Speed and Control for Ultimate Performance

You choose a moving coil cartridge for maximum performance, so it makes sense to pair it with a high-performance phono preamp for truly outstanding results. The music you enjoy should remain your personal preference, and your equipment should never determine or limit your listening habits. This is a common pitfall many listeners encounter when “upgrading” to moving coil, as system mismatches can quietly narrow musical enjoyment. If you notice that certain genres become less enjoyable, this is where the right phono stage becomes essential. The Reflex C is supplied with the PSU1 power supply and offers selectable voltages and power plugs, along with 100 Ω or 1 kΩ input impedances and an optional mono switch for added flexibility. Together, these features ensure the system adapts to you rather than the other way around.

Understanding Moving Coil Fundamentals

Moving coil cartridges typically produce an output in the region of 0.1 to 1 mV, which classifies them as low-output designs. The concept behind the moving coil cartridge is highly effective, as fixing the magnets to the body allows the stylus to move ultra-light coils of wire instead. Because these coils use very few windings, their mass is reduced and inductance is significantly lower compared to moving magnet designs. This construction creates a fast, agile cartridge with extended frequency response and no inductive peaking. However, despite these advantages, the supporting phono electronics have often failed to evolve at the same pace as the cartridges themselves. Understanding this imbalance is crucial when aiming for true high-performance vinyl playback.

Solving the Real Challenges of Phono Amplification

The extremely low output of a moving coil cartridge demands ultra-low-noise circuitry to amplify the signal accurately. Achieving such low noise forces the input stage to operate with limited headroom, which means it can easily saturate during loud passages or when encountering surface noise like clicks and pops. When this happens, complex and dynamic musical sections can become harshly distorted, even if published specifications suggest otherwise. Measurement equipment typically evaluates steady-state signals and often misses these transient issues entirely. Inputs that saturate easily also suffer from poor slew rate, meaning signal transitions slow down and leading edges are blunted, a phenomenon known as slew-induced distortion. These limitations directly affect musical realism and long-term listening comfort.

Freedom to Play the Music You Love

The Reflex C restores musical freedom by using low-noise video amplifiers specifically chosen to overcome input saturation and slew-rate limitations. This design allows you to play fast, complex, and energetic music without compression or strain, preserving timing and rhythmic drive. Even the most demanding recordings maintain clarity, pace, and coherence through the entire frequency range. Fine details are rendered with precision, while stereo imaging remains stable, spacious, and clearly defined. At the same time, surface noise such as clicks and pops is reduced in perceived severity, allowing the music itself to take centre stage. The Reflex C delivers the moving coil performance enthusiasts have long been waiting for.

Cartridge Compatibility and Practical Use

The Reflex C is designed for low-output moving coil cartridges with outputs typically between 0.2 and 1.0 mV, referenced at 1 kHz and 5 cm/sec. Cartridges with even lower output levels can be used, provided the listener accepts the possibility of increased background hiss. Your amplifier’s volume control is intended to set the listening level and should be adjusted normally for comfort and loudness. With very low-output cartridges, the volume control will naturally need to be set higher than it would be for sources like CD players or streamers. This behaviour is expected and ensures correct gain structure throughout the system.