IFI Phono 2

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I.Greyhound Fan

IFI Phono 2
« on: 25 Jul 2016, 12:17 am »
I had a chance to audition an IFI Phono 2 in my system. I have a friend that has a relationship with the company.

Let me start off by saying I really liked it. I compared it to my Bellari VP-129 using a rare 1950's Raytheon long shiny black plate tube which is very musical, detailed and gives a very wide and deep sound stage with powerful bass and good air and transparency. This tube really takes the Bellari up a notch in sound quality compared to the NOS Mullard and Sovtek LPS tubes. The Bellari being a tube phono preamp had a bit of warm glow and bloom that I like. The midrange is deep and textured with the Raytheon tube.  Without this tube I don't care for the Bellari and find it to be dull and lacking.

My Turntable is a vintage Thorens TD-145 and my cartridge is a Nagaoka MP-200. The remainder of my system consists of- Preamp is a BAT VK-51se, Amp-Pass X250, Speakers-Magnepan QR1.6's with dual Martin Logan subs.

The IFI had a cleaner sound with a blacker background, more air and tighter, faster bass but the Bellari hit a little harder. It had a dead neutral presentation with good transparency. Overall the sound was more refined and detailed with finer resolution. You were able to pick out more nuances in the music. Treble and cymbals had more finesse and sounded more natural.  Cymbals were more forward but the midrange was well placed.  The sound stage was wide and deep but there was not as much midrange depth as the Bellari but there was more air which I found to be a good trade off.  The IFI however was not found to be lacking in depth by any means though.

The IFI also has numerous setting and 6 different RIAA EQ curves as well as dip switches to adjust MM and MC loads. It also allows you to adjust gain.

It has a lot of features found on more expensive phono pre's. Build quality is about the same as other IFI products.

simoon

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Re: IFI Phono 2
« Reply #1 on: 27 Jul 2016, 07:41 pm »
Mikey Fremer just reviewed it in the latest Analog Planet.

His impression of the original version was pretty high. His review on this one is effusive!

To sum it up, he says this:

"A really good and versatile phono preamplifier has given way to one that’s ridiculously good. The price has gone up $100 but the new iPhono 2 is easily more than twice as good as the original. A major achievement in budget priced phono gear."


http://www.analogplanet.com/content/even-more-amazing-ifi-micro-iphono-2-mmmc-phono-preamplifier#YSAT70aEOqoO5UJP.97

I.Greyhound Fan

Re: IFI Phono 2
« Reply #2 on: 27 Jul 2016, 08:08 pm »
It is a very good preamp and great for the price.  I would not mind owning it.  My only beef with it is that the inputs and outputs are on different ends of the IFI making it odd for placement in my system.