Rega Aos MC phono stage Rumours had been circulating for a while about a baby Aura phono stage from Rega, a halfway house between the Aria MM/MC stage and the company’s range topper but it was still a surprise to see the Aos MC in finished form at the Bristol Hi-Fi Show in February. Rega’s […]
Music First Audio LP103 LCR phono preamp I first got wind that Music First Audio (MFA)was working on its first phono stage a couple of years ago. I made sure I kept tags on progress until finally I got word in July that the new LP103 LCR was ready for production. The eagerly-anticipated first review […]
Accuphase C-57 phono stage Accuphase is a little different from many of the Japanese brands most people are familiar with. They say they are not interested in mass production and what they see as “its inevitable compromises”. Their philosophy is to produce smaller runs of components that “focus on sound quality and that are a […]
Michell Apollo phono stage It has been a while since Michell launched any electronics that weren’t directly related to controlling the speed of a turntable but the company’s history in this area dates back over 30 years to their first phono stage the Michell Iso. That compact but very effective preamp was designed for Michell […]
Grimm Audio PW1 phono stage Grimm Audio is a name associated with high end digital, its MU1 and MU2 streamers having established the company as one of the most technologically advanced in the sector. However, Grimm’s first product was an active DSP loudspeaker system and its most recent is a phono stage, even digital enthusiasts […]
The Ear’s reviewers pick the best hi-fi of 2024 If you want to know the best hi-fi of 2024, the audio products that really wowed our reviewers this year look no further. These components that made a lasting impression, they are the ones reviewers would have held onto if they could and sometimes did. There […]
Moonriver 505 Hybrid phono stage Regular readers may recognise the Moonriver brand name from two earlier reviews which I submitted for the company’s 404 integrated amplifier, in January 2021 and its more powerful sibling the 404 Reference integrated amplifier, in June of last year. To save you scrolling back through the archives let me summarise […]
Zinamp Z-Act MM cartridge enhancement system A good number of us absolutely love vinyl replay. It’s not only that the sound is so good, but also there’s something comforting about the ritual of putting a record on, of tailoring the sound to suit your ears with the vast range of different cartridge types or choice […]
Mola Mola Lupe phono stage At a retail price just shy of £7,500 Mola Mola’s Lupe phono stage can hardly be characterised as entry level, but neither can it be classified as overly expensive if we consider the broader market. At the risk of losing readers struggling to square the sometimes quite ridiculous cost of […]
SPL Phonos MM/MC phono stage German company SPL is one of a small coterie of brands that produce components for both audio enthusiasts and professional studios. There aren’t many other electronics companies whose products are used extensively in both worlds, this is more common with loudspeakers where the demands are not so different but if […]
Michael Fidler Spartan 5 & MC Pro phono stages It’s rare that I get to enjoy two phono stages at the same time but Michael Fidler thought that this would be a good way to get a handle on his products. The MC Pro supports MC cartridges, and the Spartan 5 MM cartridges, both units […]
Whest 60Se Pro phono stage Spoiler alert. The Whest 60Se Pro phono stage has had its tweakability minimised. No, it’s not a one size fits all’, but it’s been designed absolutely with sound quality and listening as the first priorities. For that reason, if you want to swap cartridges out at a frantic pace you’re […]