Graham Slee Gram Amp 2 SE phono preamp "Best Buy Rated"

GRAHAM SLEE ERA GOLD MK V PHONO PREAMP

The Graham Slee Era Gold Mk V phono preamplifier is truly exceptional. It throws current thinking to the wind, and concentrates on its singular mission - that of reproducing music the way music sounds. The result is a phono preamp that breathes real music into life.

Michael Fremer, in Stereophile Vol. 27 No. 1, calls the Era Gold V the "miraculous phono preamp" for its ability to change and dramatically lift an entire system's sound quality and make music sound real! Subsequently, Stereophile awarded Class A $$$ Recommended Component rating on the Era Gold Mk V thus making it the least expensive phono preamp in this very exclusive class of superlative achievers. Others cost $1,500 - $15,000!

For Michael Fremer's complete review, click here.

For the TNT Audio Magazine review, click here.

The Era Gold Mk V is designed for use with the highest quality turntables, tonearms, moving magnet, moving iron, and high output moving coil cartridges which require a fixed 47k ohms load. This single-minded focus removes all design compromises thus setting the music free! Because there are no switch contacts in the signal path and because of its extremely fast amplifier stages with matched, high speed,low dielectric absorption RIAA networks, the Era Gold will retrieve detail from records with crystal clarity and precision, produce an amazingly accurate and stable stereo image, tight powerful bass and fantastic detail resolution with vast improvement to musical timing and timbre, along with the ethereal or ephemeral feel of valves. The resulting sound is startling in its musicality!

High-Performance Results
As with many high performance products, the results it gives will only be as good as the source feeding it, but with a good turntable-arm-cartridge combination the results will be heard. At last, much of the grittiness blamed on the vinyl medium is exchanged for real music. Brass, with its complex harmonic structure appears as it should, rather than the usual distortion you get with slower pre amps.

As, is usually the case, it's the attention to the smallest details which make the biggest difference to how things sound. With the Era Gold V, these small details are reproduced with such finesse that the music is brought to life. The life it had when committed to the master tape! Not just with modern high quality pressings or direct cut discs, but with used vinyl too, right back to the birth of RIAA stereo recordings.

How this is achieved is based on Graham Slee's concept of phase integrity, which can only be realized by fast electronics, which in turn is an art seldom understood, or achieved by other phono preamp manufacturers. Every natural sound has its harmonics. These harmonics carry the information our hearing needs to distinguish between instruments, voices, the particular way in which they are played or sung. They also carry the micro-information about the recording venue, the microphone placement, the reverb - natural or synthetic - sounds and energies that make up the backdrop to the recording, and that backdrops perspective.

The power supply used to power the Era Gold is the PSU1. It uses extremely low impedance, high temperature reservoir capacitors, paralleled for even lower impedance prior to a voltage regulator, which itself is very low impedance. Its 12 watt peak capability is far greater than the power demanded by the Era Gold.

Additionally, the voltage is regulated a second time within the phono preamp itself, providing an extremely clean power supply to the amplifiers. It is further improved by distributed tantalum capacitors. However, it is Graham Slee's attention to the signal ground which makes the biggest impact. The ground is many orders of magnitude more stable than any other phono preamp in the market, no matter how big the power supply!

The fast circuitry of the solid state Era Gold places it on par with many a tube phono preamp. In fact, it can be quite difficult to differentiate between it and a tube preamp. However the Era Gold carries none of the frequency limitations (Miller capacitance). Many have found it unbelievable that such a big, controlled and astonishingly musical sound can be "made" by such a small "box".

The Era Gold V phono preamp is powered by the outboard PSU1 power module which is included.

The Listener's Phono Preamp
A listener enjoys music and is persnickety about it. He/she will take the time to assemble components that will maximize the musicality of his/her playback system. This applies whether the system is modest or stratospheric. It's an attitude towards music and much about life really. This attention to detail differentiates the true listener from the equipment lover.

The Era Gold V is the listener's phono preamp because it brings real music to life. It also requires patience. It requires a month of actual use before it will let you experience its grandeur. Afterwards, the Era Gold V becomes "miraculous."

