Фонокорректоры — iFi Audio ZEN Air Phono 2

The ZEN Air Phono 2 is a small MM and MC phono preamplifier from iFi audio, the British brand behind the ZEN desktop range. It went on sale on 30 April 2026 at USD 129, GBP 129, EUR 149 or CAD 189, launched together with the ZEN Air Blue 2 Bluetooth receiver and the ZEN Air DAC 2 desktop DAC and headphone amplifier. iFi presents it as an upgrade over the phono stages built into turntables and amplifiers.

Key specs that matter

The MM mode provides 40 dB of gain, while MC mode gives 64 dB, each held within one decibel of the nominal figure. RIAA equalisation is held within plus or minus 0.15 dB between 20 Hz and 20 kHz. Equivalent input noise is quoted at -146 dBV in MC mode and -126 dBV A-weighted in MM mode, and the signal-to-noise ratio for MM is 86 dB A-weighted. THD plus noise is under 0.005% (under -90 dB) with MM cartridges and at 0.036% (under -80 dB) with MC. Channel separation exceeds 75 dB, and the maximum output is 6.5 V RMS. The unit draws less than 1.8 W. The case measures 158 x 117 x 35 mm and weighs 323 g.

Engineering and use context

The two channels follow a symmetrical layout, which iFi says gives some of the benefits of balanced circuitry, such as lower crosstalk and better channel separation, without a fully balanced design. The gain stages use custom OV series operational amplifiers. The company describes the power supply as a high-current design that is carefully isolated from the audio circuit. An in-house designed Intelligent Subsonic Filter is included to deal with record warp and rumble, and iFi states that it does this without removing bass content or adding group delay. Power arrives through a USB-C interface, and a USB to DC cable is supplied in the box. The manufacturer warranty runs 12 months, extended to 24 months in the EU.

Pairing

The turntable connects to a pair of RCA inputs, and a separate ground terminal accepts the earth wire from the tonearm. A second pair of RCA sockets connects to a line-level input of the amplifier or receiver. Switching between the MM and MC gain modes lets one box work with either cartridge type. Within the same generation, iFi offers the ZEN Air DAC 2 for digital sources and headphones and the ZEN Air Blue 2 for Bluetooth streaming.

Alternatives

The iFi ZEN Phono 3 is a step up with four gain settings from 36 to 72 dB, adjustable loading and a 4.4 mm balanced output.