Insider | Digital Trends

MARK LEVINSON 50TH ANNIV. AMPS

  • Home Audio | Home Stereo | Home Audio | High-End Audio

Mark Levinson 50th Anniversary
Mono-Block Amplifier
ML-50

The ML-50 celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the Mark Levinson brand with a limited-edition amplifier delivering reference-class performance together with high-performance design and craftsmanship.

A monaural chassis amplifier package or pair, the ML-50 showcases Mark Levinson Pure Path design topology with a glass top panel, dramatic internal lighting, and historical design cues inspired by celebrated amplifiers of the brand’s 50- year history. Limited to only 100 amplifier packages globally, the ML-50 is the ultimate expression of power, precision, and purity.

The Mark Levinson team optimized the electrical layout of all component circuit boards in painstaking detail. The result is an interior that is simply a work of art visually and electrically.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • Limited to Only 100 ML-50’s Globally
  • Less than 10 ML-50’s remaining for sale in the United States
  • Sequentially Serialized Pair Numbering and Badging
  • Reference Class Amplifier Performance
  • Mark Levinson Pure Path Circuit Design
  • Custom Glass-top and Internal Lighting
  • Vibration-damping, Mechanically Isolated Foot Design
  • Designed, Engineered and Assembled in the USA
DETAILS
  • 425W RMS at 8 ohms, 20Hz to 20kHz, at < 0.3% THD
  • 850W RMS at 4 ohms, 20Hz to 20kHz
  • 2 ohm Stable
  • 115 lbs
  • Width 17-1/4″ x Height 7-3/4″  x  Depth 21″
PRICING
  • PRICE: $50,000
Summary

Mark Levinson has created a product that could be considered the final evolution of any audiophile’s dream system. Not only is it visually stunning –  the build quality is second to none. Is this a Ferrari of amplifiers? Perhaps an Aston Martin?  This is a reference product, an all out assault on the high-end amplifier with a design and pedigree that like Ferrari and Aston Martin, few can match.

There are many reviews available on these exceptional amplifiers. We encourage you to review what a 50th Anniversary product can be from the storied brand of Mark Levinson.

Read More at Mark Levinson Specialty Audio

JBL HDI Series

  • Home Audio | Home Stereo | Home Theater

JBL HDI Series “The modern JBL speaker”

The HDI Series is the modern showcase of JBL’s industry-leading acoustics technologies, packaged in an elegant cabinetry with a modern design aesthetic. The HDI series features state-of-the-art waveguide technology coupled with their patented 2410H-2 1″ high-frequency compression driver. You could think of the HDI as today’s L-Series. With a sophisticated curved and sleek cabinet, the HDI Series is the embodiment of the modern JBL high-performance loudspeaker.

Designed and engineered in JBL’s world-famous acoustic engineering facility in Northridge, California, the HDI Series lineup is simple. Two towers, one bookshelf, one center and a subwoofer. All the speakers, save for the subwoofer of course, utilze the well regarded 2410H-2 compression driver.

The tower speakers are the HDI-3800 with three 8″ woofers and the HDI-3600 with three 6″ woofers. The bookshelf, HDI-1600 features a single 6″ woofer. The center speaker, the HDI-4500 features, and you guessed it, four 5″ woofers.

All the speakers share similar woofer construction, featuring a massive magnet structure with an advanced aluminum matrix cone woofer that is exceedingly powerful, delivering dynamics and exceptionally fast and accurate bass. We are very impressed with the bass performance. This is bass with speed, weight and definition. All the HDI enclosures are heavily braced and provide a solid acoustic foundation.

Finishes for the modern streamlined curved cabinet are an automotive-grade painted high gloss black, or furniture-grade satin walnut or gray oak wood veneers. A black cloth, magnetically attached grille completes the elegant appearance. Leaving the grilles off, especially on the black, provides a sophisticated, yet industrial look.

