Description
The first thing that catches your eye when you get to know the Vincent PHO-300 is two identical metal cases instead of one. The power supply and phono equalizer are physically separated, connected by a five-pin DIN cable. For a phono equalizer of this price level, this is a non-trivial solution: most competitors make do with a built-in switching power supply or an external adapter. Vincent chooses a different path - a linear power supply with its own transformer and discrete voltage stabilizers, which minimizes the impact of network interference on the ultra-sensitive signal from the pickup head.
The PHO-300 power supply is not just a separate box for aesthetics. Inside is a proprietary Vincent transformer, discrete stabilization circuits and 4400 μF of filtering capacitance. Additional voltage stabilizers are also installed in the phono equalizer itself at the power input. This approach provides the cleanest power supply for the input stages - exactly where any power noise directly enters the audio signal.
The PHO-300 supports both MM and MC heads: the mode is selected by a switch on the front panel. For MM, the gain is 40 dB, the input impedance is 47 kΩ, the signal-to-noise ratio is over 83 dB. For MC, the gain is 60 dB, the input impedance is 100 Ohm, the signal-to-noise ratio is over 70 dB. The level of harmonic distortion in both modes does not exceed 0.05%. These figures are typical of devices of a much higher price level.
The PHO-300 circuitry is based on Burr-Brown OPA37 operational amplifiers (one per channel) and dual NE5532 — a proven combination for low-noise phonostage operation. The cases are made of metal, the 10 mm thick front panels correspond to the powerLine design. The dimensions of each block are 112×60×126 mm; in a stack or side by side they take up minimal space on a shelf. Connections: RCA input + ground terminal, RCA output.
Vincent PHO-300 — a phono equalizer for those who want to get a significantly better result compared to the built-in phono input of the amplifier or a budget single-block phonostage, without spending a significant amount. A separate power supply and careful circuitry make it a particularly interesting option for systems with MC heads, where the noise level requirements are the highest. Compatible with amplifiers, receivers and active speaker systems with line input.
