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Phono stages
a
standard moving magnetic cartridge puts out about 5mV, a good
Moving Coil cartridge just 400uV (0.4mV). This needs to be
amplified and equalised before feeding the line input of an
amplifier. Some amplifiers and preamplifiers have phono
inputs, but not all, and they vary dramatically in quality.
Here we present phono stages that we have tried and liked.
Our MD Dave Cawley has tested each unit, and listened very, very hard.
 Luxman
P-200
Luxman’s E-200
phono stage is remarkable in its resolution as well as its
versatility and usefulness. Built to mate with any phono
cartridge, its three gain settings (up to 63dB) allow use with
any MM or MC cartridge. The E-200 has two inputs, is equipped
with both a mono switch for enjoyment of mono LPs as well as a
subsonic filter switch (30Hz cut) to take the pressure away form
your amp and woofers if you decide to get a little carried away
with the volume control! Most useful is the inclusion of a
front-panel activated cartridge demagnetizer to keep your MC
cartridge in tip-top shape at the push of a button. Eighty years
of legendary construction, great features, amazing sound
quality…what more can you ask for at this price? The Luxman
E-200 is a wonderfully musical piece of gear... hear it for
yourself and you'll be just as impressed as we are.
In fact we are left wondering why it's not at least £2,500+ It
is always on demonstration here.
Input Sensitivity:
MM: 4mV - MC high: 0.4mV - MC low: 0.18mV
Input Impedance: - MM: 47KΩ, - MC high: 40Ω - MC low: 2.5Ω
Gain: - MM: 36dB - MC high: 56dB - MC low: 63dB
Output/ Output Impedance: 250mV/300Ω
Circuit system: Built-in MC step up transformer, NF type
equalizer
Power consumption 4W (Electrical Appliance and Material Safety
Law)
Outside dimensions 364 (W) x 84 (H) x 257 (D) mm (terminals and
knobs excluded)
Weight 4.4kg
Our price £1,395.00
We will match any other price.
Whest
PS.30RDT
£2,795.00
The PS.30RDT has
become the phono stage which other stages are compared against.
The PS.30RDT is not only a higher specified and closer tolerance
version of the PS.30R but is electrically dual mono in design
from the power inlet onwards! Every magazine that has reviewed
the PS.30RDT has loved it, comparing it to the best of
valve/tubes but without the pitfalls, namely: noise, microphony,
bloated bass and image blur. They have also compared it to many
stages costing many times its price and the PS.30RDT has always
come out on top. The PS.30RDT is used in more than 30 archiving
libraries worldwide due to its amazing resolving power. It is
also used in several magazine reviewer systems worldwide and is
now a Whest Audio best seller.
Whest
PS.30R
£1,795.00
This very large and
very impressive Phono Stage is without doubt one of the very
best in the World. It is a joy to behold, visually
and aurally!
Model No.: PS.30R
• RIAA curve accuracy: 18Hz - 22Khz +/- 0.2dB
• Frequency response: 5Hz - 65Khz -10dB /- 1.0dB
• Working band: 15Hz - 85Khz
• THD+N: 0.006%
• MM Gain 40dB
• MC gain 50dB-72dB internally adjustable 6 steps.
• Connections: Silver Unbalanced RCA, Neutrik XLR impedance
balanced
• Connectors: Silver Audiophile
• Unpacked weight: 4.5Kgs
• Packed weight: 6Kgs
• Dimensions: W 430mm D 290mm H 78mm
• Operating voltage: 230VAC 50Hz or 115VAC 60Hz
Whest TWO £745.00
This has to be the
bargain of phono stages. Super accurate, low noise and
very musical. This is a great phono stage at a truly great
price, consider no others in the price range! Like all
Whest products, it could sell for more.
Model No.: whestTWO
• RIAA curve accuracy: 18Hz - 22Khz +/- 0.2dB
• Frequency response: 5Hz - 50Khz -10dB /- 1.0dB
• Working band: 17Hz - 45Khz
• THD+N: 0.01%
• MM Gain 40dB
• MC gain 65dB internally adjustable only by dealer .
• Connections: Unbalanced
• Connectors: Gold Audiophile
• Unpacked weight: 1.5Kgs
• Packed weight: 2Kgs
• Dimensions: 130mm x 210mm x 42mm
• Operating voltage: 230VAC 50Hz or 115VAC 60Hz
EAR Yoshino 834P  £1,750.00
(Deluxe. Chrome fascia with gold knobs, MM/MC)
The Classic EAR
834P uses the same circuit architecture as its more expensive
brothers, and shares in the same high quality sound through MM
type cartridges. It is enclosed in a tough, rigid metal case,
and is fully ''CE'' type approved.
