Li'l 703

About the Li'l 703

The Blue Circle Audio Li'l 703 is a compact, solid-state phono stage designed by Gilbert Yeung as a smaller-footprint companion to the BC703 reference phono preamp. It uses the same core circuit topology and offers identical MC gain options of 61dB, 67dB, 75dB, 81dB, and 87dB, with an optional MM stage fixed at 42dB of gain. The Li'l 703 is primarily a moving-coil design, with separate RCA inputs for MC and optional MM, and user-adjustable MC loading of 100, 220, 470, or 1000 ohms, plus factory-customizable resistive and capacitive loading. Frequency response is specified at 10Hz to 100kHz ±0.1dB with the rumble filter disengaged, and the rumble filter cutoff is 18Hz. The unit provides single-ended RCA outputs and a pair of balanced XLR outputs, and connects to its outboard GBC 250 power supply via an umbilical cable. The chassis measures roughly 8" wide x 8.25" deep x 3" high and maintains Blue Circle's minimalist aesthetic, with a simple front panel bearing only the company's logo. Designed to deliver neutral, wide-bandwidth, low-noise performance, the Li'l 703 offers much of the BC703's reference-level capability in a more space-efficient, lower-cost package.