ModWright PH 9.0XT Tube Phono Stage

PH 9.0 TUBE PHONO STAGE

We are excited to present the new PH 9.0 Tube Phono stage with on-the-fly loading and attenuation controls. Following in the footsteps and true Design DNA of the Reference PH 150, the PH 9.0 offers most of the same performance and flexibility of the PH 150 at a much lower price and smaller form factor.

The rise of interest in vinyl has led to demand for flexible, high performance phono stages to make the most of ALL of our vinyl. The PH 9.0 is quiet, musical, physically compact and flexible enough to suit the simplest to the most complex analog rigs! We chose Lundahl MC step-up transformers, separate MM and MC inputs, compact external power supply on a long umbilical and vacuum tube design to maximize flexibility. The use of external supply, careful grounding, layout and solid engineering result in an extremely quiet tube phono stage! The power supply is small and has no controls and may be tucked out of the way anywhere. The phono stage itself is 10“Wx10“Wx4“H. Its compact form factor allows flexible placement. Like the PH 150, front panel controls for MM, Mute, MC input select, On-The-Fly MC loading and gain adjustment for MM and MC carts allows for easy adjustment to suit different cartridges and systems. Mono/Stereo toggles is locate on the rear panel.

Easy load adjustment from the front panel, easy gain adjustment, two phono inputs and mono Switch!

Fully balanced, transformer coupled XLR outputs are available as an add cost option. The base unit has single ended RCA outputs only.

PH 9.0 “X” UPGRADE – LUNDAHL 1660S TRANSFORMERS!

What the PH 9.0X upgrade includes:
The upgrade to the PH 9.0X involves the addition of a pair of Lundahl gapped output transformers, commonly used in SET tube amps. The addition of these transformers also means the elimination of a pair of chokes and coupling caps, all in the signal path.

Why this upgrade?:
The circuit change made to the PH 9.0X, make it much closer to the PH 150 in terms of overall circuit design. Various other circuit differences in the PH 9.0 vs. the PH 150 were implemented, to see where the PH 9.0 could be improved. Most either made no difference, or for whatever reason, did not sound as good in the PH 9.0. This circuit change however DOES make a difference. The use of the Lundahl output transformers was one of the cost cutting design changes made to the PH 150 to achieve the PH 9.0. I found that the improvements were simply big enough that it warranted offering the upgrade, as an add cost option for the PH 9.0.

Sonic Benefits:
The sonic benefits of this circuit change are obvious and significant! There is better bottom end, more weight and authority to the sound as well as improved resolution, detail and soundstage.

For a more TECHNICAL explanation of the “X” upgrade, please see the downloadable file on this page, in the right column.

PH 9.0 “T” UPGRADE – TUBE RECTIFIED POWER SUPPLY!

What the “T” upgrade includes:
The upgrade to the PH9.0 & PH 9.0X involves the addition of the tube rectified power supply. I have experimented with this for some time and after comparison to the stock solid state rectifier, found the benefits to be obvious and worthwhile. Again, back to our Reference PH 150 design, I also included a further high-voltage pre-regulator to the external supply, in addition to the tube rectifier. The ‘T’ upgrade then includes tube rectification and the high voltage pre-regulation stage.

Sonic Benefits:
The results include a bigger and broader soundstage, more body and a more holographic presentation of the music. Tube rectification offers a unique quality that is simply more musical. There is a reason that most all of our preamps are tube rectified.

For a more TECHNICAL explanation of the “T” upgrade, please see the downloadable file on this page, in the right column.

Technical Specs

• MC Gain: 64dB (58dB, 52dB)
  MM Gain: 52dB (46dB, 40dB)
  Gain Adjust: 0, -6dB, -12dB
  Inputs: MM & MC
  MC Loading: 10-20-50-100-250-470
  MM Loading: 47K fixed.
  Stereo/Mono: Rear Toggle.
  Frequency: 20Hz – 50Khz (+/-.2dB)
  Tubes: (2)6C45, (2)6922/6dj8/7308
  Power Supply: External, solid state
  Phono Dim = 10“Wx10“Dx4“H
  Power Supply Dim = 7“Wx9“Dx3“H
  Power Umbilical: 4-pin XLR, 6 ft
  Balanced Outs: Transformer Coupled (add cost option)