iFi Audio - ZEN Phono

Improve your existing vinyl set-up with the iFi audio ZEN Phono. This phono stage features some of the tech used in the ultra-fidelity AMR PH-77 and iFi iPhono siblings. It packs some seriously awesome audio components and circuitry that's going to keep you wanting to listen to just 'one' more song.

Unlike other entry-level phono stages, the ZEN Phono uses MM/MC, high/low and very low, to handle just about any cartridge. Expect a gain that goes from 36dB till 72dB while retaining a super-silent noise floor of -151dBV. No matter how big your set-up grows, the ZEN Phono will always be there for you.

Here's good news for those who don't want to compromise on the bass. Normal sub-sonic filters tend to get rid of the bass while removing the rumble. The ZEN Phono uses an AI sub-sonic filter that addresses these rumble and wrap issues without having any effect on the bass or causing phase issues.

The iFi ZEN Phono has an incredible RIAA EQ tolerance level (+/- 0.15dB) that's on par with hand-selected capacitors. This is thanks to the parallel TDK C0G (Class 1 ceramic) capacitors in the EQ circuit. These capacitors offer high stability and low distortion and are better than polystyrene capacitors. The end result: Performance that's better than phono stages worth over a thousand dollars.

Flagship phono amplifiers create their own power supply off the mains, like a mains regenerator. Doing away with this would result in extra hissing and noise along with the signal. The ZEN Phono uses its own high-tech 1.2MHz clean power supply (20,000x mains frequency of 60Hz). This means a 10uF filtering capacitor = 200,000uF at lower, audible frequencies. This is equivalent to the level of noise filtration done by the highly effective LC filtering circuits found in classic Tube Amps. Furthermore, the PCB is isolated to prevent noise pollution in the analogue stage. This is quieter than some Stereophile Class A+ phonos which are -131dBV.

The iFi ZEN Phono uses high-end circuit components. The balanced circuit (almost unheard of at this price point) is effective in reducing noise and crosstalk and is much more superior in comparison to the traditional single-ended circuit approach. A custom OV Series operational-amplifier contributes to the extremely low noise, low distortion (0.0001%) and wide bandwidth. The Panasonic ECPU capacitors are made from 3,500 layers of ultra-thin dielectrics that's less than 0.5μm thick. It offers class-leading Equivalent Series Resistance (ESR), low impedance and vanishingly low distortion.