(November 18, 2022) Andover Audio recently introduced a new series within its ranks of affordable audio gear. SoundBites, as it's called, is designed to provide access to component-driven audio without draining the wallet. Its first entry is a phono preamp called SpinStage. Launching at $249 (shipping now), SpinStage has the pricing hook nailed, and its styling boasts a modern flair complete with bead-blasted anodized aluminum. With a manageable footprint, SpinStage can easily be incorporated into a system needing phono connectivity, Moving-Coil (MC) compatibility, or a fresh analog palate for a vinyl-driven experience.
Bob Hazelwood, Director of Engineering of Andover Audio, says: “We created the SoundBites Series to give our customers a gateway to a component system with a strong ratio of performance to price. The SpinStage delivers the flexibility and the sophisticated, nuanced performance of expensive phono stages at a very reasonable price. A sensible upgrade to the rudimentary preamp stages built into turntables or receivers, the SpinStage brings out the best of what the cartridge can deliver. For added value, the SpinStage will easily be a long-term solution, even as upgrades are made to the cartridges. And, finally, its classic styling is timeless.”
Internally, its design is billed to deliver ultra-low noise to support most any moving-magnet (MM) or MC cartridge. With the inclusion of a separate MC gain stage with ultra-low-noise discrete transistors in a transconductance topology, SpinStage can deliver sufficient gain without added noise. And because SpinStage connects to your preferred equipment using an Auxillary input, it carries its own Aux-In to make up for lost connectivity, so your favorite CD player or external source can remain in your audio lineup.
Key features as touted by Andover, include:
- Phono-cartridge resistive and capacitive loading to optimize SpinStage’s high-frequency performance with any MM cartridge
- Ultra-high-precision resistors and capacitors for an RIAA response typically accurate within ±0.2dB
- A selectable subsonic filter that reduces the ultra-low-frequency noise of turntable rumble that can cause excess woofer pumping and waste amplifier power
- Isolated pathways to eliminate signal crosstalk between channels
- Elimination of capacitors in SpinStage’s direct signal path to reduce distortion
- A servo circuit that prevents unhealthy DC voltage from being passed along to other components
- An anodized metal enclosure and metal shielding behind its front and back panels to ward off electrical interference
To learn more about SpinStage, or to place an order, visit Andover Audio on the web.
