Schiit Audio Introduces The Great Mani Two Phono Preamplifier

Simply the highest performing, most flexible, affordable phono preamp... That was the Mani phono preamplifier. And now Schiit Audio introduced the Mani 2 phono preamplifier, which is even better. The successor to the original Mani, in production since 2014, is simply even more performing and more flexible, even when compared to products several times its cost. In addition, Mani 2 is produced in the USA like all Schiit products and remains as affordable, available for only $149.

McIntosh Labs just announced its latest MX180 A/V Processor, delivering everything needed for the home theater of today and tomorrow. This MX180 is basically the ultimate home theater hub which is able to accommodate all formats, standards and services, from 8K UHD image content with HDR and Dolby Vision, all the way to Dolby Atmos, DTS:X Pro, and Auro-3D immersive audio. For the best results, McIntosh even added RoomPerfect room correction technology licensed from Lyngdorf.

Sumiko Phono Cartridges announced its latest addition to the Rainier family - the Wellfleet Nude Elliptical Stylus Moving-Magnet Cartridge. The brand has applied and upgraded its award-winning design of the Moonstone cartridge, retuning the suspension for optimal performance of a nude elliptical diamond with the existing generator and resonance-optimized housing found in the rest of the Rainier series. The Wellfleet will retail for $449 USD beginning February 2022.

—Audio-Technica announced its AT-LP5X Direct Drive Turntable, offering upgraded technology and performance while keeping the same styling of the previous AT-LP5. The new AT-LP5X builds upon more than 50 years of Audio-Technica'’s Japanese analog audio design expertise to deliver record playback quality. With a built-in phono preamp, this entry-level turntable also makes life simpler for new generations of vinyl enthusiasts.

For all our readers who started following the X-Altra Moving Coil/Moving Magnet RIAA EQ Preamplifier DIY project publish in the February 2021 edition of audioXpress, we have the final pieces. In this second article, Andrew C. Russell details the Moving Magnet EQ stage, system gain amplifier and filters, along with the system’s power supply unit. The article concludes with some measurements.

In this DIY project, Andrew C. Russell proposes the X-Altra, a highly refined Moving Coil/Moving Magnet RIAA EQ Preamplifier. This high-performance phono equalizer features an ultra-low noise LSK389B JFET from Linear Systems in the MM front end with switchable gain and resistive loading. This article was originally published in audioXpress, February 2021.

Rotel announced acoustic and performance upgrades to three of the company’s integrated amplifier models in the 14 and 15 Series product lines. The upgrades include circuit design innovations and component level changes in key circuit locations, leveraging the design elements from the acclaimed Rotel Michi Series. The A14MKII, RA-1572MKII and RA-1592MKII integrated amplifiers received these upgrades built from the Michi engineering efforts that were 3 years in the making.

Ever since its release in 2013, Powersoft’s M-Force patented moving magnet linear transducer has redefined what was possible in the realm of infra-bass, reaching well below the conventional frequency range. Now, the Italian company announced a new and improved M-Force driver and free Reference Designs, allowing sound design professionals, speaker builders, and anyone interested in speaker engineering to benefit from the M-Force technology.

audioXpress February 2021 explains why Microphones have gained Essential Status, and how microphones have a foundational contribution to voice front-ends. Erica Yorga details how Thousands of Virtual Microphones can solve audio conferencing challenges, and Mike Meechan explains how to design high-performance microphone preamplifiers. Brent Butterworth reviews the Widex Moment mRIC RD hearing aids to understand the differences and similarities in the critical sound experience. Michael Steffes explains how to increase the output current for an audio op-amp, and Andrew C. Russell details the X-Altra, a high-performance MC/MM phono equalizer DIY project. Now available in print and digital.

A renowned manufacturer of phono cartridges and tonearms since the company's foundation in Japan, Audio-Technica announced the introduction of its AT-PEQ30 phono equalizer, designed to add a phono stage to a turntable setup or to serve as an upgrade from a turntable's built-in phono preamp. The AT-PEQ30 accommodates MM (moving magnet) and MC (moving coil) phono cartridges and according to the company, its circuits were designed for "superlative sound quality."