Rejoice, Vinyl Lovers!
Stereophile "Recommended Component"
A Top Ten Audio Bargain - CNET.com
"It Gave Me a Taste of the Best"
It's no secret that LP lovers have taken a hit since CDs became the sound reproduction medium of choice for the masses. Most manufacturers now design their preamps and receivers without the extra preamplifier gain stage and the RIAA equalization that phono cartridges require. People who still enjoy listening to their record collections have had to settle for using the often outdated phono preamp stage in their bulky older equipment.
The compact and affordable Zphono is perfect for music lovers who want to hook up their analog turntables to today's line stage preamps, amps, and receivers. Parasound's low price and high performance make this unit a favorite with audiophiles.
"[It] gave me a taste of the best that high-end audio has to offer at a price almost anyone can afford. I don't think I can go back," reports Stephen Mejias in his "The Entry Level" column for Stereophile, posted March 15, 2012.
"Parasound's handsome Zphono phono stage is the paradigmatic 'It does what it says on the can' product," notes John Marks in his "The Fifth Element" column for Stereophile.com, December 6, 2014. "I have no idea how they can sell it for $199 –perhaps it's a loss leader to introduce people to the brand."
A Top Ten Audio Bargain
CNET.com listed the Zphono as one of its Top Ten Audio Bargains. "If you're getting serious about getting the best sound from LPs, you need a high-performance phono preamplifier, like the Parasound Zphono ($200). It'll work with any receiver or amp and give you a whole new appreciation of how good LPs can sound," notes Steve Guttenberg in his March 24, 2012 post.
"Clarity and Rhythmic Organization"
Parasound's Zphono won a "Recommended Component" rating in Stereophile.
Stereophile's Michael Fremer praises the Zphono for making "an impressive showing for a budget-priced phono preamp: similar to the NAD PP-2's overall performance, but with more extension, air, and sparkle on top." According to Fremer, "The overall picture had a pleasing clarity and rhythmic organization. Cymbals rang cleanly and with more metallic edge than through the PP-2, and, overall, there was more 'air'."
Huge Performance Features
Parasound’s new ultra-low distortion Zphono preamp is only half as wide as standard A / V components, but it's bursting with huge performance features. If you've got hi-fi or home theater gear that lacks phono inputs compatible with your turntable, the Zphono is the great-sounding, space-saving solution.
The Zphono is Parasound's successor to its critically acclaimed PPH-100 half-width phono stage. Zphono sounds even quieter and cleaner than the PPH-100 and will bring out details in your vinyl recordings that you have never heard before!
The Zphono employs advanced circuitry and high quality components to provide the extra gain stage and RIAA equalization circuitry that are required for highly accurate and low-noise reproduction of the low level output of a phonograph cartridge. In fact, its RIAA curve is accurate to 0.25 dB.
A rear panel switch is used to select between moving magnet or moving coil cartridges. The Zphono also features an exclusive AC line polarity switch to ensure hum-free performance in all installations. Zphono works with all line-level preamps, integrated amps, and receivers. It includes no-mar isolation feet for standalone use and a high-quality removable AC power cord.
Note: Parasound products cannot be shipped outside the USA.