Graham Slee Era Gold MK V Phono Preamp Specifications
- Phono connectors: Heavy gold plated
- Input sensitivity: 2mV - 9mV
- Input impedance: 47k and 100pF
- Output: 240mV - 1.08V
- Headroom: 26dB ref 2mV input
- Output noise "A" wtd.: -75dB
- Distortion: <0.02%
- Frequency response: 10Hz - 2.7MHz
- Reproduction curve: RIAA with 50kHz EQ
- Dimensions (mm): 170 x 117 x 50
- Shipping weight: 5 lbs.

Warranty
Should this product fail while being used for its intended purpose, within one year of purchase, we will repair or replace it at our discretion. Please contact LP Tunes for details. No other liability will be accepted. Your statutory rights are not affected.

Manufacturer
Graham Slee Projects Limited
1 Monks Way, Monk Bretton, Barnsley, S71 2JD, United Kingdom
+44(0)1226 244908 Tel/Fax
gsp.ltd@gspaudio.co.uk email
http://www.gspaudio.co.uk website

GRAHAM SLEE REFLEX M PHONO PREAMP

More music from moving magnet cartridge! The Graham Slee Reflex M phono stage preamp is the phono preamp for moving magnet, moving iron and high-output moving coil phono cartridges. The next stage following the exceptional legacy and world class standing of the Reflex, the Reflex M delivers musical reality that is closest to the recorded grooves.

One of the great innovations that made the Era Gold V phono stage preamp miraculous and the Reflex our next generation of Stereophile "Class A" recommended phono stage pre amps is their extremely good open loop linearity.

Negative feedback is used in most all amplifier stages to straighten their open-loop distortion, but often lashings of negative feedback has to be used to force them into linear operation. But as tube amp enthusiasts know, lots of negative feedback doesn't do good music.

The Reflex M phono stage preamp is highly linear before negative feedback is applied. The result is an uncanny reality that transports the listener into a very involving musical experience.

In areas where radio breakthrough is a problem, the Reflex M has been exhaustively tested and refined to reject radio frequencies. It cannot oscillate and tune a radio frequency.

Power Supply
The Reflex M phono preamp comes with the PSU1 linear power supply included and sounds best with it.

Graham Slee Reflex M Phono Preamp Specifications
- Input sensitivity range: 2mV to 10mV
- Output range (for above inputs): 224mV to 1120mV
- Maximum input: 46mV rms
- Maximum output: 5.2V rms
- Gain: 41dB (112) @ 1kHz
- Input impedance: 47k ohms plus 100pF (200pF approx. with arm cable capacitance)
- Output impedance (driving impedance): 1k ohms (will drive 10k ohms and above)
- Noise at output: -73dB CCIR Q-pk; EIN: -114dB
- Distortion: typically 0.01%
- RIAA accuracy: <0.3dB
- Frequency response: 20Hz - 200kHz ("flat", corrected to RIAA)
- Channel balance: 0.2dB
- Channel separation: 60dB

Reviews
"...it was among the most well-balanced phono pre amps I've heard of any technology at any price. It got out of the way and let the music do the talking with great clarity and definition" - Michael Fremer, Analog Corner, Stereophile; September 2007

"On a track like "Looking for the Heart of Saturday Night" ... the Reflex was the more dimensional performer, especially in front-to-back depth" - Neil Gader, Graham Slee Era Gold V and Era Gold Reflex, The Absolute Sound; June 2, 2009

Warranty
Should this product fail while being used for its intended purpose, within one year of purchase, we will repair or replace it at our discretion. Please contact LP Tunes for details. No other liability will be accepted. Your statutory rights are not affected.

Manufacturer
Graham Slee Projects Limited
1 Monks Way, Monk Bretton, Barnsley, S71 2JD, United Kingdom
+44(0)1226 244908 Tel/Fax
gsp.ltd@gspaudio.co.uk email
http://www.gspaudio.co.uk website

ACCESSION PHONO PREAMP
- Graham Slee's creative force changes the definition of reference phono preamp.

