Phono Preamp Reviews

Sentec EQ11 phono preamplifier Specifications

Sidebar 1: Specifications

Description: Low-gain, tubed moving-magnet phono premplifier with multiple equalization settings and wall-wart power supply. Tube complement: 2 JAN G.E. 5751 (special 12AX7), 2 JAN Philips 6189W tubes. Measured voltage gain at 1kHz: 29.5–30.6dB, depending on EQ. Measured input impedance at 1kHz: 45k ohms. Measured output impedance at 1kHz: 2k ohms. Measured S/N ratio: 72.6dB (A-weighted) ref. 1kHz at 5mV.
Serial number of review sample: "Made in Sweden."
Price: $2500.
Manufacturer: Sentec, Sweden. US distributor: Tone Imports. Web: www.toneimports.com.

COMPANY INFO
Sentec
US distributor: Tone Imports
www.toneimports.com
ARTICLE CONTENTS

COMMENTS
doak's picture
Submitted by doak on October 25, 2014 - 8:50am

Or is he FOS?

If not someone is.

toon's picture
Submitted by toon on October 25, 2014 - 12:53pm

The article states that there were over 100 variations. What is to say that those chosen by Sentec are the correct ones? What happens if I change tubes? To further extend the comment by doak I think more than one person is FOS. Another very small niche product for the gullible.Modest appearance and wall-wart power supply for $2500? What a total POS.

jokeka's picture
Submitted by jokeka on October 29, 2014 - 12:24pm

So, you've listened to it? Or does its "modest appearance" preclude that and reveal what you actually care about?

Osgood Crinkly III's picture
Submitted by Osgood Crinkly III on October 26, 2014 - 10:42am

Looks like a Heathkit.

Rick Tomaszewicz's picture
Submitted by Rick Tomaszewicz on October 26, 2014 - 2:34pm

would it be a conflict of interest for you to enter a comment on this article?

toon's picture
Submitted by toon on October 30, 2014 - 10:06am

I care about music. But I also believe we should receive good design for a very niche component that costs 2500 with a wallwart( I've built better regulated power supplies for only $60 -and that's in Canadian currency!). Would you consider a BMW M5 worth the money if it still performed as well but had an exterior that was designed by a poor designer with little imagination and was built like a box? Really, there are many priorities for the audiophile, and music lover. Is it a sin to ask for quality in the packaging as well as what's inside.Especially at the price point of the Entec?

xyzip's picture
Submitted by xyzip on May 10, 2015 - 3:08pm

Funny thing about the appearance/ styling of this product (since that seems to be the drift of the comments)-- when I saw the photo here I thought, immediately, wow, what a brilliant match for the gray Garrard 301 schedule one that I use!

Silvery hammerite enamel, tubes & bakelite knobs, even the plain-font lab-style black enamel faceplate badges are an exacting equivalent for the styling-- call it Coldwar Chic-- of the the Garrard 301.

{It may be surprising to think this, but penetrating blue leds + Cnc lasercut anodized AL slabs--- don't look too simpatico, next to a Garrard, an EMT, a Neumann deck.}

As to the power supply, generally the wallwart thing at this price level is a placeholder sort of thing, and the manufacturer offers another, more substantial & higher capacity outboard SE external supply as an option. In an enclosure matching the signalpath unit. So that may happen. Or not, who knows. All in all, I'd rather have a fat *external* wallwart, than a troublesome *internal* psu that is wedged-in to keep the product small.

I have nothing to do with this product, but it's worth stating some alternative viewpoints. And I would like to see a more elaborate followup to this.
J.D.

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