Artisan Premium Phono

About the Artisan Premium Phono

The ZYX Artisan Premium Phono stage is a meticulously crafted phono preamplifier designed to accept moving coil (MC) cartridges at two respective inputs. It features a metallic shielded box to minimize signal disturbance and employs a passive CR-type RIAA equalization network accurate to ±0.2dB from 20Hz to 20kHz, aiming to preserve the original time-domain signal without feedback distortion. The unit uses four gain stages with field effect transistors (FETs) and no step-up transformers, ensuring phase accuracy and low noise. It is powered by nine NiMH rechargeable batteries or an AC adapter, with a power consumption of 1.2W. The Artisan Premium is finished in urushi red, urushi black, or urethane clear, measuring 154×66×192mm and weighing 675 grams. Its design philosophy prioritizes noise removal and sound quality through careful physical alignment of components and use of cryogenically treated copper wire for input resistors. The Artisan Premium delivers 60dB gain for MC cartridges, a signal-to-noise ratio of 95dB, THD under 0.1% at 1kHz, and channel separation greater than 100dB at 1kHz. It is regarded as a blend of traditional artisanal methods and modern engineering for audiophile-grade performance.