Phono Preamplifiers

Most of today's amplifiers are built without a specific phono cartridge input. The Phono Box E is an ideal phono preamplifier for these hi-fi systems, accepting MM cartridges. The analogue output of the Phono Box E can easily be connected to the line-input of your amplifier.

A very useful little phono stage that doesn't choke the richness of your vinyl.

One of my pet peeves is when people have a fairly good turntable set up but are using a very sub par phono stage. Often the most cost effective upgrade is a stand alone phono stage.

Lesser phono stages will bring in an edge to the vinyl sound. We all put so much value on Vinyl because of its inherently analogue sound devoid of the brittleness of digital. So please, no need to spend the earth but a good quality phono stage, like this one, is well worth it!

A very handy unit that's a traditional Phono stage as well as being a Bluetooth transmitter. This means you can use your phono stage as normal into an amp and speakers or bluetooth your vinyl to a unit with a Bluetooth receiver.

This is the new version of the what has been one of our best selling phono stages. At sub $500 there is not another phono stage that sounds better. It is simply in a class of its own. We regularly put this phono stage up against units more than double its price and customers come away scratching their heads asking why the rest even bother!

It's just that much better. It's quieter, letting you hear more detail, it's still musical and rich sounding not adding artificial harshness that many of 'the others' do.

A go-to and a personal favourite.

This is a delectable little unit. A phono stage with two ECC83 tubes to give it a sweet sound and warm glow. It's super versatile and will take MM and MC inputs as well as giving you all the impedance, capacitance and gain control you could need. It also has a Subsonic filter...which sounds like a some kind of super power hero power...unfortunately it's not but it does help alleviate extra background noise.

Call us for availability on colours/finishes.

For decades Musical Fidelity has made exceptional electronics and their phono stages really fly that flag too. Another old English company with a forward sound not really a tea and scones politeness but the quinessential warmth of the English sound. 

Great value for a dual MM and MC unit, the V90LPS is perfect to pair with a Rega Planar 2 or Planar 3 Turntable where having the dual inputs is useful if you are wanting to switch between cartridges.

This is a versatile and great sounding little unit.

A moving coil catridge is a tough thing to amplifiy. They are very low level electrical output and come in a very broad range of loadings and capacitances.However a properly set moving coil cartridge is one of the most rewarding musical experiences and should be the end game for a vinyl enthusiast.

The Fono MC Mk4 is an exceptionally high quality MC phono stage designed to maximise the potential of any MC cartridge.

Although specifically to compliment the latest Rega range of  moving coils you will find full adjustability for loading is available via dip switches conveniently placed on the rear panel with two different gain settings located on the back panel making the Fono MC compatible with most low output MC cartridges.

See the official Rega site here

Some lovely features on this phono stage that punches above its weight for its price. 

RCA and balanced connections along with a discrete and symetrical gain stage. 

This unit can take Moving Magnet cartridges but to get the most out of it, it is best to have a Moving Coil.

We see this unit as a good option for those starting out in their Moving Coil juorney.

Another relatively modestly priced phono pre-amplifier with MM/MC inputs from Musical Fidelity. Only $100 more than their entry level V90 LPS, this unit gives more detail and precision because of its lower noise floor.

Still maintaining the classic forward yet warm Musical Fidelity sound.

Again though, a great option for a very good value dual input (Moving Magnet and Moving Coil cartridge) Phono Stage.

Pro-Ject is producing this new range of phono stages that are fully balanced and with discrete circuitry. Normally these features were exclusive to the market above $1000 but it is now trickling down into the sub $1000 range.

A great option that won't break the bank and an upgrade in the circuitry from the SB 3 phono box. This is cleaner sounding than the SB 3.

This unassuming Black Box is the key to unlocking the wonders of Vinyl with your Naim system. Everything you love about Naim, precision, detail and musicality, now paired with your favourite turntable and Vinyl.

Interesting to note all the power supply options for this cool little power supply:

NaimUniti, NAIT XS, SuperNait, 152XS, 202, 282, 252, 552, FlatCap XS, HiCap, SuperCap

This means not only does it have a versatility in what it can be paired with but also a great upgrade path should you want more!

The Naim StageLine Phono Stage comes in four different options:

StageLine N (Moving Magnet)

StageLine E (Moving Coil; 560Ohms, 6.8nF)

StageLine K (Moving Coil; 560Ohms, 1nF)

StageLine S (Moving Coil; 470Ohms, 6.8nF)

Naim products bought from us, a genuine approved Naim dealer, include the full 2 year warranty. 

A versatile phonostage that is great value for what it does.

