iFi Audio ZEN PHONO 3 Desktop Phono Stage Preamplifier

ZEN PHONO 3 Desktop Phono Stage Preamplifier, by iFi Audio.

In a world where modern technology is ever-evolving, simplicity and connection are what we crave most. Nothing demonstrates this quite like the familiar act of picking your favourite LP, hearing the soft crackle before it starts, and sharing a story or two with friends as you listen together.

If this is the type of connection you crave, then a well-designed phono stage is integral for your vinyl setup. It takes the subtle whispers of your cartridge and amplifies them hundreds of times, making your vinyl’s magic compatible with headphones, amps, receivers and speakers. The ZEN Phono 3 opens the door to that analogue world with style and substance. With an intelligent warp filter and versatile loading options, you will be able to hear your over-loved LPs as new and fully experiment with your system setup.

Packed with trickle-down technology from iFi Audio's prestigious history with sister company AMR, the ZEN Phono 3 is a noise-free upgrade that will allow you to slip seamlessly back into the blissful world of vinyl.

Standard subsonic filters aren’t intelligent and are typically loathed by audiophiles. They filter not only the bass rumble from warped records but also the bass of the song. The ZEN Phono 3 features an intelligent subsonic filter knows the difference between the two and only filters the warp, leaving the song completely intact, and without adding group delay.

ZEN Phono 3 supports four MM/MC gain selections from 36 to 72dB and four input impedance settings. Mix and match gain and loading settings independently of each other with the all-new loading button, ensuring optimum compatibility with a wide range of cartridges and allowing you to get the sound just right.

At the vinyl mastering stage, records are pressed with an inverse RIAA equalisation curve applied. This needs to be undone on playback by the phono stage to reveal the magic of the music.

The RIAA EQ circuitry of ZEN Phono 3 uses multiple TDK C0G capacitors in parallel. This is for best stability and the least distortion. This allows for ZEN Phono 3’s RIAA playback equalisation curve to be within +/- 0.15dB tolerance from 20-20kHz, allowing you to hear your records more accurately than ever before. Its RIAA accuracy is on-par with more costly phono stages that use hand-selected capacitors.

Features

• Supports four MC / MM gain selections from 36 dB to 72 dB, and four input impedance settings.
• Intelligent subsonic filter removes only the ultra-low frequencies caused by warps.
• EIN (Equivalent Input Noise) of -151 dBV surpasses some Class A+ models by 20 dBV.
• Precise RIAA with balanced output, performance matches that of far more expensive phono stages.
• Internal high-tech 1.2 MHz clean power supply, rivalling classic tube amplifier LC filtering circuits.

Specifications

• Input: RCA
• Gain settings MC (v lo): 72 dB (+/- 1 dB)
• Gain settings MC (lo): 60 dB (+/- 1 dB)
• Gain settings MC (hi): 48 dB (+/- 1 dB)
• Gain settings MM: 36 dB (+/- 1 dB)
• Line Output: BAL 4.4 mm / UnBAL RCA
• Output Power (RMS): Balanced >19.98 V @ 100 kΩ (THD+N <1 %); UnBAL >10.07 V @ 100 kΩ (THD+N <1 %)
• SNR: MM 91 dB(A); MC High 71 dB(A); MC Low 89.6 dB(A); MC V Low 78.6 dB(A)
• Equivalent Input Noise: MM-127 dBV(A); MC High -129 dBV(A); MC Low -149.6 dBV(A); MC V Low -150.6 dBV(A)
• Harmonic Distortion: MM <0.0027 % @ 600 Ω; MC High <0.0095 % @ 600 Ω; MC Low <0.031 % @ 600 Ω; MC V Low <0.022 % @ 600 Ω
• Output Impedance: <200 Ω BAL; <100 Ω UnBAL
• Frequency Response: 20-80 kHz (-3 dB) BAL; 20 Hz -20 kHz (-0.15 dB) UnBAL
• Dimensions: 158 x 113 x 35 mm
• Weight: 456 g

Included

• 1 x iFi Audio ZEN Phono 3.
• 1 x Power Adapter.
• 1 x RCA Cable.
• 1 x User Manual.
• 1 x Instruction Card.

More Information

• ZEN PHONO 3, by iFi Audio