TECHWEEK
The American company Conrad-Johnson never ceases to delight with new products. Just recently we talked about the third generation of the TEA1 tube phono preamplifier, and here again is a new product, and again – a phono preamplifier!
The new Conrad-Johnson ART Phono is designed for use with the ART88 preamplifier. Like the ART88, the Conrad-Johnson ART Phono will be limited to 250 pieces. The new product is organically combined with the ART88 pre-amplifier both in design and circuitry. The phono stage is designed in a dual mono concept, in which the two channels only share a common power transformer and chassis.
Each ART Phono channel consists of two triode amplifier stages that use parallel sections of 12AX7A dual triodes coupled to the output via a 12AU7/6189 dual triode buffer stage to provide low output impedance. Each channel is supplied with two independent discrete DC power supplies: one for the input gain stage, the other for the second gain stage and buffer stage.
The ART Phono is equipped with two inputs: one provides 53 dB gain and has variable capacitive and resistive loads, and the other is available with either a fixed load of 47.5 kOhm and 53 dB gain, or optionally available with a step-up transformer for 63 dB gain into 46 Ohm load .
The phono circuit uses Conrad-Johnson’s proprietary CJD Teflon capacitors and Vishay metal foil resistors. RCA connectors are made from oxygen-free copper and then silver-plated and rhodium-plated. The signal circuits are assembled on a separate board, and the phono preamplifier housing is made of thick aluminum to minimize microphone effect.
The new Conrad – Johnson ART Phono will go on sale at the end of September. The recommended retail price of the new product in the USA will be 28 thousand dollars . The version with step-up transformers will cost 2 thousand dollars more.
