iFi Audio has introduced the ZEN Air Phono 2, an entry-level phono preamp designed for vinyl listeners who need more flexibility and better accuracy than what most built in solutions deliver. Building on the original ZEN Air Phono, this updated model tightens RIAA equalization for improved sonic precision and adds broader cartridge compatibility, supporting both moving magnet and moving coil designs.
The timing makes sense. Vinyl continues to attract new listeners, but the hardware they are plugging into often lags behind. Most budget integrated amplifiers and A/V receivers offer only a basic MM phono stage, and the performance is usually average at best. MC support is almost nonexistent at this level. At the same time, powered Bluetooth speakers rarely include a phono input at all, and the few that do tend to treat it as an afterthought. Products like the ZEN Air Phono 2 fill that gap, giving turntable owners a straightforward way to get proper gain, accurate RIAA playback, and a cleaner signal path without overspending.
The ZEN Air Phono 2
Key Features
MM and MC Cartridge Support: Unlike most stereo and AV receivers that include a basic phono input limited to moving magnet cartridges, the ZEN Air Phono 2 supports both moving magnet and moving coil designs, offering broader compatibility for users who may upgrade cartridges over time.
RIAA Equalization: Vinyl records are cut using inverse RIAA equalization, which must be accurately reversed during playback. The ZEN Air Phono 2 applies iFi Audio’s RIAA curve with a stated +/-0.15 dB tolerance, ensuring proper tonal balance and more accurate reproduction of the original recording.
Adjustable Gain: Turntable cartridges are available in moving magnet and moving coil designs, and while both convert the groove information into an electrical signal, their output levels differ significantly. The ZEN Air Phono 2 includes switchable gain settings to properly match each type, with 40 dB for MM and 64 dB for MC, ensuring appropriate signal level and system compatibility.
Rumble: Warped records can introduce low frequency noise, often referred to as rumble, during playback. Many phono stages include a subsonic filter to reduce this, but those filters can also affect low frequency information. As a result, some listeners prefer to avoid them, especially if they are concerned about preserving bass response.
Subsonic Filter Design: Since 2012, iFi Audio has addressed this issue with its own subsonic filter design. By accounting for how records are cut and replayed, the circuit treats vertical and lateral groove information differently, targeting warp-related artifacts while aiming to preserve low frequency content and avoid additional phase issues.
Noise: The noise floor of many built in phono stages can be audible even in modest systems, often sitting high enough to mask low level detail in the recording. The result is reduced resolution and a less accurate presentation of the music.
The ZEN Air Phono 2 provides a super-silent noise floor with an EIN (Equivalent Input Noise) of -151dBV. This results in the ZEN Air Phono pushing noise far below the music itself, revealing greater details and subtlety in your favourite records. It achieves this through an innovative high-current power supply design, carefully isolated from the amplification stage.
Channel Symmetry: The Zen Air Phono 2’s circuitry supports symmetrical channel layout. The ZEN Air Phono 2 offers similar benefits to balanced circuitry, such as lower crosstalk and improved channel separation. This type of circuitry design is very rare in phono stages at this price point – and iFi reinforces this design with premium components, including custom OV series operational amplifiers.
Specifications Compared
| iFi Model | ZEN Air Phono 2 (2026) | ZEN Air Phono (2022) |
| Product Type | Phono Preamp | Phono Preamp |
| Price | $129 | $99 |
| Frequency Response | 20-20kHz (±0.15dB) | 20Hz -20kHz (±0.15dB) |
| Channel Separation | >75dB (1kHz, all modes) | > 75dB (1kHz all modes) |
| Max. Output Voltage | 6.5V RMS | 6.5V RMS 600Ω (<1% THD & N) |
| Gain | MM 40dB MC 64dB | MM 40dB MC 64dB |
| Input Impedance | MM 47kΩ MC1kΩ | MM 47kΩ MC 1kΩ |
| Output Impedance | 100Ω | 100Ω |
| SNR | MM (30db ±1dB) 86dB (A-weighted) re 1V MC (64dB ±1dB) 40dB (A-weighted) re 1V | MM (40dB ±1dB):86dB (A-weighted) re 1V MC (64dB ±1dB):82dB (A-weighted) re 1V |
| EIN (Equivalent Input Noise) | MM 6.5nV | /Hz (unweighted); -126dBV (A-weighted) MC 0.6nV | /Hz (unweighted); -146dBV (A-weighted) | MM 6.5nV | /Hz (unweighted); -130dBV (A-weighted) MC 0.6nV | /Hz (unweighted); -151dBV (A-weighted) |
| Total Harmonic Distortion | MM <-90dB / 0.005% re 1V MC <-80dB / 0.036% re 1V | MM (40dB ±1dB):86dB (A-weighted) re 1V MC (64dB ±1dB):82dB (A-weighted) re 1V |
| Power Requirements | DC 5V/1A (centre +ve) | DC 5V/1A (centre +ve) |
| Power Consumption | <1.8W | <1.8W |
| Dimensions | 158 x 100 x 35 mm 6.2” x 3.9” x 1.4” | 158 x 117 x 35 mm 6.2″ x 4.6″ x 1.4″ |
| Net Weight | 323g (0.72 lbs) | 320g (0.71 lbs) |
The Bottom Line
The ZEN Air Phono 2 lands exactly where it needs to at $129. Its biggest advantage is straightforward: very few phono preamps at this price offer both MM and MC support with usable gain, tighter RIAA accuracy, and a thoughtful approach to noise and rumble. That alone makes it more flexible than most built in phono stages and a lot of entry level outboard options.
What it doesn’t offer is just as clear. There’s no provision for adjustable cartridge loading, no balanced connections, and only a single set of inputs. Users who need precise control over impedance or more granular gain options for high output or very low output MC cartridges will find the adjustment flexibility limited.
Who is it for? Anyone running a turntable into a system with a weak or nonexistent phono stage, especially those using powered speakers or budget amplifiers. It also makes sense for listeners planning to step into moving coil cartridges without replacing their entire front end. If your goal is better accuracy, lower noise, and broader compatibility without overspending, this gets you there without unnecessary complexity.
Pricing & Availability
- iFi ZEN Air Phono 2 – $129 at Amazon | Crutchfield | iFi Audio
- iFi ZEN Air Phono – $99 at Amazon
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