Unison Research Simply Phono Stereo Phono Valve Preamplifier at Vinyl Sound Buffalo, NY USA

The Simply Phono is a pure Class A stereo phono valve preamplifier from Unison Research (Treviso, Italy), available at Vinyl Sound in Buffalo, NY, USA. Using four ECC83 (12AX7) double triodes with the first two pairs configured in an "ionic bias" parallel arrangement for maximum gain, the Simply Phono employs a completely passive RIAA equalization network accurate to ±0.2 dB from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. It provides a gain of 52 dB and supports both moving-magnet and mid-to-high output moving-coil cartridges through switchable input impedance settings of 47k ohm, 100 ohm, 50 ohm, and 22 ohm at 100 pF capacitance. An improved external power supply is included as standard, and the Cherry Wood base continues the Unison Research design tradition. The output impedance is 800 ohms, and the Simply Phono can be integrated into any quality high-end system -- not only Unison Research amplifiers.

Four ECC83 Tubes with Ionic Bias Parallel Gain Stage

The Simply Phono's circuit places its four ECC83 tubes in a specific hierarchy: the first two tubes act in parallel as a maximum gain stage using an "ionic bias" configuration. Ionic biasing is a technique in which the tube's quiescent operating point is established by the characteristics of the ionic current in the tube's vacuum rather than by an external resistor or fixed voltage, resulting in an extremely low-noise bias arrangement with minimal resistive noise contribution at the initial gain stage where cartridge signal levels are at their smallest. The second two tubes follow in the gain chain, amplifying the signal further before the passive RIAA network. The use of a completely passive RIAA equalization network -- rather than an active feedback RIAA -- means that no feedback loop is introduced into the signal path for equalization purposes; the equalization is applied by a passive RC network with no amplifier gain stage within the feedback correction loop, a technique associated with lower phase distortion and a more natural-sounding tonal curve.

MM and MC Compatibility with Switchable Impedance

The Simply Phono accommodates moving-magnet cartridges at the standard 47k ohm input impedance and mid-to-high output moving-coil cartridges at reduced loading impedances of 100, 50, or 22 ohms. The switchable impedance settings allow the user to optimize the damping and frequency response of the connected MC cartridge, as MC cartridges respond to the impedance of the load presented to their coil. At 22 ohms, heavily damped MCs with high internal impedance are loaded optimally; at 100 ohms, most mid-output MCs operate in their preferred range. The 100 pF capacitance setting at each impedance position is appropriate for standard MM cartridge input conditions. A gain of 52 dB is sufficient for MM cartridges and mid-output MC cartridges but may not accommodate the lowest-output moving-coil designs (typically below 0.3 mV), which would require an additional step-up transformer or a dedicated high-gain MC phono stage.

Key Features

• Pure Class A Valve Phono Stage: Four ECC83 double triodes operating in pure Class A throughout the gain chain.
• Ionic Bias Parallel First Stage: First two ECC83 tubes in parallel with ionic bias for minimum noise at the maximum gain stage -- the most noise-critical point in any phono preamplifier.
• Passive RIAA Equalization: Completely passive RIAA network accurate to ±0.2 dB (20 Hz to 20 kHz) with no active feedback loop for equalization.
• Switchable Input Impedance: 47k ohm (MM), 100 ohm, 50 ohm, 22 ohm settings with 100 pF capacitance for precise MC cartridge loading.
• 52 dB Gain: Sufficient gain for MM and mid-to-high output MC cartridges directly, without a step-up transformer.
• External Power Supply Included: Dedicated external power supply reduces mains noise coupling into the audio circuit.
• 800-Ohm Output Impedance: Compatible with any line input of 10k ohm or higher input impedance without frequency response degradation.
• Cherry Wood Base: Premium Cherry Wood base construction in the Unison Research classic design language.

Technical Specifications

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Unison Research Simply Phono?

The Unison Research Simply Phono is a pure Class A stereo phono valve preamplifier from Treviso, Italy, using four ECC83 tubes with a passive RIAA network accurate to ±0.2 dB. It provides 52 dB of gain, supports MM and mid-to-high output MC cartridges through switchable 47k/100/50/22-ohm input impedances, and includes an external power supply. Output impedance is 800 ohms.

How does the Simply Phono compare to the Unison Research Phono One?

The Simply Phono uses four ECC83 tubes and achieves 52 dB gain, a RIAA accuracy of ±0.2 dB, and a signal-to-noise ratio of -72 dB. The Phono One uses five ECC83 tubes, achieves 54 dB gain, a tighter RIAA accuracy of ±0.1 dB, and an improved signal-to-noise ratio of -80 dB -- a meaningful 8 dB improvement at the noise floor. The Phono One also adds additional capacitance loading options (100/200/320/420 pF) versus the Simply Phono's fixed 100 pF. The Phono One is the higher-specified design with lower noise and greater cartridge loading flexibility; the Simply Phono is the accessible partner for Unison Research integrated amplifiers and other high-end systems.

Can the Simply Phono work with low-output moving-coil cartridges?

The Simply Phono provides 52 dB of gain, which is sufficient for moving-magnet cartridges (typically 3-5 mV output) and mid-to-high output moving-coil cartridges (typically 0.5-2.0 mV output). For very low-output MC cartridges below 0.3 mV -- common in high-end designs such as Lyra, Benz Micro low-output, or Ortofon MC Windfeld -- a step-up transformer (SUT) used ahead of the Simply Phono's 47k ohm input, or a replacement with a higher-gain phono stage, would be required. The switchable impedance settings (22-100 ohm) are appropriate for MC loading without a SUT at mid-to-high output levels.

Where can I buy the Unison Research Simply Phono in Buffalo, NY or the USA?

The Unison Research Simply Phono is available at Vinyl Sound in Buffalo, NY, USA. Vinyl Sound is an authorized Unison Research dealer serving western New York and the United States. Contact the Vinyl Sound team for current stock and system-matching advice with Unison Research integrated amplifiers or any other high-end preamplifier.