OPS-1

About the OPS-1

The Joule Electra OPS-1 MKIV is a high-end all-tube phono stage designed for vinyl playback, with inputs suitable for both moving magnet (MM) and moving coil (MC) cartridges with appropriate gain/loading. It is a dedicated phono preamplifier, not a general-purpose line-level power amplifier. The OPS-1 has been offered both as a standalone unit with a separate tube power supply and as a built-in module inside certain Joule Electra preamps (e.g., LAP-150), using a heavy outboard power supply connected via an umbilical cord. It employs Joule Electra's Mu follower tube circuit topology, emphasizing low noise, wide bandwidth, and high linearity, with point-to-point wiring and a tube-rectified, regulated power supply. Volume and remote control are not standard on the standalone OPS-1; when integrated into a host preamp, those controls are provided by the line stage.