3:33 Audio tech with 47 years experience here. Your description of the problems caused by very low frequency signals in a stereo system is absolutely correct. But I still don't understand why it is that after seven decades of the audio industry making this mistake, they cannot get the name of the filter right. It is an INFRASONIC filter, not a SUBSONIC filter. Infrasonic means "too low in frequency to be audible," while subsonic means "slower than the speed of sound."
Thanks for the video, my 1983 Chrome Pioneer Turntable still runs as smooth as new, they were made to last...I have another 2 in the garage for back ups too 😊
I'm a real fan of iFi products, having quite a number of them myself. That pre-preamp looked really nice and performs well. However the turntable's preamp sounded pretty good too.
I just placed my order for the zen 3 and added the ifi power 2 5v adapter. Currently i run a schiit mani 2 using a pioneer plx-1000, yamaha a-s701 integrated amp, ortofon 2m blue, wharfedale diamond 12.2 bookshelf speakers and svs pro-1000 sealed sub.
Great vid as always! Many years ago, I tried to record one of my albums on cassette so I could play it in the car, it was one of those Deep Heat dance music compilations from back in the 90’s. Every time I played back my recording from tape I got terrible distortion, it was totally unlistenable no matter what tape I chose. I thought that my cassette deck was faulty initially, but I finally figured out that the pressing was defective in that there was some low-end noise that I’d never heard from my speakers as it was too low down, about 20Hz, it sounded fine to me played straight from the vinyl. However, the cassette recorder was picking it up and it saturated the tape. This is where I could’ve done with a subsonic filter!
@@stanleycostello9610 lol... no kidding. Or a tube amp for a guitar. I have several old record players built from 1957 to 1949 and they all have to warm up. But that's part of the fun... how the radio or music just sort of fades in when you turn them on. Plus it doesn't take that long. My CD player has to think longer to load the CDs than my records player take to warm up lol. Or worse yet... waiting for my printer to start to print. Or a Kuerig coffee maker that has to groan like an old steam ship before it spits the coffee out.
@@lizkrinsky5209 I know. I had two Keurig coffee makers. The first broke when the little thing that pushes down on the top of the pod was broken. The second one I moved into an apartment which has a small kitchen I didn't have room. I gave all of kitchen stuff (along with furniture, TV's, all of the things that I couldn't fit in my apartment) to a church charity. Anyways, have a good Sunday, my friend.
Hi Record-Ology. I know you bought and reviewed the previous version of the iFi Zen Phono … in fact watching that video review of yours was the impetus for me to go and buy one for myself a few years back. Have you done a back to back listen and comparison to the previous version, and also have they addressed the one issue that everyone mentioned about the older version, and increased the length of the power chord as it was woefully short? BTW I am very happy with my one! 👍
Supposedly the Zen 3 has a lower noise floor. I have the Zen 3 but don't own the earlier versions so cannot verify. This video compares the two. th-cam.com/video/poVzw0YPH1w/w-d-xo.html
Why didn’t you use the balanced out on the pre-amp to your recorder? I think that would sound much better. I think the going through the headphone amp would make it worse, not better. I’m also not sure you had the right impedance setting for your cartridge. I have a higher end 1990 turntable & amp with an Ortofon 2M Blue currently… and though the built in amp preamp is really pretty good the iFi Zen 3 made a huge difference for me. I got mine this summer on a good Music Direct sale for about $200 and it way out performs its price for sure!
I can tell a difference. The iFi did sound cleaner with a bit more detail. Still difficult given the limitations of TH-cam and such, even though I am listening to on a pretty nice system. I still think one of the better upgrades one can make is getting a decent external pre-amp for their turntable, especially using these somewhat entry to mid-range AT LP60-type turntables. The built-in pre-amps in those units do work and actually sound pretty good, but I can definitely tell a difference when a good external pre-amp is used. Of course, that also assumes all your up-stream components are also of decent quality (amps/speakers)..
It's not mid range. It's low range. To reach mid range, you would need to pay a lot more. You are using it with the bottom of the range Turntable with an average Phono Stage so the sound should be better. The IFI Phono 3 has four filters which can be switched. Each will give a different sound depending on preference.
If you want to record properly from turntable or line level input, I recommend getting an Audio interface like Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 it has 2 line level inputs with stepless gain. I have seen many using these devices as a TT pre-amp step-ups. Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 is a very common cheap interface and the market is flooded with used ones. I have a 1st generation Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 and it is the ultimate budget device, you can also do this with almost any mixer with gain controls. I know this is more like pro audio stuff, but it works. I also recommnd trying ART DJ Pre II (69€ ) with variable gain.
The ART DJ Pre II is garbage compared to the IFI Zen Phono 3. I know because I just upgraded to the Zen Phono 3 from the ART DJ Pre II. The Zen has a much lower noise floor and richer sound. My turn table is a Audio Technica AT-LP140XP without a built in pre amp and has a ATN-XP7 stylus for reference. The ART DJ Pre 3 is ok for the money but highly recommend the Zen Phono if you can afford it. I had the ART DJ Pre II for about three years. I wish I upgraded sooner.
😢Zen is like day,without Zen night 🌙 I'm very interested,but i purchased the U-turn preamp for tt. it does separate instruments...WoW!! But i have two stereos in the works. It's a Looker
3:33 Audio tech with 47 years experience here. Your description of the problems caused by very low frequency signals in a stereo system is absolutely correct. But I still don't understand why it is that after seven decades of the audio industry making this mistake, they cannot get the name of the filter right. It is an INFRASONIC filter, not a SUBSONIC filter. Infrasonic means "too low in frequency to be audible," while subsonic means "slower than the speed of sound."
