MZX Audio PHO-NR1 Phono Stage Review

[Acerun]

Thanks for the review. I keep telling myself that I'm not interested in vinyl kit anymore ... but I keep looking

Looks cute, and balanced connections are nice - but it's too expensive to have that low end FR error, and I couldn't be bothered with those hidden dip switches.

I just can't do vinyl kits and CD players.

 

[amirm]

@amirm should have tested it at the higher gain levels. Hasn’t he done that for other phono stages?

Not when they claim it supports MM. Those products are almost always have gains below 50 dB. So testing this at 52 is already "high."

What do you want to see at higher gains anyway? It wouldn't solve the frequency response error which is the main issue here.

 

[RigorDude]

My memory may be wrong, but it says that you tested the Cambridge Duo at more than one gain level. Why not here? Is it the dip switches? “If you can’t choose a setting by pressing a button it’s not a real thing.” The sinad (ASR Holy Grail) might be still better at the higher gains. Why not do the tests? Too much work? Seems like the lift at very low frequencies is what is doing a lot of work in this review.

 

[amirm]

My memory may be wrong, but it says that you tested the Cambridge Duo at more than one gain level.

When I tested that, I worked in reverse, shooting for 2 volt output. Members complained that the required input level was too high for a moving magnet. So from then on, I used 5 mv which generally outputs around 1 volt (or whatever the gain allows) for MM.

The sinad (ASR Holy Grail) might be still better at the higher gains.

It would lift the SINAD for almost all products so it is a zero sum gain.

 

[Yevhen]

Not cheap either... thanks for the testing on this.

A closer look;

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JSmith

nice components, clean PCB design

 

[RigorDude]

When I tested that, I worked in reverse, shooting for 2 volt output. Members complained that the required input level was too high for a moving magnet. So from then on, I used 5 mv which generally outputs around 1 volt (or whatever the gain allows) for MM.


It would lift the SINAD for almost all products so it is a zero sum gain.

Okay, forget the Duo. You also tested higher gain levels on the Fidler Spartan 20 and the Schiit Skoll, and this unit has 72dB gain as the default, a strong hint that it is intended low-output MCs. Moreover, the payoffs of balanced architecture become greater as the input voltages go down. I for one would like to see measurements for higher gains, but at this point I'm getting the feeling that's a lost cause.

 

[Ical]

I've been listening to vinyl records for 40 years, the two most important parameters are noise and distortion, and this device excels at that.

 

[mike70]

I've been listening to vinyl records for 40 years, the two most important parameters are noise and distortion, and this device excels at that.

I think RIIA implementation is the most important

 

[Ical]

I think RIIA implementation is the most important

I'm not arguing, but if you can't hear anything from the noise and distortion, then RIiA is useless.
When you first hear such a quiet phono amplifier, you'll be amazed at what's on your records.

 

[solawind]

When you first hear such a quiet phono amplifier, you'll be amazed at what's on your records.

isnt most (any modern) phonos have distortion in the inaudible range anyway?

looking at https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ed-stereo-phono-stage-review-2025-png.486061/ i cant say about anything in this chart "can't hear anything from the noise and distortion"

 

[mike70]

I'm not arguing, but if you can't hear anything from the noise and distortion, then RIiA is useless.
When you first hear such a quiet phono amplifier, you'll be amazed at what's on your records.

But you talk about horrendous SINAD, think in the same way to the other side... 120dB SINAD and RIIA with 12dB difference. You don't think the transparency is useless?

Vinyl is noisy itself, some dBs of SINAD are more or less the same. Even with digital sources happens the same (audibly differences usually are rare with "enough" SINAD, more inaudible is inaudible either ). I have had many preamp on many price levels and I have the same results when RIAA is decent(using digitalized tracks and Foobar ABX comparator) . When it's not... oh boy... wimpy or bassy sound.

My opinion with more "meat".

 

[amirm]

You also tested higher gain levels on the Fidler Spartan 20 and the Schiit Skoll, and this unit has 72dB gain as the default, a strong hint that it is intended low-output MCs.

I tested the Spartan in MM mode which clearly has lower gain:

Testing this unit at 52 dB gave it a strong and unfair advantage already.

Yes, if a phono stage has a MC mode, I also test at higher gain but don't put that in SINAD ranking if that is what you are after.

 

[NicS]

But you talk about horrendous SINAD, think in the same way to the other side... 120dB SINAD and RIIA with 12dB difference. You don't think the transparency is useless?

Vinyl is noisy itself, some dBs of SINAD are more or less the same. Even with digital sources happens the same (audibly differences usually are rare with "enough" SINAD, more inaudible is inaudible either ). I have had many preamp on many price levels and I have the same results when RIAA is decent(using digitalized tracks and Foobar ABX comparator) . When it's not... oh boy... wimpy or bassy sound.

My opinion with more "meat".

Listening to vinyl has cult like devotion. Those that love vinyl do so BECAUSE it’s so fiddly and fickle:
Getting the “right” pressing
Cleaning with exotic ultrasonic cleaning machines
Dealing with static
Getting the right stylus profile
Expensive cartridge / tonearm alignment rigs
Is 92° the perfect SRA?
Can I use a test record to achieve optimist anti-skate?

I’m guilty in indulging all of these fetishistic practices. It gets a bit addictive, chipping away trying to achieve perfect reproduction from a system that will always come up short, though tantalizingly close.

