Review on Enhance Your Vinyl Experience with the iFi Audio Zen Phono Preamp by Josh Long

I compared this preamp to four others I chose from: a modified RS 42-2111, a home made lamp, Puffin and Slee Communicator 2. This iFi took a week, to break in, after that it was significantly improved compared to new. I powered it with a DIY 5V linear power supply. iFi presents music on one level: neither forward nor deep, without attracting attention, without accidentally changing the music. Deeper tonal and sonic elements of well-played instruments were pleasantly revealed. Gave a real "feel" of what the performers and engineers put into the LP's grooves, hiding nothing special. The playback is very pleasant, but the energetic tempo/rhythm/timing is retained. Results: iFi and Slee were almost equally musical and sounded spot on to my ears. I liked iFi more than Puffin (nice try, but too much DSP overhaul of the music, adding 'effects' and missing 'liveliness'). It lacked too much note/timbral richness compared to the DIY and RS, which taught me the intricacies of phono stage circuitry and component selection. So the Slee took the lead in clarity and fidelity: it was able to clearly reproduce background voices that the iFi would leave slightly muffled. Slee costs twice as much as iFi, but it's worth it. iFi and Slee are excellent models in their price range.