iFi sent over the Zen Phono Preamp, the Zen Phono 3. This is the latest version of their Zen Phono amp improving upon the previous generation Zen Phono with added features and better sound. The MSRP of the Zen Phono 3 is a very affordable $249.00 (U.S.) meaning just about anyone can add one to their analog setup. For that price, you get a good range of features including support for MM and MC in hi, lo, and very lo output variants. You also get loading options, which is not a feature found on many entry-level phono stages. All that said, it’s no secret that I have been a big fan of iFi and all their products, they offer exceptional performance for the money so let’s see if the Zen Phono 3 will continue the legacy.
Unboxing and Setup
iFi has really nice packaging for their products that does a great job of keeping everything safe in transit and also offering a premium experience when first opening your new device. Once you have everything out of the box it’s time for setup, which is super straightforward, you just need to connect the RCAs from your arm to the input and then a pair of RCAs to your preamp. On the back, you will see the gain option, choose what best fits your cartridge whether it be an MM or MC then hi, lo, or very lo output. Next, turn it on and select the loading you want to use, typically this will be what the manufacturer of the cartridge recommends but you can certainly try different loading to see what sounds best to you. Now you’re off to the races and ready to spin your favorite album.
Sound
What you get for 250 bucks in impressive, I used this with an analog setup that cost around 30 times that of the Zen Phono 3 and loved the sound I got. Initially listening to my VPI Prime with the Wand 10″ arm and a ZYX Bloom Exceed Cartridge which really should be out of the Zens league, but it kept up very well. There is no doubt that better phono stages would let my setup shine even more, but I also wouldn’t mind having the Zen as my phono stage. I own the Pyxi from SOTA and it is a lot like the Zen in that it is an incredible value at 300 bucks, and I think both of these products prove you don’t have to spend a year’s salary to get good sound.
The Zen Phono 3 is very clean sounding, with a low noise floor of -151dBV, meaning if you have clean quality recordings and the rest of your analog chain is up to the task you will have crystal clear sound. I played a variety of albums, including newer and older recordings I have and in cases where the pressing itself was clean the sound had the clarity of hi-res digital sources. I got plenty of detail from my albums which makes sense with the level of clarity, meaning all the tiny sounds that create the ambiance of a song were recreated accurately. I was also pleased with the texture of acoustic albums in which the instruments sounded very lifelike and present in my listening space.
As for the Subsonic Filter, I don’t really have any records with any noticeable warp to test it, however, I listened with it on and off I wasn’t able to hear any audible difference on fairly flat records, so I don’t believe it is pulling back any bass, meaning I imagine it should work well on warped records, but I can not confirm for certain.
One of the new records I was excited to play as I had just gotten it, was “Typical of Me” by Laufey. Laufey being one of my favorite artists of all time, I was thrilled to have found this on vinyl and knew it had to be part of the review. She has an incredible classic sound that transports you back in time with just a bit of a modern twist. The instruments had such detail and nuance as to make them lifelike. Her vocals are unlike anyone else I have heard. She has an unmistakable sound that will really shine on a quality system. The Zen does a great job reproducing her vocals especially when you consider the price.
Pyxi vs Zen Phono 3
Both of these products offer similar feature sets, with the Zen having a couple of extras such as the smart subsonic filter and the gain switch, and finally balanced output via a 4.4mm TRRRS jack. So with extra features and 50 bucks cheaper is the iFi a better value? Well if you look simply at features, yes it is, you get more for less money, but features aren’t everything so let’s see how they compare sonically to see if perhaps giving up some features gets you better overall sound. I will say in terms of features, the subsonic filter is less of a selling point for me, only because I don’t have a massive collection of older or warped records I would like to play, but I can see how it would be a great feature for those of us who buy and collect a lot of vintage or hard to find older albums.
Zen Phono 3
I played a few favorites with the Zen as well as an album from Falling in Reverse, Popular Monster, which is admittedly not in my normal rotation but I have to say I enjoyed the blend of rap, metal, and alternative. It has a great mix of fast blast beats and rhythmic choruses that really exercise the system and put pressure on all the electronics. At no point did I feel like the Zen was struggling to keep up. Every note was articulated well and had space. The last song on the album is a cover of Last Resort in an orchestral style that has great depth and detail. I loved how it sounded on the Zen, the piano sounded very natural and imaged well giving a 3D stage where Ronnie presented in front of it and the other instruments, and each piece seemed to have air between them.
I also played The National’s “The First Two Pages of Frankenstein” which is an all-time favorite of mine. I enjoyed how the Zen performed with this album as well. It is a very different sound to Falling in Reverse being a slower airy indie album with a focus on the songwriting and vocals. Overall the vocals are good on the Zen as it has a fairly lush midrange that helps put the singer out front.
