{"product_id":"ifi-zen-phono-desktop-phono-stage","title":"iFi ZEN Phono Desktop MM\/MC Phono Stage - Discontinued","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFall in Love with your LPS all over again\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePedigree. Performance. Peerless.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLPS + ZEN = Magical Combo.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou’ve spent years building your dream LP collection. We know because we have done the same!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ZEN Phono is a wonderful enhancement to your vinyl setup. It will max out every MM\/MC cartridge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChoc full of AMR\/iFi trickle-down vinyl technology, it will have you poring over your LPs into the wee, small hours.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpec’d to make you Smile\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnlike any other entry-level phono stage. The ZEN Phono has:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMM\/MC from 36dB \u0026gt;72dB gain. Super-silent noise floor -151dBV\u003cbr\u003ePrecise RIAA with Balanced output, performance comparable to +$1k phono stages \u003cbr\u003eAI sub-sonic filter. Addresses warp without eliminating bass or causing phase issues\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHissless Whisper\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFlagship 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnusually, 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJust super clean +\/- 12V DC.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMeasured EIN (Equivalent Input Noise) is -151dBV. It is 20dBV quieter than some Stereophile Class A+ phonos which are -131dBV.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMil-Spec RIAA\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlready 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe RIAA EQ tolerance level (+\/- 0.15dB) is impressive as it is en par with hand-selected capacitors!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWith Great Circuit comes Great Components\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eScroll down for more on the most consequential circuit highlights\/boutique components.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSuper Sub-Sonic\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe intelligent sub-sonic filter is from the iPhono range and is quite special.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNormal sub-sonic filters remove ‘rumble’ AND bass and cause phase issues.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur unique AI phono sub-sonic filter removes ‘rumble’ only.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFeatures:\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWith 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\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBalanced 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\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAs 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\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePanasonic 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\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTexas 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\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTDK C0G (Class 1 ceramic) capacitors offer high stability and low losses for resonant circuit applications. They are pricey but are a perfect addition to our products\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003emuRata 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\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications:\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGain Settings:\u003c\/strong\u003e MC (v lo)@ 72 dB (+\/- 1 dB); MC (lo) 60 dB (+\/- 1 dB); MC (hi) 48 dB (+\/- 1 dB); MM 36 dB (+\/- 1 dB)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAI Sub-sonic Filter:\u003c\/strong\u003e Remedies only the 'warp' in LPs No negative impact to bass response\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMax Output Voltage (RMS):\u003c\/strong\u003e 20V RMS bal output into 100k (\u0026lt; 1% THD \u0026amp; N); 13.5V RMS bal output into 600R (\u0026lt; 1% THD \u0026amp; N)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOutput Impedance:\u003c\/strong\u003e BAL: 200 Ω resistive; SE: 100 Ω resistive\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInput Impedance:\u003c\/strong\u003e MM: 47K Ω; MC High: 47K Ω; MC Low: 1.4K Ω; MC V Low: 110 Ω\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSignal\/Noise Ratio:\u003c\/strong\u003e 94 dB(A) MM re 2V BAL\/1V UNBAL; 80 dB(unweighted 80 kHz BW) MM re 2V BAL\/1V UNBAL; 84 dB(A) MC Hi re 2V BAL\/1V UNBAL; 71 dB(unweighted 80 kHz BW) MM re; 2V BAL\/1V UNBAL; 90 dB(A) MC lo re 2V BAL\/1V UNBAL; 79 dB(unweighted 80 kHz BW) MC lo re 2V BAL\/1V UNBAL; 79 dB(A) MC vlo re 2V BAL\/1V UNBAL; 69 dB(unweighted 80 kHz BW) MC vlo re 2V BAL\/1V UNBAL\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEIN (Equivalent Input Noise):\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.6nV|\/Hz (unweighted) MC lo\/vlo: -151 dBV (A weighted); -141 dBV (unweighted)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEIN (Equivalent Input Noise):\u003c\/strong\u003e 6.5nV|\/Hz (unweighted) MM\/MC hi: -130 dBV (A weighted); -119 dBV (unweighted)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHarmonic Distortion:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u0026lt; -110 dB \/ 0.0003% MM re 2V BAL\/1V UNBAL; \u0026lt; -80 dB \/ 0.01% MC lo re 2V BAL\/1V UNBAL; \u0026lt; -86 dB \/ 0.005% MC vlo re 2V BAL\/1V UNBAL\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 158 x 117 x 35 mm (6.2\" x 4.6\" x 1.4\")\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePower Supply:\u003c\/strong\u003e DC 5V \/ 500mA\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNet Weight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 515g (1.14 Ibs)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWarranty:\u003c\/strong\u003e 12 months\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"iFi","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":37695075549374,"sku":"Zen Phono (US)","price":199.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0065\/4432\/6771\/products\/ZEN-phono-1x.jpg?v=1759442207","url":"https:\/\/audio46.mom\/products\/ifi-zen-phono-desktop-phono-stage","provider":"Audio46 Headphone Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}