing the bass is playing out of tempo.
iFi solution:
Since the very first iPHONO launched in 2012, we have used our own in-house ‘Subsonic Filter’. It made it into the iPHONO2 and the iPHONO3 and now, the ZEN Phono which is the very first time this filter is seen in such an affordable price level.
As there is only minimal vertical modulation remaining at very low frequencies with an an actual cut LP that is playable, we know that “vertical modulation” at low frequencies must be warp.
So we designed a filter to take advantage of this.
This is not artificial but real knowledge. By understanding fully how LPs are cut and replayed, it is possible to filter record warp strongly without at the same time attenuating low bass or adding group delay.
ZEN Phono
ZEN Phono
Fall in love with your LPs all over again.
Pedigree. Performance. Peerless.
LPs + ZEN = Magical combo.
You’ve spent years building your dream LP collection. We know because we have done the same!
The ZEN Phono is a wonderful enhancement to your vinyl setup. It will max out every MM/MC cartridge.
Choc full of AMR/iFi trickle-down vinyl technology, it will have you poring over your LPs into the wee, small hours.
Spec’d to make you smile
Unlike any other entry-level phono stage. The ZEN Phono has:
- MM/MC from 36dB >72dB gain. Super-silent noise floor -151dBV
- Precise RIAA with Balanced output, performance comparable to +$1k phono stages
- AI sub-sonic filter. Addresses warp without eliminating bass or causing phase issues
Hissless whisper
Flagship phono amplifiers create their own power supply off the mains, like a mains regenerator. This is fundamental to a well-designed phono stage. Without this, it will struggle to amplify the signal without added noise. This is why phono stages ‘hiss’ so annoyingly.
Unusually, the ZEN Phono has its own high-tech clean power supply. It creates a 1.2MHz power supply (20,000x mains frequency of 60Hz). In this circuit, a 10uF filtering capacitor = 200,000uF at lower, audible frequencies. With serious levels of noise filtration, it performs at the level of well-designed LC filtering circuits as found in classic tube amplifiers. Further, located on its own ‘island’ PCB, it is isolated so there is no noise pollution of the analogue stage.
Just super clean +/- 12V DC.
Measured EIN (Equivalent Input Noise) is -151dBV. It is 20dBV quieter than some Stereophile Class A+ phonos which are -131dBV.
Mil-spec RIAA
The EQ circuit uses multiple TDK C0G capacitors in parallel. This is for best stability and the least distortion. They beat polystyrene capacitors and are close to Teflon. Read more here.
Already using the lowest tolerance capacitors combined with multiples in parallel, tolerance is exponentially improved by the square root of the number of capacitors. This is quite a natty circuit design.
The RIAA EQ tolerance level (+/- 0.15dB) is impressive as it is en par with hand-selected capacitors!
With great circuit comes great components
The ZEN Phono has some seriously good audio components backing up the fab circuit design which has trickled-down from its ultra-fidelity AMR PH-77 and iFi iPhono siblings.
Scroll down for more on the most consequential circuit highlights/boutique components.
Super sub-sonic
The intelligent sub-sonic filter is from the iPhono range and is quite special.
Normal sub-sonic filters remove ‘rumble’ AND bass and cause phase issues.
Our unique AI phono sub-sonic filter removes ‘rumble’ only.
Balanced circuit design. Just not seen at this price point it is a superior method to the traditional single-ended circuit approach. Balanced circuits reduce noise and crosstalk. Less Interference – clearer sound.
As with many other iFi audio products, we’ve incorporated a custom OV Series operational-amplifier. This top-notch component contributes to the extremely low noise, low distortion (0.0001%) and wide bandwidth.
Panasonic ECPU capacitors. Each ECPU capacitor is constructed from some 3,500 layers of ultra-thin dielectrics less than 0.5μm thickness. It offers class-leading Equivalent Series Resistance (ESR), low impedance and frequency stability and vanishingly low distortion.
Texas Instruments low-noise ICs offer great unity-gain bandwidth, very low noise and distortion, high output drive capability, Common-mode and Power Supply Rejection Ratios of over 100 dB, wide maximum-output-swing bandwidths and high slew rates.
TDK C0G (Class 1 ceramic) capacitors offer high stability and low losses for resonant circuit applications.
Getting ever closer to the theoretical ideal of pure, frequency-constant capacitance, these capacitors reduce capacitor-induced distortion to vanishingly low levels.
They are pricey but are a perfect addition to our products.
muRata control-type, low-ESR high-Q multi-layer capacitors. The ‘ESR control’ aspect of the Murata is something special. Their noise suppression abilities are impressive.