Ready for Audition

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Summary

The JBL HDI Series provides a dynamic range and contrast that should be heard to understand what that adds to the acoustic experience. Additionally, the bass performance of the towers and especially the bookshelf is nothing short of extraordinary.

Read More at JBL Specialty Audio

revel & Levinson ARE now in Ferrari f1?

revel speaker in lincoln’s… Mark Levinson in Lexus…

Mark Levinson, Revel, JBL, JBL Pro, Arcam, AKG, are all part of the Harman brigade,  and per their press release are “focused on designing consumer experiences at automotive grade, and have announced a multi-year, multi-faceted partnership with Ferrari focused on bringing the next generation of in-cabin experiences to market, today. Ferrari will leverage HARMAN Ready Upgrade hardware and software, to deliver fully upgradeable consumer electronics-level experiences into the cabin across their vehicle lineup, quickly and cost effectively.”

Revel and Mark Levinson parent company, Harman, is the worlds largest manufacturer of automotive sound systems and driver enhancement systems. Harman in-cabin technologies includes an expanded dashboard, with heads-up displays and data streaming with on-the-fly package upgrades allowing for more interesting feature sets and personal configuration, essentially tailoring all aspects of the car to your personal dimensions, subscriptions, preferences and performance.

Leveraging AKG’s microphone R&D, Harman will debut its sound and vibration sensor and external microphones as part of the safety and driver operation.

The partnership extends to the racetrack, as HARMAN Automotive becomes the exclusive In-Cabin Experience Team partner of Scuderia Ferrari beginning with the 2023 Formula 1 season.

Bottom Line:

Details have not been fully disclosed on what exactly Harman will be providing, but we know their experience in the digital cockpit and in-car cloud data is significant, and we can be reasonably sure they will be a useful tech partner for Ferrari’s f1 project.

Harman is looking at what it can learn and develop in terms of information delivery, far past state-of-the-art audio & microphone performance, into the already established solutions that are aimed at improving human cognition, operability , safety, and personalization in the cabin.

  • An optimist might say “This can improve driver performance & safety.”
  • A pessimist might say “This is just research for the a revenue stream for the “upgradeable cabin.”
  • A realist might say “I’ll never figure out how to change the music channel!!”
CLOSING

Clearly Ferrari and Harman want a global stage to demonstrate the expertise that Harman possesses with automotive cabin and human cognition / performance improvement, so aligning with Ferrari in the development of the Ferrari F1 and their racing applications makes sense.

It is very expensive to sponsor an F1 team, especially the one on top of the F1 ladder, Ferrari. Time will tell if the visibility of the brand and the resulting performance enhancement and experience gained, are shared by both partners.

Revel & Levinson are in the back of the garage with the fastest racing team in the world, while Harman automotive is developing and refining a superior in-cabin experience for the F1 driver.  We will have to wait and see if the technology developed here will trickle down to the Lexus/Mark Levinson and Lincoln/Revel cabins, dashboards and audio offerings in the future.

Read More at Harman
Read More at Ferrari

JOSH AI Control Solution

  • Home Automation | Smart Home | Home Control

Like Siri or Alexa, Josh AI is a player in the Smart Home control market, and uses voice commands.
What separates JOSH AI from its other voice control competitors is unique and valid.CAPABILITIES. PRIVACY.

First, the capabilities of Josh AI are incredible. In fact, they are downright magical.

Josh AI is a smart assistant designed especially for luxury smart homes. It integrates seamlessly with control systems from Control4, Crestron, Lutron, Honeywell, Baldwin, Sony and hundreds more… allowing for full control with just a few words.

Second, Josh AI, deals with you and your guests in a far different way.

It is well documented that Google and Amazon are selling your information, and are indeed listening to your conversations, regardless of whether any command is actuated. While they maintain your anonymity is protected, however, the nature and content of your conversations are not.

Privacy is a key differentiator for Josh AI.

Privacy – the new pivot-point for modern technology.

