To complete the Zen line up Ifi Audio have released the new Zen Phono. A fully switchable MM/MC Phono stage with a balanced circuit design, switchable gain and a unique sub sonic filter. Genuinely, we cannot think of another Phono stage as well specc'ed as this at the price.
| 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 |
| 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 | | 158 x117 x35 mm
6.2" x 4.6" x 1.4" |
| Power Supply: | | DC 5V / 500mA |
| Net weight: | | 515g (1.14 Ibs) |
| Warranty: | | 12 months |
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.
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 classic LC filtering circuits as found in classic tube amplifiers. 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.
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.
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!
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.
The intelligent sub-sonic filter is from the iPhono range and is quite special.
Normal sub-sonic filters remove ‘rumble’ and bass and add phase issues.
Our unique AI phono sub-sonic filter removes ‘rumble’ only.
