October 2nd, 2023
Musical Surroundings Phonomena III Phono Preamp With Optional Linear Power Supply Upgrade The Michael Yee designed, California made, phono stage gets an upgradeBy: Dean Cacioppo
Is high end audio practical? If you ask the average Joe on the street, a $5,000 set of speakers is not practical. However, if you ask Tracking Angle readers, my guess is most would think that $5,000 is a pretty reasonable price. One might even say that listening to vinyl is not practical. The Phonomena III phono preamplifier, when paired with the upgraded Linear Power Supply, is among the most practical and flexible phono stage you can buy.
Read MoreAugust 23rd, 2023
A Short "Video Tour" of MoFi Electronics' MasterPhono MM/MC Phono Preamplifier A detailed inside lookBy: Michael Fremer
I figured before boxing it up and returning the MoFi Electronics MasterPhono I'd remove the top cover and give you a short guided tour. Read More
August 17th, 2023
MoFi Electronics' MasterPhono™ Combines Versatility And High Sonic Performance transimpedance and voltage gain inputs, remote controllability and much moreBy: Michael Fremer
Put yourself in the shoes of an audio designer like industry veteran Peter Madnick. You are tasked with creating a phono preamplifier at a given price point. In the case of the MoFi MasterPhono phono preamplifer, around $6000. That puts it not at the “luxury” level, but well above “entry level.” Absent price constraints a designer can offer high sonic performance and a generous feature menu, but as the price drops, the higher becomes the tension between features and... Read More
July 27th, 2023
A $249 Transimpedance MC Phono Stage From Andover Audio this thing is ridiculously good!By: Michael Fremer
A manufacturer arrived the other day to install a costly turntable that I won't identify here. We played some records and you can be sure it sounded really fine. I could probably write the review after that first listening session but of course I won't. Then I went into my utility room and played a record we'd just played, on the Michell Gyro SE (the review will shortly be published). He couldn't see the turntable nor did I identify it. But he... Read More
July 9th, 2023
The Meitner Audio DS-EQ2 Optical Cartridge Phono Equalizer i'm beginning to see the lightBy: Michael Fremer
You’ll have to decide for yourself whether DS Audio President Tetsuaki “Aki” Aoyagi’s smarter move was instigating a 21st century version of the ‘70’s era optical phono cartridge or creating an open playing field upon which other companies could develop their own versions of the particular equalizer/preamplifier required to make the cartridge work.Aoyagi, an accountant by training with a family background in high-tech laser optics could probably have fashioned a... Read More
May 16th, 2023
Lehmannaudio Decade Jubilee MM/MC Phono Preamplifier Packs a Deft Sonic Punch don't be fooled by the diminutive package—or that it appears identical to the "non-Jubilee" DecadeBy: Michael Fremer
Lehmannaudio's original Black Cube, introduced in the late 1990's and still in production, set a high bar for what a moderately priced phono preamp could accomplish. Since then the Cologne, Germany-based company has added a top of the line Silver Cube in 2002 (now costing $4699) and over time filled in the price points in-between with the Decade in 2005 (celebrating the company's 10th anniversary), the Black Cube Statement a year later (among other... Read More
December 28th, 2022
Hagerman Audio Labs "Archiver" Spins 78s Correctly EQ'd, But That's Just For Starters Does it All—MM, MC, single-ended, balanced, +By: Michael Fremer
Even if you don't collect 78rpm records and can't understand why anyone would want to listen to crackling, breakable 3 minute obsolete antiques, consider that streamers and CD fans think the same of people who collect vinyl records. Of course, we know better, and you can believe so do 78rpm collectors.Regardless of your enthusiasm or not for 78s you are sure to enjoy Amanda Petrusich's book "Do Not Sell At Any Price" subtitled "The Wild,... Read More
September 12th, 2022
5 Inexpensive Phono Preamplifiers We Like Priced From $99 to $1500By: Michael Fremer
Priced from $99 to $1500, these 5 phono preamplifiers offer fine build quality and sound to match. Equally important: they are from stable companies that will exist when in the future you might need customer support. Of course, there are many others worth noting but we want to avoid a laundry list here. Meanwhile, as in “Miracle on 34th Street”, where Macy’s Santa sent people to Gimbel’s, please visit my “former endeavor” and scroll through the phono preamp reviews.... Read More