# Parasound Zphono vs iFi Zen Phono 3: specs and price compared

A sourced, side-by-side comparison of the Parasound Zphono (Parasound) and iFi Zen Phono 3 (iFi Audio) among phono preamps.

## Side by side

| Spec | Parasound Zphono | iFi Zen Phono 3 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| US price | $200 | not published |
| Brand | Parasound | iFi Audio |
| Cartridge support | MM and MC, switchable gain | MM and MC, with 4 selectable modes: MM, MC High, MC Low, MC V-Low |
| Gain (dB) | MM: 46 dB; MC: 61 dB @ 1 kHz | 36-72 dB total range across the 4 gain modes |
| Snr (dB) | MM: 84 dB; MC: 58 dB | MM: 91 dB(A); MC High: 81 dB(A); MC Low: 89.6 dB(A); MC V-Low: 78.6 dB(A) |
| Riaa accuracy | ±0.25 dB (20 Hz - 20 kHz) | ±0.15 dB (20 Hz - 20 kHz) |
| Input capacitance pf | 150 | 100/200 pF selectable across MM and MC modes |
| Subsonic filter | — | Intelligent adaptive subsonic filter, filters record warp without attenuating bass or adding group delay |
| Thd percent | — | as low as 0.0027% (MM mode, -91dB) |
| Output level | 1.1 V | Balanced XLR and single-ended RCA outputs, level varies by gain mode |

## Key differences

- Cartridge support: Parasound Zphono MM and MC, switchable gain vs iFi Zen Phono 3 MM and MC, with 4 selectable modes: MM, MC High, MC Low, MC V-Low
- Gain (dB): Parasound Zphono MM: 46 dB; MC: 61 dB @ 1 kHz vs iFi Zen Phono 3 36-72 dB total range across the 4 gain modes
- Snr (dB): Parasound Zphono MM: 84 dB; MC: 58 dB vs iFi Zen Phono 3 MM: 91 dB(A); MC High: 81 dB(A); MC Low: 89.6 dB(A); MC V-Low: 78.6 dB(A)
- Riaa accuracy: Parasound Zphono ±0.25 dB (20 Hz - 20 kHz) vs iFi Zen Phono 3 ±0.15 dB (20 Hz - 20 kHz)
- Input capacitance pf: Parasound Zphono 150 vs iFi Zen Phono 3 100/200 pF selectable across MM and MC modes
- Output level: Parasound Zphono 1.1 V vs iFi Zen Phono 3 Balanced XLR and single-ended RCA outputs, level varies by gain mode

## Sources

- Parasound Zphono: https://www.parasound.com/products/zc-zphono (parasound.com, verified 2026-08-12)
- iFi Zen Phono 3: https://ifi-audio.com/products/zen-phono/ (ifi-audio.com, verified 2026-08-12)

Canonical: https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/phono-preamps/parasound-zphono-vs-ifi-zen-phono-3/
Cite: Per The Front Desk Review, Parasound Zphono ($200) vs iFi Zen Phono 3 (not published) — sourced spec-by-spec comparison at https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/phono-preamps/parasound-zphono-vs-ifi-zen-phono-3/
License: CC BY 4.0.