Our most popular phono amplifier in England. The Signature
builds on the classic EAR 834P specification, by adding a superb
Moving Coil (MC) input stage, as well as the high quality volume
control.
Top of the range, the De-luxe comes in a stunning chrome and
gold cabinet, and has extra attention and quality control. For
the true vinyl enthusiast. With different moving coil input
options, this unit will fit the most demanding of audiophile
systems.
The valve
phonostage with built in MC step up transformers (SUT) is
totally hum free and a joy to use. It will happily drive
vale or transistor amplifiers without the use of a preamplifier.
So your vinyl can if you wish, go into the 834 and then straight
into a power amplifier. The built in volume control will
work with your amplifier or if it already has one, or you are
using a preamplifier, just leave it set to full. There is
quite enough gain to drive almost anything, but if you need more
we can do that for you before shipping.
Puresound Valve
P10
The P10 phono
amplifier is the latest addition to the highly acclaimed Pure
Sound product range. It is intended to meet the requirements of
audio enthusiasts who still enjoy the distinctive strengths and
high quality of reproduction that can be derived from vinyl
records. It is compatible with moving magnet and high output
moving coil cartridges. Low output moving coil cartridges will
require the use of an additional step-up device or matching
transformer. Full output from the P10 is sufficient to drive the
line level inputs of any integrated amplifier or pre-amplifier.
The active amplification stages use double triodes in a simple
anode follower configuration. The phono equalisation is achieved
using passive components and can therefore maintain its accuracy
over time without introducing the unacceptable levels of phase
shift found in active equalisation stages. There is no negative
feedback in the circuit.
The P10 features a particularly elaborate HT power supply. After
the initial rectification and smoothing, the supply is split and
two separate, heavily decoupled high voltage rails are
established. These feed each half of the output valve while
further decoupling of each rail allows the cleanest and most
independent voltage rails possible to feed each half of the
input valve. The absolute stability of this supply regardless of
the demands made by the audio signal on the circuit, lends the
P10 a stability and poise which allows effortless reproduction
of the most demanding source material. The valve filaments are
also fed by a DC supply thereby ensuring constant operating
conditions for the amplifier. The circuit makes use of close
tolerance metal film resistors, polypropylene signal coupling
capacitors and selected valves.
The gain of the P10 is 40 dB (x 100). The P10 phono amplifier
meets the very strict performance criteria required of all Pure
Sound products and will give excellent results with vinyl
records provided that it is used with appropriate ancillary
equipment.
Click here for the Hi Fi
World review
Price £595.00
Timestep -
Revolver Phono 2
£129.99
our price £75.00
(limited offer)
The Timestep Phono
2 Pre-Amp can be used to boost the output of both MM and MC
phonograph pick-up cartridges to allow use with any audio
amplifier or receiver that lacks a Phono Input. It can
also be plugged into your computer to rip/digitise your LP's in
stunning quality.
This unit is more versatile than you might think. You can
have a MM on one input and a MC on a separate switchable input,
two turntables or two arms with no unplugging of cables!
Or you can use one input and switch from MM to MC, so if you
have an arm with a detachable headshell you can swap MM to MC
cartridges at the push of a button.
The Revolver Phono 2 combines high quality with low audio
distortion, wide frequency response and low noise.
You may have seen
other versions for sale, indeed some are badged Revolver and
other numbers/letters. Look carefully at their
specification and you will see inconsistencies in the input
impedance and MM/MC functionality, this unit has been configured
by Dave Cawley and works properly, as you would expect!
• 47K input for
Moving Magnet cartridges
• Switchable 20 and 100 Ohm Moving Coil input impedance
• Great performance with low noise, low distortion and high gain
• JRC MC4558 op-amp
• Moving Magnet / Moving Coil switchable
• Two inputs for two turntables/arms
• Input / Output through gold plated Phono sockets
• Stylish, strong metal cabinet
• Adjustable output level from front panel control
• Weight 460 grams
• Dimensions 180mm Wide x 78mm Depth x 37mm High
• Warranty: 5 years
For the DIY brigade
we offer this: This phonostage uses discrete transistors for the
moving coil input stage that can easily be upgraded. The
moving magnet and RIAA equalisation is by a JRC 4558 op-amp that
can be changed for a much better one. The equalisation
capacitors are Mylar which are just gagging to be replaced with
high tolerance polypropylene or better? A low noise liner
PSU could be added later?
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