With Google and Amazon’s Alexa, the reality is that your conversations and discussions in your home are being shared with third-party contractors around the world for “marketing and voice recognition research…”  Okay, yes, you may be anonymous,  but your conversations about stock trading, intellectual property, private and legal matters are not.

With Alexa, Siri and Google, your conversations and data are uploaded to the “Cloud.” The cloud in reality is a server that can be in Denver or Dubai. With Josh AI, your commands, your conversations, your data, never leaves your home.

Unflinching Privacy.Josh AI has made privacy a cornerstone in the company’s product engineering.

“We understand the importance of protecting personal data, and we engineer our products to continuously enhance those protections.”

In summary, Josh AI provides an exciting product: a powerful voice control solution working in collaboration with an App based Smart Home platform.  Voice offers unrivaled ease of access, simplicity and speed unmatched by apps or panels. Voice control is very desirable when your hands are busy with other demands while in the kitchen, home office, or while entertaining.

Bottom Line:

Josh AI provides a voice control solution for Smart Homes that is powerful and private.  If you discuss intellectual property, law, business plans or private transactions, you should assess your exposure with Google, Siri or Alexa voice command devices. A person has three lives, public, personal and private. Josh AI protects all three.

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Summary

We have Josh AI installed and ready for demo, but more importantly, for you to interact with it.  Smart home control solutions are all about the user experience. At some point, you need to have a test drive. The power and simplicity of voice control is magical. We invite you to stop in our showroom and interact with the future of smart home – Voice Control and discover just how nice it is to be heard and in control.

Read More at Josh AI
    • Reference Video Product
    • By John Senters

    Kaleidescape Movie Servers

    • Home Video | Home Theater | Digital Streaming

    Kaleidescape Movie Servers

    Kaleidescape is a movie streaming service that delivers high-resolution, sound and picture performance for home theater. Think of it as the QoBuz or Tidal for movies.

    Why do I need this? Video-on-Demand (VOD) streaming from Apple, Hulu, Netflix etc… are not the same video or audio resolution as Blu-ray. They’re not even close. They are downsampled with a data reduction algorithm – this is not compression – this is data reduction to speed movie download time and increase the ability to stream on lower bandwidth 50 to 20 Mbps WiFi networks. Just like audio MP3’s, the lower the bit-rate, the lower the resolution which noticeably degrades audio & video resolution.

    Lower quality audio and video resolution is avoided on Kaleidescape’s movie servers by delivering the highest resolution possible – the same as the original master recording – which in some cases surpasses the Blu-ray Disc and most certainly any other VOD.

    The average movie from a VOD service averages 6-8 Mbps, while a quality BluRay disc is around 50 Mbps. The Kaleidescape delivers 65 Mbps. Kaleidescape has its own movie store for customers to download bit-for-bit Blu-ray movies to play on the Kaleidescape movie server.

    With VOD competitors, most movie audio tracks are Dolby Digital Plus, a few services offer limited Atmos support, but it’s a data reduction form of Atmos built on top of Dolby Digital Plus. With Kaleidescape, you have fully uncompromised, high resolution audio. Downloads offer the quality of Blu-ray, with uncompressed Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA soundtracks!

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    Summary
    For high resolution TV’s and projectors in the home or a dedicated home theater, you have a movie that is equal to or superior than BluRay. Kaleidescape delivers the very best VOD movie experience. You can see and hear the difference.

    Read More at Kaleidescape
  • High Performance Audio Product
  • By John Senters

KEF KC62

  • Hear the Best Subwoofers in Ohio
  • Home Audio | Home Stereo | Home Theater

KEF KC62 Wins “Best Product for 2021-2022”
The KEF KC62 has been declared the very best audio product in the EISA Subwoofer Category, in this year’s prestigious EISA Awards.

