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ifi Audio micro iPhono3 Black Label
For vinyl enthusiasts who demand the best.
Inspired by the legendary AMR PH-77, the Black Label offers a wide array of loading options, precise EQ curves, and exceptional dynamic range—delivering performance that rivals far more expensive preamps.
For the record
Matt polished black. Super quiet noise floor. Our phono stage circuitry uses only the best audiophile components. Computer matched op-amps, high-gain bi-polar output transistors to Nichicon audio-grade capacitors. And much more. The iPhono3 Black Label sounds stellar.
Exacting equalisation
Precise EQ curve and explosive 108dB dynamic range. Your listening room becomes a concert hall. The AMR PH-77, the $12,000 larger sibling with 23 equalisation curves, remains the vinyl benchmark to this day. Trickle-down tech used in the iPhono3 Black Label means it features the 6 most popular stereo EQ curves. Try the infamous 1812 Overture ‘torture test’. Won’t be the same again. The iPhono3 Black Label will have you trying ‘just one more LP’ into the wee, small hours.
Majestic measurements
Gain
iPhono3 Black Label: 36-72dB
$3,000 Phono: 44dB-72dB
Set and forget
Your pickup (stylus) has been lovingly crafted. Whether it’s MM or MC, no two cartridges are identical in performance.
The iPhono3 Black Label, like the AMR PH-77 from which it descends, enables you to set the precise load/gain for the cartridge you have Squeeze every last drop of performance out of your precious pickup.
Spec’d to thrill
Beneath the modest footprint of the iPhono 3 Black Label are Class A TubeState and DirectDrive Servoless technologies. Specially developed by AMR for iFi audio. All underpinned by some quite special audiophile components from Burr-Brown, TDK and Nichicon. To name but a few.
With such dedicated circuitry and devoted components, it has a whisper-quiet noise floor and measured THD of an incredible <0.005%.
The iPhono3 Black Label phono stage is the perfect fix for vinyl addicts,
Sonic tailoring to suit you, sir
A toggle switch at one end of the iPhono3 Black Label allows the user to select between three EQ curves: RIAA, Columbia and Decca.
The iPhono3 Black Label is not only great at pairing perfectly with your cartridge; you can also tailor the sound to match specific records in your collection, thanks to a variety of precisely engineered EQ curves.
X-Men
The iPhono3 Black Label is special. It should be powered by something special.
It comes with theiPower X, the very latest in power supply technology.
iPhono3 Black Label + iPower X = Super Duo.
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Professional Reviews 92/100
Deliciously Crispy
Sound Quality
93/100
Cartridge Compatibility
94/100
Build Quality
88/100
Value for Money
93/100
Near-silent backgrounds and explosive dynamics let the micro iPhono3 Black Label uncover vinyl’s space, texture and transient bite. Hi-Fi Choice admired its unforced accuracy and convincing depth, while its 36–72dB gain, broad loading and vintage EQ options make this a highly configurable, compact phono stage for serious MM and MC systems.
What Reviewers Are Saying
Pros
Exceptionally low noise floor creates black backgrounds, convincing space and effortless dynamic contrasts.
Fast, powerful transient delivery combines sharp attack with deep bass, crisp highs and solid image density.
Extensive MM/MC gain and loading flexibility, plus multiple EQ curves, accommodates a very wide range of cartridges and records.
&
Cons
The underside DIP-switch array and tiny printed labels can make cartridge setup confusing, despite the helpful online calculator.
Its matter-of-fact accuracy may feel less characterful or warm than some listeners want, and rivals can offer slightly deeper bass.
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 93/100
Reviewers consistently describe an exceptionally quiet, accurate and highly revealing phono stage with a notably vivid sense of scale. Its character is clean and matter-of-fact rather than deliberately romantic, but it combines this precision with substantial image density, punch and musical involvement.
Transparency Noise Floor
94/100
Low noise is one of the iPhono3 Black Label's clearest strengths. Hi-Fi Choice found it as quiet at idle as the Cyrus Phono Signature, while Jason Thorpe called it "unbelievably silent" and reported no hum even at 60dB gain; SoundStage also compared its quietness to the far costlier Constellation Andromeda.
Tonal Balance Musicality
91/100
Hi-Fi Choice heard unforced accuracy, unvarnished realism and effortless vocal reproduction, while Positive Feedback praised its clearer, airier top end and stronger bass tone. Its presentation is explicitly matter-of-fact and exceptionally accurate, so listeners seeking added warmth or overt character may prefer a more voiced alternative.
Dynamics
95/100
Dynamics receive repeated, emphatic praise. Hi-Fi Choice says the near-silent background lets musical peaks emerge effortlessly, SoundStage heard impressive transient slam and satisfying bite, and Positive Feedback reported more punch, power and impact than its comparison setup.
Soundstage Imaging
93/100
Reviewers describe a convincing sense of space and depth, with Hi-Fi Choice linking that openness to the low noise floor. SoundStage heard rich, detailed staging and more solidly constructed images, while Positive Feedback noted greater image naturalness, separation, width and physical presence.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Cartridge Compatibility
94/100
The iPhono3 supports both MM and MC cartridges, with gain from 36dB to 72dB, five MM capacitance settings and a broad set of MC loading choices. Reviewers consider it adjustable enough for virtually any conventional cartridge, though the underside DIP-switch array and tiny printed guide can make setup unnecessarily fiddly; MM and MC inputs also cannot be switched between on the fly.
Build Quality
88/100
Its compact chassis is unusually small and light, yet reviews identify a thoughtfully specified internal parts complement, including matched J-FETs, selected capacitors, bipolar transistors and Vishay resistors. The supplied iPower X external supply and its noise-rejection design are also a meaningful part of the execution, although reviewers say relatively little about long-term physical durability.
Value for Money
93/100
At $999, SoundStage called the iPhono3 Black Label a "devastating bargain" and said its sound compares favorably with phono stages at much higher prices. Positive Feedback was more measured, noting that the price increase over the previous model means buyers should consider alternatives, but still described it as probably a great bargain.
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- Acoustic Technologies — online and in-store — Montréal, Québec, Canada (website)
- Acton Gate Audio — online and in-store — Cymru, United Kingdom (website)
- Addicted to Audio — online and in-store — Epping, Victoria, Australia (website)
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- Alpha High End — online and in-store — Brasschaat, Vlaams Gewest, Belgium (website)
- Analogue Seduction — online and in-store — Whittlesey, England, United Kingdom (website)
- Apos Audio — online and in-store — Oakland, California, United States (website)
- ARK Audio — online and in-store — Borensberg, Östergötlands län, Sweden (website)
- Art & Voice — online (website)
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