● Patent pending technology extracts and liberates much more of what's hidden in the music on vinyl records.
● Two EQs: first one strips phono cartridge's slope; second one applies record EQ with perfection only Graham Slee can.
● Compact circuitry offers short path, purer energy and eliminates over-engineering flaws and high costs.
● More reference quality and usefulness than "single purpose big-box references": offers adjustable and fixed level outputs, Volume/output level control, RIAA, NAB (American) and FFRR (British) vinyl record EQ's, Flat/CA (constant amplitude) alternative EQ, Mono/stereo switch and four cartridge capacitive loading options.
● Designed, engineered and each unit bespokely crafted in Yorkshire, England

Graham Slee's newest creative force, Accession, changes the definition of phono reference preamp. Perfecting previously overlooked technology, the Accession extracts and liberates much more of what's hidden in the music on vinyl records. Its design recognizes something virtually all other phono preamps don't - that record equalization (EQ) isn't what most think it is! Treating the two quite different EQs separately, the Accession first strips away the phono cartridge's temporal contribution to the frequency response. It then applies record EQ with perfection and grace only Graham Slee can. As a phono preamp of more usefulness than over-engineered old technology references, the Accession also offers adjustable and fixed level outputs, Volume/output level control, RIAA, NAB (American) and FFRR (British) vinyl record EQ's, Flat/CA (constant amplitude) alternative EQ, Mono/stereo switch and four cartridge capactive loading options: 100pf, 220pf, 320pf and "out". The new Accession - simply peerless.

To date, phono preamps regardless of price and sophistication reproduce music essentially using the same historical convention. The Accession accedes. The Accession uses a different kind of technology which reveals much more musical detail and goes even further in relegating vinyl's bad points. The resulting sound is closest to the music at its recording.

It has some other functionalities too (see below) that you'll appreciate.

Record Equalization Isn't What Most Think It Is
Its design recognizes something virtually all other phono preamps don't that record equalisation isn't what most think it is! Record equalization (EQ) is quite a convoluted process complicated by historical and physical technical limitations. For records to work at all required some considerable compromises simply to cut and press the groove. This is why record EQ exists and why the phono preamp has the job of correcting it. But there's something else contributing to the EQ which the phono preamp has to correct the actual cartridge being used to play records has a rising response. Here we're not talking about something subtle. It is a real rising response few understand. The cartridge output is rising at a rate of 6dB per octave, a 45 degree slope, and it's completely different to the EQ applied to the record. Even so, ever since the magnetic cartridge came on the scene - the cartridge type we all use today - phono preamp designers have looked at the combined EQs of record and cartridge as being one.

The Accession Changes It All
Treating the two quite different EQs separately, the Accession first strips away the cartridge's contribution to the frequency response. It then deals with the record EQ. Thinking about it, the record's own EQ was applied when the record was recorded, and even if you just bought the record you're playing today that event happened some time ago whereas the phono cartridge is applying its rising response in real time now as the record is playing. These are two completely separate events in time.

Single Slope
The combined "EQ's" make up a complex curve of different slopes pictured below. The solid black curve is the signal the phono preamp receives at its input.

If we can EQ the contribution from the cartridge and amplify it, the curve will rotate 45 degrees to the right as shown by the faint broken red curve. This is what the Accession does. It "EQ's" the cartridge first of all so all that is left to do is EQ the record's contribution, which it does in its second stage. Rotating the curve only takes a single opposing filter slope to do the job. It just so happens that a handful of solid-state amplifying devices have an open-loop frequency response which match the required slope perfectly, making the amount of negative feedback required constant at all frequencies on the slope. This is really important because that constant negative feedback makes the input and output impedances constant too. The cartridge "sees" a constant load and that's quite different to the conventional way of doing things it makes a big difference to how it sounds. But it's not purely subjective. High frequency distortion just melts away... just 0.002% THD at 10kHz on the Accession's fixed outputs. That's objective!

The Features And Their Benefits
The package of features the Accession phono preamp provides makes it really flexible allowing it to fulfill a number of roles.
- Adjustable and fixed level outputs - Volume / output level control - RIAA, NAB (American) and FFRR (British) vinyl record EQ's - Flat / CA (constant amplitude) alternative EQ - Mono / stereo switch - Four (4) cartridge capactive loading options: 100pf; 220pf; 320pf and "out"

In a minimalist LP only system the volume control lets it drive a power amp, and the fixed outputs can drive a headphone amplifier.

As part of a "traditional" system the variable outputs can be used into an ADC or sound card to do "vinyl rips" while the fixed level output is connected to your preamp, integrated amp or receiver for normal listening. The different record EQ possibilities make it great for archival duties if you have old mono LPs and EPs which don't sound quite right.

