Simplex Phono Stage

Description

Simplex Phono Stage

The Simplex is a moving magnet phono pre-amp compatible with moving magnet and high output moving coil cartridges, giving superb performance. It uses the same class A discrete transistor circuit topology employed so successfully in the Rialto, but without the Rialto's extra moving coil gain stage. The result is truly audiophile performance in a simple, compact and affordable unit, rivaling phonostages at many times the price.

Circuit Design

An elegant discrete transistor design rather than the more common op-amp circuit is at the heart of the simplex, operating in class A and using local feedback rather than global feedback to ensure high linearity, wide bandwidth and low noise. The product of over twenty years of phonostage design experience - the first Rothwell outboard phonostage was on the market in the early 1990s - this inherently simple circuit is one which sounds detailed, spacious and musical. When the music gets busy and complex, the Simplex always reveals all the individual strands of the music and never sounds confused or harsh.

Accurate RIAA equalisation to within 0.5dB is achieved by combining multiple audiophile polypropylene capacitors. Using several capacitors where a single capacitor is more usually employed in lesser phonostages not only achieves greater accuracy but has the added benefit that the capacitors act as mutual bypasses for each other, minimising the dissipation factor and the effects of parasitic elements such as dielectric absorption.

Noise is minimised and signal integrity preserved by careful track routing on the printed circuit board, with star earthing and the use of components on both sides of the board to achieve a compact circuit with minimum loop area for low inductance. The resulting eerily quiet circuit has noise levels way below the surface noise and vinyl roar of even the best pressings, allowing the listener to enjoy recordings without the distraction of electronic circuit noise or other intrusions such as hum or buzz. Multiple stages of power supply filtering ensure that power supply noise is eliminated, and having the power supply in an external unit well away from the audio circuit prevents direct cross coupling of noise..

Cartridge Compatibilty

The Simplex can be used with all moving magnet and high output moving coil cartridges with outputs in the range 2mV - 10mV and will perform to a standard previously only expected from much more expensive units. The addition of one of our range of moving coil step-up transformers will also allow the Simplex to handle low output moving coil cartridges too, giving performance of a staggeringly high standard.

Despite its name, and the compact dimensions, the Simplex’s circuit is sophisticated and covers both sides of its circuit board.