Ifi Audio Zen Phono 3 phono stage
In the world of audio separates, the vast majority of electronic devices are housed in some form of 17inch (430mm) wide box. The height and depth may vary, but the width is generally the same. Of course some manufacturers have managed to get all the necessary components into smaller enclosures, often half that standard width. Then in 2012, along came iFi Audio and they took a very different approach, which in the ensuing 13 years has garnered a substantial following. IFi has stuck to its guns and continues to make products that defy the boring standard yet offer a compelling price/performance ratio to the canny buyer.
The Zen Phono 3 arrived with me and supplanted my usual two box phono stage on the second shelf of my venerable Quadraspire XL rack. Above it stood the mighty Michell Orbe SE, which I have already reviewed here, and below, three more supersized components; the Yamaha CD-S3000, the Primaluna EVO300 Hybrid integrated amplifier and on the bottom shelf the Shunyata Research Hydra Delta 6 mains distribution unit. The Zen Phono 3 looked so tiny in the context of the rest of the system that it caused some merriment among visitors and even Mrs K, a civilian when it comes to audio, commented.
What exactly is the Zen Phono 3
The diminutive lozenge-shaped Zen Phono 3 is 3.5cm (1.4”) high and weighs just 456g. The front panel has a power button, a circular display which shows whether the unit is set for a moving magnet or a moving coil cartridge, for which there are three choices marked High, Low and V Low. On the right of that is another push button that allows the load to be varied to accommodate a wide variety of cartridges. The last push button on the left switches the Subsonic Filter in and out.
The rear panel has a 4.4mm balanced headphone socket, right and left output sockets on RCA connections, an earthing/grounding pin and a pair of RCA inputs for the turntable. To the right of that is a four position switch marked Gain and numbered 1, 2,3, and 4. The legend above says that 1 is for MM, 2 is for MC High, 3 for MC Low and 4 for MC V Low. Finally we have the input for the 5V DC wall-wart power supply.
I connected the Orbe SE cables to the grounding pin and input sockets, and a pair of Vertere Redline RCA interconnect cables to the output sockets. The Orbe SE’s Tecnoarm was fitted with Michell’s own Cusis S MC cartridge so I split the difference between the three MC settings and went for the Low option. I inserted the power supply plug and we were ready to go. Or not! I had been holding the Zen Phono 3 as I performed all these tasks, and then I gently lowered it on the shelf. As I watched, it slid with some elegance to the rear of the shelf, stopping short of actually losing its grip altogether and plunging into the snake pit behind the rack. It simply did not have the weight to resist the weight of the cables to which it was attached, so for the entire review it stood quietly at the back, working perfectly but avoiding the limelight, reminding me of the drummer in a band; furthest from the crowd but absolutely essential to the performance. I pressed the power button and the lights came on where I expected them, so we were good to go.
The rest of the system involved in the review were the previously mentioned Primaluna EVO 300 Hybrid integrated amplifier and my Harbeth Compact ESXD speakers, which had only recently been upgraded to the new XDII specification.
Zen Phono 3 in action
My plan was to let the unit have an afternoon playing music to warm up and settle into its new surroundings. The record storage cube nearest to the system is where I keep almost all my Rolling Stones and Beatles albums, with Neil Young records filling what little space remains. I closed my eyes and reached to the top cube and my fingers alighted on the remastered version of Rubber Soul. I went through my pre-playing ceremony (Zerostat gun and Audioquest brush) and lowered the stylus onto side one, fully intending to leave the room and do something useful. As the first few notes of Drive My Car rang out my steps turned towards the listening chair and my well-intentioned plans were scuppered.
I sat down and marvelled at the quality of sound pouring from the speakers. The tiny Zen Phono 3 was punching so far above its weight that if it was an actual fight the referee would have stepped in and demanded an immediate drug test on the tiny contestant. Sixty years after I first heard them via my parents decidedly low-fi system (the brand was Elizabethan as I recall), John, Paul, George and Ringo were right there in my home, playing their hearts out for me. Was it as good as my Gold Note phono stage? At that moment the question was irrelevant because I was tasked with reviewing the iFi, and on that first afternoon with it I was completely won over.
The second album that fell to hand was my original 1972 copy of Neil Young’s Harvest, which has also stood the test of time incredibly well. This was the great Canadian’s fourth solo album and was the one that catapulted him into mainstream consciousness, and remains to this day his best selling album. I hadn’t played this record for some time, and had forgotten just what an incredible piece of work it is. The intricacies of the acoustic playing as well as the lush symphonic setting of the song guaranteed to set any feminist’s teeth on edge, A Man Needs A Maid, were conveyed with just the right weight, delicacy and musicality.
Over the next days the little iFi was stress-tested with all sorts of musical genres, from Shpongle to Beethoven via ZZ Top, JJ Cale and all sorts of others from my collection. One feature of the Zen Phono 3 which iFi highlight is the switchable subsonic filter built into the circuitry. Such filters have not often found favour with the cognoscenti, as they have a reputation for eradicating bass as well as unwanted noise. I switched the filter on when I played one of my records which I know to be not quite flat, a condition whose unwanted added effects the filter is designed to eradicate. I can report that this really worked. A record played back pretty much flawlessly even though the rise and fall of the tonearm illustrated the magnitude of the warping. This might also be the moment to comment on the fact that the Zen Phono 3 passed the ‘ear to speaker’ test with flying colours. My ear was greeted with inky black silence when I listened right next to the drive units.
Summing up
I was a little late getting to write this report, and got a very polite gentle nudge from somebody at iFi, enquiring when they might see it appear in this august publication. “Do you have any questions?” I was asked. I replied thus “Yes I have two. How do you make this little box sound so good and how can you do it for the price?”. The questions were rhetorical but intended get to the heart of things. The current UK retail price for the Zen Phono 3 is £250, which represents astonishingly good value for money. It should be the first upgrade purchase of anybody who is just getting into vinyl replay, who has perhaps started to enjoy what their new turntable offers them and are beginning to wonder how to get it sounding even better. They probably have a moving magnet cartridge and are using the phono stage built into their amplifier. For them, the Zen Phono 3 is the very obvious next step. That is of course just one case. I am certain that many of you reading this will think of others.
In the thirteen years since iFi came into being, they have been innovating and creating wonderful sounding, budget conscious and very tiny audio jewels. They have DACs and headphone amplifiers and all sorts of other goodies in their current product line-up. The Zen Phono 3 is a very fine piece of audio equipment. It is easy to use, and an aural delight. Highly recommended and a genuine audio bargain too.