Phono Preamp Reviews

Sutherland PhD MC phono preamplifier BD's Associated Components

Sidebar 2: BD's Associated Components

Analog Source: VPI HR-X turntable & tonearm; Lyra Titan, Grado Statement Reference cartridges.
Digital Sources: Burmester 001, Ensemble Dirondo CD players.
Preamplification: VTL TL-7.5 line stage; Sonic Euphoria PLC, Placette Remote Volume Control passive line stages; Ensemble Fonobrio phono preamp; Burmester 011 preamplifier.
Power Amplifiers: VTL S-400, Simaudio Moon Rock, Mark Levinson No.20.6 monoblocks.
Loudspeakers: Thiel CS6.
Cables: Nirvana S-X Ltd., Audience Au24, Nordost Valhalla, Silversmith Silver interconnects and speaker cables. AC: Audience PowerChord, Synergistic Research Designers' Reference.
Accessories: Finite Elemente Reference equipment rack, Ceraball equipment feet; Nordost ECO3, Audience Auric Illuminator, Disksolution CD cleaning/treatment fluids; MIT ZCenter power-conditioning & delivery systems; FIM 880 AC outlets; VPI HW-16.5 record-cleaning machine & fluid, Disk Doctor LP & CD cleaning systems; Zerodust Onzow, Lyra SPT stylus cleaners; Echo Busters room-treatment devices.—Brian Damkroger

COMPANY INFO
Sutherland
PO Box 1905
1500 S. Ninth Street
Salina, KS 67402-1905
(785) 825-8609
www.acousticsounds.com
ARTICLE CONTENTS

COMMENTS
Jack L's picture
Submitted by Jack L on March 7, 2020 - 12:43pm

.... at all. Period. Instead, the power for the Ph.D. is 16 alkaline "D" cells." quoted Mike Fremer

AC-DC power supply + associated ground noise are very hard, if not impossible, to eliminate unless using battery supply. Such noises are a pain in MC/MM phonostages.

So battery is the ultimate free-power/ground-noise solution for MC/MM phono design.

Likewise, my MC head amp is also battery powered: +/- 6V = 8x D-size batteries. So why so low voltage? Because only discrete bipolar junction devices are used, no op-amp chips there.

Though the USD3,000 PHD phonostage used op-amp chips may sound superb to many, my ears just can't tolerate any chip sound, sorry. Maybe my ears are too spoiled by tubes used in all my phonotages & power amps.

Listening is believing

Jack L

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