I bought a remastered pressing of Patti Smiths Horses last week. Sounds much better than my 40 year old copy. It was satisfying. I wasn’t listening to my gear, I was listening to a classic album that has stood the test of time. And while I might have an interest in making my phono pre-amp be as quiet as possible, it’s certainly quieter that the audible tape hiss present in the master recording.

Take it away Patti….

 

[EJ3]

Listening to vinyl has cult like devotion. Those that love vinyl do so BECAUSE it’s so fiddly and fickle:
Getting the “right” pressing
Cleaning with exotic ultrasonic cleaning machines
Dealing with static
Getting the right stylus profile
Expensive cartridge / tonearm alignment rigs
Is 92° the perfect SRA?
Can I use a test record to achieve optimist anti-skate?

No "cult" like devotion here: I just like to play the over 600 albums (and more CD's + home made high end [at the time] cassettes that I own.
1. Not guilty of the first (maybe, by serendipity, I got a good 'nuff pressing when I bought it originally [for good or bad: I'm not a perfectionist])
2. Not guilty yet (if I had more disposable income, I probably would be)
3. Umm? Not Guilty: Maybe because IF the humidity is low enough for that to be an issue, the weather is strangly below it's normal 90%+ humidity level where I chose to live.
4. Guilty
5. A. Carts: only because they have become expensive to have any decent one.
B.Alignment rigs: the one that came with the carts in the 70's.
6. SRA: Whatever the alignment chart said, I guess.
7. Unless it obviosly sounds weird, just set it close to what it says to set it at.
Bonus (I am guilty): using test records to attempt optimization. (but then I gave up on that, as I realized the records themselves had thier own faults).

While my secondary TT (a DUAL 1229) COULD have all of these done, I don't.
I just get it close, listen to music, change the stylus when it wears out (only MM SHURE's, TECHNICS or GRADO's for me, MM mostly out of convenience).
My primary TT (a TECHNICS SL-M3) is even more convenient, with linier tracking and a T4P (these days T$P) setup.

If I want to hear both sides one after the other (because I am dusting the house, cooking, have company or any old "just so" reason, I just play my (home made) cassette copy).
Or use my Sony CDR W500 (either with my "ripped" to CD vinyl or from my CD collection), which will play up to 5 CD's in any track order that I may want.
I have had a DAC ever since I got an oPPo 205 USD, but that part of the oPPo has yet to be used.
Will I use it? Yep, one day, when I get 'round to digitizing my collection of music.
That is (and has been) the future plan.
But, since 2007, I keep getting interupted with dumb things like a constant barrge of cancer (and other) surgeries, biopsies, MRI's and other unfortunate but necessary stuff that holds back my audio system progress.

But, I keep muddling on through (having FUN! [the primary FUN for me is to just listen to the music]) and proceed, one project at a time.
Do it your way and Remember Laughter, Enjoyment & have FUN, FUN, FUN!

 

[RigorDude]

I tested the Spartan in MM mode which clearly has lower gain:

Testing this unit at 52 dB gave it a strong and unfair advantage already.

Yes, if a phono stage has a MC mode, I also test at higher gain but don't put that in SINAD ranking if that is what you are after.

I’m not lobbying for the MZX; I never heard of the company prior to your review. Nor do I care about the “SINAD ranking.” It’s a quick way to see what equipment you have measured, but that’s about it. And of course you measured the SPARTAN 20 at both MM and MC gain levels, whether the latter result is included in the ranking or not:

In view of all that, I'm really puzzled you are now quite reluctant to measure the MZX in the use case for which it appears to have been optimized -- namely, with a low-output MC cartridge. Your implication that it doesn’t have an “MC mode” is hard to figure out. Of course it has, and not just one, but several. It simply doesn’t have an MM/MC switch on the outside of the box. That’s a rather common design choice with phono stages, for obvious reasons.

As previously stated, it would be great to see measurements of the MZX at higher gain levels. It feels like a missed opportunity not to hook the thing up to the Audio Precision one more time. I won't post anything further on this subject, so the last word is yours if you want it.

 

[Soniclife]

In view of all that, I'm really puzzled you are now quite reluctant to measure the MZX in the use case for which it appears to have been optimized -- namely, with a low-output MC cartridge. Your implication that it doesn’t have an “MC mode” is hard to figure out. Of course it has, and not just one, but several. It simply doesn’t have an MM/MC switch on the outside of the box. That’s a rather common design choice with phono stages, for obvious reasons.

I'm also puzzled why the manufacturer suggests it ok for MM, it doesn't seem to offer the correct gain or loading for MM.

 

[LTig]

I'm also puzzled why the manufacturer suggests it ok for MM, it doesn't seem to offer the correct gain or loading for MM.

It is suited for MM (47 k load), and the minimum gain (52 dB) is such that its output level is comparable to those of digital sources (DACs). What's wrong with that?

 

[Soniclife]

It is suited for MM (47 k load), and the minimum gain (52 dB) is such that its output level is comparable to those of digital sources (DACs). What's wrong with that?

I couldn't see how you got to 47k load looking at the switches, now looking at the product sheet I see there are default settings not listed on the board. I hate these type of internal switches, my phono stage has them, in a more complicated and less symmetrical fashion.

 

[NicS]

I couldn't see how you got to 47k load looking at the switches, now looking at the product sheet I see there are default settings not listed on the board. I hate these type of internal switches, my phono stage has them, in a more complicated and less symmetrical fashion.

Maybe by turning all the switches to off?

 

[Soniclife]

Maybe by turning all the switches to off

Sort of, see the product sheet on their website for she full set of combinations.