Pyxi
I played back FIR’s cover of Last Resort to see how the Pyxi compared and the spatial aspects were very very comparable. Both phono stages have good imaging. In comparing the song between the two, I think I like the top end of the Pyxi a bit more. The High-hats, Cymbal crashes, and similar notes had a bit more sparkle. Though I think the bass and midbass are better on the Zen, I would say the better of the two would probably come down to your priorities in sound as well as synergy with your system. If you need help in the bass department the Zen may be a better fit whereas if you are looking for some more sparkle perhaps the Pyxi may suit you better.
Sound Cont.
After hours and hours and loads of albums, I found that I really like the Zen Phono 3, I liked the original and this improves upon it in a couple of ways, firstly in the feature set, and secondly the sound quality is better as well, though I can’t really do a direct comparison as my system has also changed since I reviewed the original. However, looking over my listening notes the Zen 3 seems to follow in the footsteps of the OG yet now I am using it with a much better analog system, and it goes to show how much of a value this unit is. I thought the first Zen Phono was great with an entry-level table and the Zen 3 is great with a much higher-end analog setup. I played a wide variety of genres of music to see if there were any cracks in the armor and there weren’t any. While I prefer the Pyxi for the top end, that is a minor preference and only one piece of the music. The Pyxi isn’t way ahead in that department, it just has an edge over the Zen and I would imagine it comes down to how each is applying the RIAA curve. Really, the choice of one over the other would be more of a personal preference than one being outright better sounding. I would like to own both for playing different types of music that can play to their strengths, and it also allows me to easily use two tonearms as I have been.
Pros and Cons:
Pros:
- Affordable and Compact
- 4 Loading options
- MC and MM support
- Hi, Lo and Very Lo output MC support
- Easy to use
- Subsonic Filter
Cons:
- None at this price point
Specs:
- Analog Input: RCA
- Analog Output: 4.4mm BAL | RCA
- Gain: MM: 36dB | MC HIGH: 48dB | MC LOW: 60dB | MC V-LOW: 72dB
- Frequency Response: BAL 20Hz-80kHz (-3dB) | SE 20Hz-20kHz (-0.15dB)
- Channel Separation: >75dB (1kHz all modes)
- Max Output Voltage (RMS)
- 4.4mm BAL: 100kΩ: ≥19.98V | 600Ω: ≥12.75V (THD+N <1%)
- RCA: 100kΩ: ≥10.07V | 600Ω: 7.94V (THD+N <1%)
- Output Impedance: 4.4mm BAL 200Ω | RCA 100Ω
- Input Impedance: MM/MC HIGH: 100pF or 200pF (47kΩ) | MC LOW/MC V-LOW: 1kΩ or 400Ω or 100Ω
- SNR (2V BAL, 1V RCA)
- MM: 91dB (A)/82dB (unweighted 80kHz BW)
- MC HIGH: 81dB (A)/71dB (unweighted 80kHz BW)
- MC LOW: 89.6dB (A)/80dB (unweighted 80kHz BW)
- MC V-LOW: 78.6dB (A)/69dB (unweighted 80kHz BW)
- Harmonic Distortion (2V BAL, 1V RCA @ 600Ω)
- MM: <-91dB/0.0027%
- MC HIGH: <-80dB/0.0095%
- MC LOW: <-70dB/0.031%
- MC V-LOW: <-73dB/0.022%
- Power Supply Req: DC 5V / 0.5A (centre + ve)
- Power Consumption: No Signal ~ 1.5W | Max Signal ~ 1.8W
- Dimensions: 6.2″ x 4.6″ x 1.4″
- Weight: 1 lb
Associated Gear
- VPI Prime with VPI 3d Unipivot (10″) and Wand Unipivot (10″)
- Ortofon 2M Red, Blue and Bronze
- Ortofon Quintet Red
- ZYX Bloom Exceed
- SOTA Pyxi
- Advance Paris My Connect 250
- Marantz SR7009
- McIntosh MC250
- Onkyo M5140
- Sonus Faber Sonetto V
- Magnepan LRS+
- Paradigm Defiance V8
- Synergystic Foundation SX loom (Gold and Purple tuning discs)
- Synergystic Powercell 8SX
Price: $249.00 U.S.
Conclusion
For 250 dollars it’s hard to go wrong with the Zen Phono 3, the performance is beyond its price point and can be your go-to phono stage as you upgrade your other components for some time. It’s also a worthwhile upgrade for owners of the original. It also comes packed with features not found on any other phono near its price point such as balanced output. I would have no issue adding it to my current system as my second phono stage alongside my SOTA Pyxi. It does just everything well, while the Pyxi has, in my opinion, a better top end, I don’t think the Zen sounds bad at all in the higher registers. It sounds better than the integrated in my Marantz, and will likely be better than the phono stage in many entry-level integrated amplifiers so if you are looking to up your analog game without breaking the bank, the iFi Audio Zen Phono 3 needs to be on your list to give a listen to.
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Disclaimer:
iFi Audio Provided Hifi Chicken with a Zen Phono 3 for the purpose of this review, iFi nor any affiliate paid in part or full in exchange for this review.