Audio Research PH5 Hybrid stereo phono preamplifier

The PH3 and PH3 Special Edition have been incredibly popular since their introduction in 1995 and 1998. It is hard to believe that these wonderful phono stages have been in our lineup, unchanged, for nine and six years, respectively. But with the analog renaissance showing no signs of diminishing, we feel it is time again to advance the state-of-the-art in moderately priced phono preamplification. We are proud to introduce the remarkable new PH5 which will replace both the PH3 and PH3SE.

The PH5 starts with a new package. The full-width 19″ front panel’s layout is similar to the SP16, with an LED display on the left side and four soft-touch buttons on the right. The buttons control Power, Mute, Mono, and Loading. For the first time in a PH-series phono stage you can adjust cartridge loading to 47K, 1000, 500, 200, or 100 ohms at the touch of a button. And, better yet, the four front panel controls are duplicated on the remote control included with the PH5. Now you can even adjust loading from the comfort of your favorite chair!

The rear panel includes one pair of SE inputs, one pair of SE outputs, a ground post, and a detachable A.C. power cord. Like other recent additions to our lineup, handles are optional at extra cost.

The PH5 is a hybrid (as was the PH3), utilizing a new high-gain, 5-JFET per channel, non-inverting input stage with constant-current stabilization and no overall feedback. New RIAA circuits are patterned after the Reference Phono, with passive high frequency and active low frequency equalization resulting in an improved margin of stability under the most demanding conditions. The non-inverting gain and output stages utilize four 6922 twin triodes. There are high-stability power supplies with four separate regulators for all tube heaters, plate supply and microprocessor logic. And, as you have come to expect from Audio Research, the bandwidth of the PH5 is 0.7Hz to 400kHz (-3dB). Total gain has been increased to 57.5dB, more than sufficient for low output moving coil cartridges when partnered with an appropriate line-stage.

Sonically, the PH5 surpasses the PH3SE in every way. The PH5 has wonderful clarity, making music sound more immediate and simply more there, putting the musicians in your room. Higher resolution is obvious, but so is an abiding musicality. You will hear more little details, with a newfound ability to unravel complex passages and allow simple ones to stand in bold relief. Both macro- and microdynamics are startling, breathing life into the music and making it more exciting, involving, and fun to listen to. Simply put, you will love what this phono stage does for your music.