Description
The PHO-500 is Vincent's older transistor phono stage, and the main difference between it and the PHO-300 is its flexibility. Where the younger model offers fixed parameters, the PHO-500 offers a set of DIP switches that allow you to precisely match the load and input capacitance to a specific cartridge. For a serious analog system, this is not a superfluity, but a necessity: a properly matched cartridge sounds noticeably better than the same cartridge with an inappropriate load.
The input impedance for MC heads is adjustable in the range from 100 to 1000 Ohms — this covers the vast majority of MC cartridges. The input capacitance for MM is adjustable from 15 to 350 pF, which allows you to optimally match the PHO-500 to a specific MM cartridge and tonearm cable. For MM, the input impedance remains standard — 47 kOhms. All switches are located on the phono equalizer housing and are accessible without disassembly.
Like the PHO-300, the PHO-500 uses a two-dimensional concept: the phono equalizer and power supply are placed in separate identical metal housings measuring 130×95×205 mm. The power supply weighs 1.4 kg — more complex and powerful compared to the younger model. A linear power supply circuit with its own transformer and discrete stabilizers provides clean, stable power supply for input stages, where any noise directly affects the signal quality.
Frequency response — 10 Hz–20 kHz. Harmonic distortion level less than 0.05%, signal-to-noise ratio for MM over 83 dB, for MC over 70 dB — identical to PHO-300. Output impedance 250 Ohm. Input — one pair of RCA. Output — one pair of RCA plus USB, which allows recording analog signal from records directly to a computer without additional equipment.
PHO-500 — the choice for those who already have a specific cartridge with clear load requirements, or who plan to change cartridges over time and want to maintain the possibility of precise matching. Especially relevant for owners of MC cartridges with non-standard recommended load — for example, 470 or 680 Ohm. The USB output will be useful for those who are simultaneously digitizing their vinyl collection.
