EINSTEIN "The Turntable's Choice" MC Phonostage

EINSTEIN "The Turntable's Choice" Phonostage
Retails (UK) for around £5000-£5500
220V/50-60hz main voltage
about 50 hours playing time, as new condition.
- original box

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As analog fans with large LP collections, the development of this phonostage was an assignment close to our hearts.


"It was among the most neutral, dynamic, transparent phono preamps I have ever heard- if not the most. The Einstein's midrange delicacy and airiness rivalled those of the best tubed phono pre-amps I've heard from BAT and Manley, though with perhaps even greater airiness and freedom from congestion, and certainly with greater dynamic capabilities at both ends of the scale and deeper, tighter bass. Overall it may just be the best sounding, most neutral phono pre-amp I've ever heard." -Michael Fremer, Stereophile July 2006.

EINSTEIN "The Turntable's Choice" Phonostage
To be candid with you, this phono stage is a bit of a bargain. I know that we are still talking about a serious chunk of pocket change here but so often in the hifi world products are hyped and touted as the next best thing. It happens all of the time so when a genuine product comes along which re-defines a category at its price point it doesn't always create a tsunami of reviews.

Boy oh boy is this one of those products. There are several phono stages that I would classify as "Class A" and they all have one thing in common, they are reassuringly expensive and they make much more of a difference to sound quality than you would credit before listening to one.
One advantage of the Einstein Phono Stage is its very practical size, you do not need to devote a rack shelf to the phono stage as it is compact and bijou.
How does it sound? The Sax soars, the dynamics burst from a silent background and Eva Cassidy caused me to tear up. It throws a wall to wall soundstage and can rock with the best of them. I guess the timing is spot on as my foot didn't stop tapping. Do yourself a favour come listen no more convincing will be required, Class A with bells on

10-24-06: Sabertouch on Audiogon
I made some earlier posts asking for impressions of the Einstein, because nobody ever heard of it, and I kept reading all these great posts from others about how good all the other expensive phono pre's were.
I talked personally with some of the owners of the Einstein and others who had heard it. These were serious analog audiophiles who don't post to forums. They have enough resources to buy anything they wish and they bought the Einstein and sold their more expensive name recognition pre's.
To buy a product without hearing it first is very difficult for me to do. I did buy the Einstein and it is better than I ever could imagine. I pay little attention to reviewers in the mags other than to get some ideas. However, Fremer's comments on the Einstein are absolutly spot on. It is terrific. It's build quality is outstanding, and the electroncs are the best. They use as few components as possible to keep the circuits as straight line as possible.
My unit has been listened to and raved about by some very savy people with long experience in audio.
It draw's the listener into the music. It's not the ultimate in resolution at 100 hrs, but makes big jump in this area at around 700 hrs without losing it's relaxed tube like sound.
I do not know how Einstein was able to get this sound without any tubes, but they did.
There may be better units out there, but nothing even remotely close to this price point. One of the true bargains in analog audio,and the best purchase I ever made in 30 yrs in this hobby. I might have overdone my recomendation, but that is just how much I like it.
Advertised elsewhere so reserve the right to withdraw without notice.

Gain of 68dB (2500x)
- S/N ratio typically 76dB
- THD < 0.03%
- Star-grounding (the stereo version too uses discrete dual-mono floating power supplies)
- passive RIAA equalization
- Adjustabe impedance loading
- Discrete architecture (24 monolithic transistors per channel)
- High-current output stage with low 50-ohm output impedance
- Output voltage > 5V, balanced 10V
- External power supply (the fully balanced version has twin power supplies)
- Resonance-free vibration-optimized chassis
- Dual-mono architecture single-ended
Weight 3.5 / 7.0 kg