Following the success of their turntables, MoFi Electronics has launched a special version of their flagship UltraDeck. Last year, they even introduced speakers, so the next thing would be an amplifier, right? Well, almost. MoFi MasterPhono is a phono preamplifier designed for turntables, an RIAA or phono stage, if you will.
It handles both Moving Magnet and Moving Coil cartridges and is designed to be used with MC cartridges that have an unusually low output voltage without introducing excessive noise.
MasterPhono was not designed by the late Tim de Paravicini of EAR Yoshino, like MoFi’s other two phono stages. Instead, MoFi turned to the legendary Peter Madnick, who founded the renowned DAC manufacturer Audio Alchemy and has worked for ELAC and Constellation, among many others.
He has equipped MasterPhono with three inputs, one of which is optimized for low-output MC cartridges, and one offers 10 selectable load impedance settings, ranging from 15 to 47 kOhm. There is an additional input for special impedance adjustments. Gain can be adjusted in four steps, from 40 to 70 dB, and the VU meters can be used to indicate proper cartridge calibration. There is also a USB input for firmware updates, if necessary and available.
MasterPhono will be available for sale during the summer, with an estimated price of $5,000, putting it in the high-end realm alongside the Rega Aura MC and Gryphon Sonett.
