IF you’re in the quest for the phono preamp to rule them all, perhaps you’ll find the upcoming Dan D’Agostino Momentum Phonostage Preamp to be the perfect fit.
The claim is that, with this phono stage, founder D’Agostino “finally extracted every last bit of music hidden in even the most microscopic fluctuations in the finest vinyl records.”
We’re told he did it by “combining the finest possible analogue circuitry with the precision of digital control.” All adjustments can be made on the front panel, which has a LED readout for each event. No confusing menus and no need to open up the top or rear to fiddle with DIP switches or analogue controls. Pushbuttons on the panel precisely control gain, resistive loading for MC, resistive and capacitive loading for MM, and record EQ curve.
Apart from RIAA, there are four additional RIAA-like equalisation curves for use with albums from specific labels including London FFRR, RCA, Columbia, and Deutsche Grammophon.
Also claimed is the cleanest AC power supply for a phono preamp. This one has two separate units – a transformer sited on the floor, and power rectification and regulation circuits built into the base on which the Phonostage is placed. This way, sensitive circuits are double-isolated from the transformer electrically and at a safe physical distance.
The Phonostage has two moving-coil inputs and two moving-magnet inputs, each with XLR and RCA jacks, plus XLR and RCA outputs. Gain level is 70dB for MC and 50dB for MM.
The Momentum Phonostage, now in its final engineering stages, is hand-built in the company’s Arizona factory. Available in silver or black finish, it will begin shipping in late November.
