iFi Audio - ZEN Phono

Ifi bring again a good budget friendly product for us. 1st impression straight out the box is very much satisfying. Nice open sound stage and details. Little bit of timing lack, dynamics but i tnk its not burn in yet. The vocal parts also very engaging and live like. A decent instrument separation. And the last thing its subsonic filter helps to reduce rumble / woofer pumping which was not fixes to my other’s 2 phono preamp, this does. Now I’m happy to enjoy my vinyl again.
And lastly what a delivery speed by hpz and bluedart, just one day and the products in to my doorstep, I’m just pleased.

The sound is clean and clear. Main USP is balanced connection to be used with your balanced headgear, as most of stereo stuff is unbalanced. Sounds transparent to me without coloration. YMMV.
I was using a Project MM/MC phono box, it sounds cleaner than it. Has more dynamics and slightly clear sound (veil lifted kind of clear). Can be driven with DC 5v 500mA supply also. Overall a satisfying purchase.

Good record playback equipment has become very expensive with the resurgence of the format. There are few companies who still are conscious about the quality of the equipment they manufacture at reasonable prices. IFi is one such company. All their products right from entry level are very well built and have exceptional specs.
The Zen phono is brilliantly constructed with great packaging. It has just been few days that I have used it and I am already thrilled with its performance. I cannot wait to hear how good it will sound with about 100 hours of break-in.
This backed with HZ's amazing service and delivery timeline has got me assured that good products marketed by good companies still exist, I just had to make the right choice. I am glad that I chose IFi and Headphone zone.. Brilliant!!

Another revelation...thanks to HZ and if!
I got my AT-LP5 with a Pro-Ject Phono Mini from day one, in 2017.
That was a happy combination till I changed my amp to an Audiolab A6000 in 2019. The new amp "supposedly" has a better Phono stage.
It is definitely louder, muscular and forward compared to the Pro-Ject, which isn't a bad thing with typocally low output turnatble characteristics.

Few months back I added an Aunt Hi Res media player and an ifi noise cleaner. Things changed!

The wonderful Audiolab sounded better in every respect, except the Phono part!
As noise floor had come down drastically after the last update, the Phono module's noisiness started bothering my ears a great deal!
As I was certain that the Phono stage was the culprit, I took a gamble and picked up the new ifi Zen Phono.
And, Voila! No noise!
But that's not the only benefit I reaped.
Though way less muscular or powerful than the lab's built in section, this ifi has taken up my Vinyl experience quite a few notches!
One, improved resolution with a noiseless background now allows even the smallest details to come out of my Dali speakers, much like the Aune did. More instruments seem to be joining the tracks on every listen!
Though the timing seemed a bit out during the first few runs, it seemed to have corrected after a month's burn in.
The soundstage is significantly wider now.
Depth, per se does not seem to have improved, but with less muscle / forwardness I'm having to pump in more power out of the lab and that does add depth.
What impressed me, every time though, is the dark background and the sheer delicacy of the ifi presentation!

Lately, I've been only playing my Vinyls...

Thanks HZ and ifi

I was looking for ifi zen phono and it was not available anywhere. And Headphone Zone notified me that it is back in stock with a good price. I ordered it before it went out of stock again and got it with couple of days.
Excellent experience from ordering to delivery.
Any my vinyl records are sounding awesome with ifi zen phono. Amazing product and I highly recommend Headphone Zone and ifi zen.
my 5 stars to both Headphone Zone and ifi zen phono.

A very solid phono preamp. Comparing with the inbuilt preamp on my pioneer amp and my classic Yamaha amp, this sounds extremely dynamic and detailed. While recording, this provides a great gain that is at line level keeping the noise floor very low. However the provided power adapter gives out hum. I am using power bank to run this preamp and the hum isn’t present.

A very good budget friendly product for me. Very much satisfying. Nice open sound stage .The vocal parts also very lifely. Now I’m enjoying my vinyl more n more.
And lastly what a delivery speed by bluedart, just one day to my doorstep.