Vincent Audio PHO-500 MM/MC Phono Preamplifier

Two-Chassis Phono Stage with Exceptional Sound Quality

The task of a quality phono preamplifier is to provide simple, straightforward, and accurate unsophisticated low-noise playback of your vinyl. With the PHO-500, Vincent Audio certain succeeded. One reason for the exceptional sound quality is a sophisticated power supply, located in its own separate chassis, away from the delicate signal processing of the preamplification circuitry.

The carefully chosen, highly specified internal components are another reason for the true audiophile performance. To make sure that you get the best possible sound quality through a careful match with your phono cartridge, you can make precise adjustments via DIP-switches on the PHO-500.

Archive Your LPs as Digital Files

One great feature of the PHO-500 is the ability to turn LPs and LP tracks into digital files. The analog signal is converted to a CD-quality digital stream by a built-in Analog-to-Digital converter. The A/D chip is a CS5340 made by Cirrus Logic. The output is fixed at 24-bit / 192 kHz and uses a USB connection. Just plug the PHO-500 into your PC or Mac computer, which will recognize the PHO-500 by the name "USB-Audio". Using recording software you can find on the web (such as the free Audacity app) you will be able to easily archive your vinyl.

Configurability with MM and MC Cartridges

The PHO-500 provides DIP switches that let you match your phono cartridge to the unit. For MC moving coil cartridges, input impedance is adjustable from 100 Ohms to 1000 Ohm. For MM moving magnet cartridges, input capacitance is adjustable from 15 pF to 350 pF. Fixed values include input impedance of 47 K Ohm for MM cartridges and input capacitance of 15 pF for MC cartridges. Input sensitivity is 58 mV for MM and 6.8 mV for MC.

Analog connections consist of one pair of RCA stereo inputs and one pair of RCA stereo outputs.

Power Supply Has Its Own Separate Chassis

Like its bigger brother, the PHO-701, the PHO-500 benefits from locating its power supply in a completely separate chassis for pristine signal quality. And this is a sophisticated high quality low noise power supply rather than the low-tech wall-wart power supply that comes with many phono stages in the PHO-500's price range. Separate cases for audio and power supply circuitry help isolate the signal chain from AC distortion and interference.

Meets the Highest Demands of Vinyl Enthusiasts

The PHO-500 meets the highest demands of vinyl enthusiasts for analog audio playback. It performs the correction of RIAA distortion with high precision and allows you to connect your turntable to an integrated amplifier or receiver that lacks a dedicated Phono input, simply by plugging the PHO-500 into a line-level input. The attractive casework has been designed to complement the Vincent tubeLine product series. Highest quality workmanship and an outstanding price-to-performance ratio are self-evident in its appearance and performance.

• Two-chassis audiophile phono stage
• Sophisticated low-noise power supply in its own chassis
• USB Output for Archiving LPs
• A/D chip is a CS5340 made by Cirrus Logic
• Digital output is fixed at 24-bit / 192 kHz
• Cartridge Capacitance/Impedance Adjustability
• Inputs: 1 x Stereo RCA
• Outputs: 1 x Stereo RCA, USB
• Color: Black or Silver

• Frequency Response: 10 Hz – 20 kHz ±0.5 dB, 10 Hz – 50 kHz ±2 dB
• T.H.D.: < 0.05% (20 Hz - 20 kHz)
• Input Sensitivity: MM: 58 mV, MC 6.8 mV
• Signal-to-Noise: MM: > 83 dB, MC: > 70 dB
• Input Impedance: MM: 47 KOhm, MC: 100 Ohm - 1000 Ohm (adjustable)
• Input Capacity: MM: 15 pF - 350 pF (adjustable), MC: 15 pF
• Output Impedance: 250 Ohm
• Max. Power Consumption: 10 Watt
• Weight: 1.4 kg (power supply), 1 kg (PHO-500)
• Dimensions (W x H x D): 130 x 95 x 205 mm for power supply and PHO-500 each

2022 Editors’ Choice Award - The Absolute Sound

"A phono section is the sum of its parts. And to make a complete system you need a turntable with an ’arm, cartridge, phonostage, and cables to and from the phono preamp to your line-level preamplifier. Since most audiophiles have a budget for the whole system, yet buy these components a la carte, whatever money you save on one part you can then devote to another. For anyone trying to assemble a high-performance phono system on a reasonable budget, the PHO-500 could be an ideal choice, since it delivers a high-quality, low-noise signal that easily mates with a wide variety of high-performance front ends. And you get the added benefit of a device that allows you to record your most treasured LPs at 96/24 resolution. Well done, Vincent. Well done."

- Steven Stone, The Absolute Sound, March 23, 2021