To my ears the horns sounded warmer, surrounded better and provided a pleasant non fatigue listening experience with the zen 3
Thanks for the video, my 1983 Chrome Pioneer Turntable still runs as smooth as new, they were made to last...I have another 2 in the garage for back ups too 😊
I'm a real fan of iFi products, having quite a number of them myself. That pre-preamp looked really nice and performs well. However the turntable's preamp sounded pretty good too.
Okay. I notice a significant difference. The built-in pre-amp sounded fine, but the external pressure-amp had a deeper, richer sound. Very nice.
I just placed my order for the zen 3 and added the ifi power 2 5v adapter. Currently i run a schiit mani 2 using a pioneer plx-1000, yamaha a-s701 integrated amp, ortofon 2m blue, wharfedale diamond 12.2 bookshelf speakers and svs pro-1000 sealed sub.
Great vid as always! Many years ago, I tried to record one of my albums on cassette so I could play it in the car, it was one of those Deep Heat dance music compilations from back in the 90’s. Every time I played back my recording from tape I got terrible distortion, it was totally unlistenable no matter what tape I chose. I thought that my cassette deck was faulty initially, but I finally figured out that the pressing was defective in that there was some low-end noise that I’d never heard from my speakers as it was too low down, about 20Hz, it sounded fine to me played straight from the vinyl. However, the cassette recorder was picking it up and it saturated the tape. This is where I could’ve done with a subsonic filter!
You young whippersnappers have not had the experience of waiting for a tube stereo to power up. Hee, hee! Have a good weekend, my friend.
@@stanleycostello9610 lol... no kidding. Or a tube amp for a guitar. I have several old record players built from 1957 to 1949 and they all have to warm up. But that's part of the fun... how the radio or music just sort of fades in when you turn them on. Plus it doesn't take that long. My CD player has to think longer to load the CDs than my records player take to warm up lol. Or worse yet... waiting for my printer to start to print. Or a Kuerig coffee maker that has to groan like an old steam ship before it spits the coffee out.
@@lizkrinsky5209 I know. I had two Keurig coffee makers. The first broke when the little thing that pushes down on the top of the pod was broken. The second one I moved into an apartment which has a small kitchen I didn't have room. I gave all of kitchen stuff (along with furniture, TV's, all of the things that I couldn't fit in my apartment) to a church charity. Anyways, have a good Sunday, my friend.
Hi Record-Ology. I know you bought and reviewed the previous version of the iFi Zen Phono … in fact watching that video review of yours was the impetus for me to go and buy one for myself a few years back. Have you done a back to back listen and comparison to the previous version, and also have they addressed the one issue that everyone mentioned about the older version, and increased the length of the power chord as it was woefully short? BTW I am very happy with my one! 👍
Wonder what’s the improvement over the zen v2 , thanks mark
Supposedly the Zen 3 has a lower noise floor. I have the Zen 3 but don't own the earlier versions so cannot verify. This video compares the two.
th-cam.com/video/poVzw0YPH1w/w-d-xo.html
Why didn’t you use the balanced out on the pre-amp to your recorder? I think that would sound much better. I think the going through the headphone amp would make it worse, not better.
I’m also not sure you had the right impedance setting for your cartridge. I have a higher end 1990 turntable & amp with an Ortofon 2M Blue currently… and though the built in amp preamp is really pretty good the iFi Zen 3 made a huge difference for me. I got mine this summer on a good Music Direct sale for about $200 and it way out performs its price for sure!
I can tell a difference. The iFi did sound cleaner with a bit more detail. Still difficult given the limitations of TH-cam and such, even though I am listening to on a pretty nice system. I still think one of the better upgrades one can make is getting a decent external pre-amp for their turntable, especially using these somewhat entry to mid-range AT LP60-type turntables. The built-in pre-amps in those units do work and actually sound pretty good, but I can definitely tell a difference when a good external pre-amp is used. Of course, that also assumes all your up-stream components are also of decent quality (amps/speakers)..
@@SkiBumMSP yes. Pretty much what I heard. The without sounded fine... but the preamp just gave it more.
It almost sounds like your digital recorder is not recording in stereo. Maybe it's me. But, great review!
I was getting stereo
It's not mid range. It's low range. To reach mid range, you would need to pay a lot more. You are using it with the bottom of the range Turntable with an average Phono Stage so the sound should be better. The IFI Phono 3 has four filters which can be switched. Each will give a different sound depending on preference.
If you want to record properly from turntable or line level input, I recommend getting an Audio interface like Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 it has 2 line level inputs with stepless gain. I have seen many using these devices as a TT pre-amp step-ups. Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 is a very common cheap interface and the market is flooded with used ones. I have a 1st generation Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 and it is the ultimate budget device, you can also do this with almost any mixer with gain controls. I know this is more like pro audio stuff, but it works. I also recommnd trying ART DJ Pre II (69€ ) with variable gain.
The ART DJ Pre II is garbage compared to the IFI Zen Phono 3. I know because I just upgraded to the Zen Phono 3 from the ART DJ Pre II. The Zen has a much lower noise floor and richer sound. My turn table is a Audio Technica AT-LP140XP without a built in pre amp and has a ATN-XP7 stylus for reference. The ART DJ Pre 3 is ok for the money but highly recommend the Zen Phono if you can afford it. I had the ART DJ Pre II for about three years. I wish I upgraded sooner.
😢Zen is like day,without Zen night 🌙 I'm very interested,but i purchased the U-turn preamp for tt. it does separate instruments...WoW!!
But i have two stereos in the works. It's a Looker
Personally, they sounded exactly the same. So I guessed I've saved myself $250. Lol.
for me, too.
Can not for the life of me understand using an absolute crap turntable to test a premium preamp ????
The lp 60 “absolute crap!??” Educate me on what it does that makes it crap.