Solving Digitizing "Clipping" Problems
Possibly the biggest problem encountered in digitizing vinyl is the wrong level of signal. Too much signal overloads the input of the A to D converter (ADC) resulting in a hard clipped sound which ruins your efforts. Using an "L-pad" (an attenuated interconnect cable) can help but with quieter records you'll be recording several bits down. A volume or output level control is the answer, but it's got to be followed by a buffer stage to get the impedance low enough to suit the ADC input, or the results won't be right. The Accession gives you both. The output level control is followed up by a high quality discrete transistor buffer stage which gives you the low impedance drive your ADC expects. The fixed level output allows you to monitor what you're recording by connecting it to your main system, or to a headphone amplifier, as you record from the variable output.

A Volume Control For A Minimalist System
Not only is the volume control and buffer stage of use for digitizing vinyl, but it's the answer for those who only want to play vinyl and want the bare minimum of system components. All that's required is a reasonably sensitive power amp for the Accession to drive. Partner it with a pair of Proprius monoblocks and cartridges outputting ≥ 4.5mV (ref 1kHz at 5cm/sec) will be sufficient to reach high volumes with excellent sound quality. The Accession's output buffer stage was developed specifically to prevent input saturation from ruining the clean signal from the phono preamp section. It handles the full post EQ peak to peak signal without any slew-rate limiting.

RIAA, American or British?
Older mono records can sound a bit muffled or a bit too bright and if that happens you'll find it's because they were not recorded to "modern" RIAA characteristics like you get on stereo records. Up to the mid-1960s best-quality "gramophone" record reproducers featured tone correction switches to equalise the different record tone characteristics, and for vinyl it boiled down to American and British versions competing with their different EQs. Because many older users will have some of these records LPs, EPs and even singles in their collections we saw it fit to include a switch to equalise them, as well as a mono switch for authenticity.

Flat / CA
We're often asked if we can make a "flat" phono preamp for digitizing acoustic records, but that implies a phono preamp without any EQ at all. What you want is something which reproduces the record's characteristics only and that's exactly what the Accession phono preamp does if you switch it to its "Flat/CA" position (CA: constant amplitude). It's not only acoustic records which can be played this way - all records can - and during digitization the EQ of your own software can be applied.

Cartridge Capacitive Loading
Not that it should be needed, because in our opinion 100pf is ideal for the vast majority of MM cartridges when combined with the 50pf to 100pf of arm and cable capacitance. But as the Accession is made as a tool to extract maximum information from vinyl records we've included four capacitive load settings for you to experiment with. The effect on sound will be to take the high frequency peak in the 10kHz to 20kHz region lower or higher, making the peak larger or none existent, between the maximum loading and minimum loading, respectively.

Using The Accession With Moving Coil Cartridges
The Accession is designed for high output cartridges, but if you want to use low-output MC too, partner it with the Elevator EXP Step-Up for an unbeatable all-cartridge phono preamp combo.

Power Supply
The Accession phono preamp is supplied with Graham Slee's best power supply - the outboard PSU1.

Accession Phono Preamp Specifications
- Input and output connectors: 360 shielded RCA/phono sockets, hard gold plated
- Input sensitivity range: 1.6mV to 7.2mV (recommended)
- Output range (for above inputs): 190mV to 857mV
- Maximum input: 35mV rms
- Maximum output: 5.2V rms
- Gain: 41.5dB (119) at 1kHz
- Input impedance: 47k Ohms plus: 100pF / 220pf / 320pf / out
- Output impedance (driving impedance): 750 Ohm fixed / 470 Ohm variable (will drive 10k Ohms and above)
- Noise at output: -66dB Quasi-peak 20Hz to 20kHz
- Distortion: typically 0.01% 20Hz to 20kHz
- RIAA accuracy: 0.3dB
- Frequency response: <20Hz - 45kHz (-3dB corrected to RIAA)
- Channel balance: 0.2dB
- Channel separation: 60dB
- Power supply: Remotely powered using PSU1 linear power supply
- Size (approx.): W: 107 x H: 50 x D: 195 (mm) inc. jacks

Note: Specifications subject to alteration without notice in keeping with continuous improvement policy.