Support
| Gain settings | MC (v lo)@ MC (lo) MC (hi) MM | 72dB (+/- 1dB) 60dB (+/- 1dB) 48dB (+/- 1dB) 36dB (+/- 1dB) |
| AI Sub-sonic filter | Remedies only the 'warp' in LPs | No negative impact to bass response |
| Max Output Voltage (RMS) | 20v RMS bal output into 100k (< 1% THD & N) 13.5V RMS bal output into 600R (< 1% THD & N) |
|
| Output Impedance: | BAL SE | 200 Ohm resistive 100 Ohm resistive |
| Input impedance | MM: 47K Ohms (Load: 110pF) MC High: 47K Ohms MC Low: 1K Ohms MC V Low: 110 Ohms |
|
| Signal/Noise Ratio: | 94dB(A) MM re 2V BAL/1V UNBAL 80dB(unweighted 80kHz BW) MM re 2V BAL/1V UNBAL 84dB(A) MC Hi re 2V BAL/1V UNBAL 71dB(unweighted 80kHz BW) MM re 2V BAL/1V UNBAL 90dB(A) MC lo re 2V BAL/1V UNBAL 79dB(unweighted 80kHz BW) MC lo re 2V BAL/1V UNBAL 79dB(A) MC vlo re 2V BAL/1V UNBAL 69dB(unweighted 80kHz BW) MC vlo re 2V BAL/1V UNBAL |
|
| EIN (equivalent input noise): | 0.6nV|/Hz (unweighted) MC lo/vlo 6.5nV|/Hz (unweighted) MM/MC hi | -151dBV (A weighted) -141dBV (unweighted) -130dBV (A weighted) -119dBV (unweighted) |
| Harmonic Distortion: | < -110dB / 0.0003% MM re 2V BAL/1V UNBAL < -80dB / 0.01% MC lo re 2V BAL/1V UNBAL < -86dB / 0.005% MC vlo re 2V BAL/1V UNBAL |
|
| Dimensions | 160(l) x 113(w) x 35(h) mm 6.3" x 4.4" x 1.4" |
|
| Power Supply: | DC 5V / 500mA | |
| Net weight: | 515g (1.14 Ibs) | |
| Warranty: | 12 months |
Reviews
A big surprise!
“Purchased the iFi ZEN Phono after all the positive reviews. For the money I thought no problem sending it back.
I owned a valve phono amp now priced at £1700. When I compared the two the IFI was clearer and more controlled and for the money it is I believe unbeatable. A big surprise, I have since sold my original phono amp.”
(Click name to read original review)
Just buy one!
“Got this to replace a £200 musical fidelity pre amp and cannot believe how much more clarity it brings to my vinyls. Seems to be less noise than my previous phono amp plus there’s no need to unplug RCA cables when switching from MM to MC cartridges if you’re lucky enough to have both! For £130 it’s an absolute bargain.”
Watch the video on the actual Amazon review for the full effect!
(Click name to read original review)
Wow, what a great phono preamp!
Got a new Fluance R82 turntable. Tried hooking it up to phono input on my Onkyo 696 AV Receiver. Sounded ok. Next hooked it up using the ifi zan preamp. Sound was much better. Really like listening to my old LP records again.
(Click name to read original review)
Nice Upgrade in my System from the Schiit Mani
Easy quick setup. I have only listened to it for 8-10 hours in my system and can tell you it improves as it settles in.
It’s connected to a Fluance RT-85 with 2M Blue Ortafon. It replaced the Schitt Mani phono pre amp. I was impressed with the Mani when it was with the RT-81. Once upgrading to the RT-85, I wanted see if the IFI Zen Phono would push the sound more.
Out the box honestly I was not impressed. By the third track I started hearing clear differences. The sound stage seemed more open as the detail and clarity were clearly better. Horns, drums and acoustics sound more natural. Most importantly in my system the instruments seem to be placed in the right spot. Hard to put my finger on it. It just sounds natural. I am looking forward to how it will ultimately sound.
I do recommend upgrading if you are looking to squeeze out more. The Fluance RT-85 and IFI Zen phono are a great combination.
I have Marrow Audio PH2 phono cables and MA2 interconnects in this system. I have not used the stock cables. Definitely recommend the IFI Zen phono.
(Click name to read original review)
Great bang for the buck
“It is the perfect match for the Nagaoka MP-500 cartridge. The subsonic filter is a welcome addition on some of my less than flat records.”
(Click name to read original review)
A clear bargain
“This flexible little phono amp looks and sounds great and provides flexibility rarely seen at, or near, this price point. Build quality is solid and the fact that it can work with moving coil cartridges is a bonus. A solid recommendation for those moving up from integral phono stages in amps or turntables. It’s no more than a guess but I suspect you might need to spend at least double to better it.”
(Click name to read original review)
