PS Audio Stellar Phono phono preamplifier

[Mr Spock]

From the handset you can turn the Stellar Phono on and off, select MM or MC inputs—there's one pair of each—toggle through various gain settings (44dB, 50dB, and 56dB for MM cartridges, 60dB, 66dB, and 72dB for MC), and select between buttons for four preset loads—60 ohms, 100 ohms, 200 ohms, or 47k ohms—or a button that enables the above- mentioned custom-setting knobs, which range from 1 ohm to 1k ohms.

There's also a Mute button that, when pressed, illuminates a red LED on the left side of the Stellar's front panel; the rest of the indicator lights are blue. The identifying labels next to the latter aren't illuminated, and the bright LEDs overwhelm the text, but it doesn't really matter because those LEDs are logically grouped, their meanings easy to remember

Myers designed a circuit that is "DC-coupled from input to output and doesn't contain any complementary circuits." The short signal path utilizes class-A–biased MOSFETs and JFETs. MC and MM inputs feature paralleled Toshiba JFETs, which are directly coupled to low-feedback, high-bandwidth discrete amplifiers. Each fully class-A output stage uses a single MOSFET output device; Myers says this approach produces "subjectively innocuous distortion products compared to complementary designs." The passive RIAA EQ implementation uses Wilson Audio Specialties–manufactured REL film and foil capacitors


MM input, Low gain, response with RIAA correction into 100k ohms (left channel blue, right red) (0.5dB/vertical div.).

MC input, Low gain, response with RIAA correction into 100k ohms (left channel blue, right red) (0.5dB/vertical div.).

Description: Solid-state phono preamplifier with unbalanced inputs and both balanced and unbalanced outputs. Overall voltage gain: MM: 44dB, 50dB, 56dB. MC: 60dB, 66dB, 72dB. Input loading: MM: 47k ohms (100pf). MC: 60, 100, 200, 47k ohms, Custom, 1 ohm–1k ohms. Output impedance: unbalanced <200 ohms, balanced <200 ohms per leg. (All measurements are with both channels operating, gain set to low, and balanced outputs. Input frequency is 1kHz.) Frequency response: 20Hz–20kHz ±0.25dB. THD @0.5V, 1kHz: <0.01%. Maximum output: @1%THD: 24VRMS. Overload margin: @1kHz: >22dB. S/N ratio MM: >82dB A-weighted. MC: >74dB A-weighted. Channel separation >74dB.

Dimensions: 17" (430mm) W × 3.25" (82.5mm) H × 13" (330mm) D. Weight: 21.6lb (9.8kg).

PS Audio Stellar Phono phono preamplifier Specifications

Sidebar 1: Specifications

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