We love our vinyl at Carlton Audio Visual and we have some very fancy phono stages for people who want the best experience possible from their cartridge and their turntable setup. This phono stage doesn't fall into the super fancy category but it will take you to the beginning of the good stuff in vinyl. Mainly because it gives the Moving Coil option and all the adjustability that generally only the much more expensive phono stages will get you.

Of note as welll, it has both balanced and unbalanced connections. Another feature generally only seen in quite high end units.

 Please call us for availability of colours/finishes.

We love the Pro-Ject Tube Phono Stages! The DS2 has tweeked the original in a good way.

2 Phono inputs and 2 line outputs, loads of variability for MC and MM cartridges.

This phono stage has a refined sound with more body and depth than their solid state equivalents.

Call us for availability on colours/finishes

This has been a very popular model with us over the years. This mid-priced tube phono stage has been through different variations and today it has balanced ins and balanced outs. This then works in perfectly with the new Pro-Ject lineup that offers a real focus on the Balanced signal from start to finish - a really valuable and discernible upgrade.

Of course you don't have to use the Balanced connections of the Pro-Ject ecosystem. You can still use this as a really good, warm yet detailed phono stage.

These are the pick of the bunch in the Pro-Ject range. The tubes definitely add class and depth to the sound.

The MX-VYNL is a fully balanced, very high performance phono stage, able to operate with virtually any moving coil or moving magnet cartridge. With both traditional RCA inputs and our unique XLR fully balanced connection the MX-VYNL can be connected to 2 turntables simultaneously.

The MX-VNYL offers a wide range of input impedance settings for moving coil cartridges as well as several capacitance settings for moving magnet units. Unlike many of our competitors units the MX-VYNL allows easy adjustment of these settings while playing. This allows easy experimentation and tuning to find the optimum setting for all your equipment.

The MX-VYNL also includes our renowned RIAA correction that offers extremely accurate results to beyond 80kHz. That may sound extreme, but there is a good deal of information above 20 kHz that needs correction. If it isn’t corrected, it will show itself as ringing and overshoot.

With both extraordinarily low noise and exceptional overload margin the MX-VYNL can comfortably handle even the most demanding of cartridges and satisfy the most discerning of listeners

One of our favourite Phono stages that makes a partiularly good synthesis with Rega cartridges. However, it's definitely not to be limited to just the Rega cartridges. 

It's a warm sounding phono stage that adds a richness to a system. Like all Rega, it lacks frills but it does what it does ever so well.

If you're after multiple inputs and endless adjustibility, this model may not be the one. But if you're after an excellent phono stage that is a plug-in and forget, the Aria is perfect.

Typically known for their digital products in particular their DACs, Chord has surfaced with a product for all of those Vinyl enthusiasts that are jealous of their friend's aircraft grade aluminium DACs. Like their digital products, the Huei not only has that super cool casing, it also has the pretty LED lights and funky buttons...

...but of course the aesthetics of the Huei aren't the only important thing here!

The Huei is a MM/MC phono stage with all of that tinkering capability for any type of cartridge. Impedance, Gain and Rumble (!) settings are all at your fingertips (coressponding to different coloured lights in the chassis). It also has Balanced outputs for those who are serious about Hi-Fi...and not just the coloured lights...

It produces an incredibly clean sound almost completely devoid of noise floor resolving the image beautifully.

We would recommend it to go with Soundsmith, Rega and Van den Hul cartridges.

Click here for Chris Kelly's glowing review in The Ear 

We are down to our last EX-DEMO Phono Signature to sell...how sad! Great price for a lovely lovely phono stage.

Once upon a time Cyrus made a phono stage in called the Phono X, a very adjustable and sensitive line stage for adding a high quality record player to a Cyrus system encasd in their characteristic magnesium alloy chassis. It wasn't cheap, but it was simply fantastic to listen to with a sub zero noise floor and acute but sweet detail presentation.

They stopped making it in fairly short order, acceding to the then prevailing market wisdom that turntables were primitive tech doomed for extinction. Oh how we cried ... and Phono Xs became sought after and highly collectible.

Welcome to 2016 and Cyrus have risen to the call of born again vinyl and released the Phono Signature, and it is fantastic.

"What H Fi?" on the Phono Signature".
"Hi-Fi Choice" on the Phono Signature".

Using the best design circuitry and making no compromises, this is Pro-Ject's top of the line Phono stage.

A completely balanced circuit from input to output, this is a classy phono stage. It has all the flexibility you would expect with a phono stage of this calibre to cater to the best of cartridges and tastes.