Andromeda Phono Preamplifier

Andromeda Phono Preamplifier

Accessibility for a larger audience

Our “dream team” of the world's finest audio engineers was thrilled with the results they heard from our Reference Series Orion and Performance Series Perseus phono preamps. They loved the incomparable clarity and detail, as well as the flexibility these preamps gave them to get the best possible sound from their favorite cartridges. They did, however, express the wish that more people could hear the results of their work. So when we talked about creating the Revelation line, we knew we should include a phono preamp. The result is Andromeda, a phono pre that distils the circuits, construction techniques and features we pioneered with Orion and Perseus into a model that is somewhat more accessible to a larger audience.

An ideal solution

As before, our team started with an RIAA EQ circuit created by John Curl, the world's best-known phono preamp designer. As before, we added a fully balanced output stage built with low-noise field-effect transistors (FETs). And as before, we used a dual-mono power supply in a separate chassis. The main differences are that Andromeda has fewer inputs and eliminates the EQ curve adjustments found on Orion and Perseus. It's the ideal solution for those with simpler vinyl playback setups using only couple of tonearms or turntables.

Perfect, precise adjustments

Increasingly, vinyl enthusiasts are exploring a wider variety of cartridges and also experimenting by going beyond the cartridge manufacturers recommended settings. For these adventurous audiophiles, Andromeda will be a godsend.

For the most important cartridge loading adjustment setting the load impedance of moving-coil cartridges, we have provided controls that allow settings with ultra-precise 1-ohm steps, from 0 to 999 ohms. Settings for each channel and each MC input can be seen and stored independently through Andromeda's front LCD touchscreen. Loading may also be adjusted for moving-magnet cartridges. Load impedance may be set to 10, 33 or 47 KΩ, and load capacitance to 0, 100 or 200 picofarads.

The ideal phono circuit

At Andromeda's core is a phono EQ circuit engineered by John Curl, for decades famed as the world's best phono preamp designer. We combined this musically refined circuit with a technically refined output stage based on the fully balanced Line Stage Gain Modules found in all of our award-winning line stage preamps. We build these circuits using FETs selected specifically for their outstanding, ultra-low-noise performance. Thus, not only is the signal from the cartridge perfectly equalized, the exceptional transparency of our circuitry assures that even extreme low-level microdetails from the best pressings make it all the way from the stylus to your speakers.