This is the biggest sounding, smallest subwoofer you will find on the market today. Really? Yes Really! Okay, consider the spec’s: -3dB at 11Hz with a maximum 105 dB. Again, Yes Really!? You’re talking below 15Hz performance – and its small! The KEF KC62 is a subwoofer that makes even jaded audiophiles drop their jaws and go how does it do that? Cleverly. KEF uses two 6.5″ with force cancelling drive units, and each voice coil is nestled inside the other, sharing a single massive magnet and powered by twin 500 watt amplifiers. Even dual 6.5″ woofers will reach their limits and as we may know, subs can make an ugly “barking” noise as the woofers hit their acoustic and mechanical limits. Ugliness never occurs using KEF’s proprietary ‘Smart Distortion Control Technology’ so that even on maximum bass volumes, the woofer is prevented from hitting its mechanical limits. Run it as hard as you like, an ugly noise just isn’t in this sub’s vocabulary.

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The Story behind the “KEF KC65 Subwoofer”
The development of a small subwoofer that for all practical measures, performs as well as a 12″ or 15″ subwoofer is truly a landmark achievement! We see this type of product breakthrough once a decade. It is no wonder the SC62 won this year’s EISA “Best Product” in the Subwoofer category. The KEF KC62 in on display and we want you to experience just how impressively a sub – this small – performs this big! Clean, performance below 15Hz and compact. The KEF SC62 is amazing and that’s no marketing fluff. This is a breakthrough product.

Read More at KEF

JBL Everest Speakers

  • Hear the Finest Stereo Speakers in Ohio
  • Home Audio | Home Stereo | Home Theater

JBL Synthesis Everest DD6700

One of the finest speakers on the Globe!
This is an audio speaker that can do it all. The Bi-Radial horn drivers deliver unmatched dynamic contrasts, from the quietest musical subtleties to the loudest musical sections of a heavy rock band or classical orchestra. There is a sense of dynamic effortlessness and transient response that must be heard. If you’ve never head a good horn-driver loudspeaker, it can be a sonic revelation, and often makes other driver designs seem dynamically lethargic and compressed. You owe it to your audiophile self to hear a speaker that embodies the term: dynamic. This is an engineering assault on audio’s summit, the project nicknamed “Everest”, in the effort to be one of the world’s best speakers and it’s here in Columbus, OH.

Ready for Audition
The JBL Everest model DD6700, is a three-way speaker with dual 15″ woofers, with a 4′ pure beryllium compression driver and a 1″ pure beryllium ultra high-frequency driver that delivers sound that rivals the best speakers in the world. You can schedule a dedicated time for you to audition these below.

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The Story behind the “Everest Project”
Under a program called Project Everest, JBL® engineers endeavored to create the ultimate home audio loudspeaker, the Everest DD6700. Using the unrivaled R&D resources of Harman, they created the finest speaker we have ever had in our showrooms. Our display model is finished in a beautiful rosewood with other custom paint finishes available. The JBL Summit Series Everest are $37,500 each. Expensive yes, but world class is never inexpensive. We invite you to hear them and perceive music as it was intended – live musicians – playing in the room!

Read More at JBL Summit Series

Paradigm Founder Series 80F Speakers Arrived!

  • Audition the Finest Stereo Speakers in Ohio
  • Home Audio | Home Stereo | Home Theater

Paradigm Founder Series Loudspeakers are here!

Founder Series is no ordinary loudspeaker.
Paradigm is no ordinary company. They are one of the few that build all their drivers in house. That level of control and expertise has led Paradigm to build exceptional speakers at reasonable price points.  In this new series of speakers, every component, large and small, was engineered exclusively for Founder’s. The new cabinet platform is not just a stunning design, its unique shape and integrated structural bracing delivers acoustic performance that cannot be matched by traditional square boxes.

Precision. Control. Dynamics.
The Founder series includes many new advances in design, materials, and engineering to provide class defining levels of performance.  Detail, clarity, accuracy, fidelity – all of these critical criteria are addressed by the Founder Series.

Ready for Audition

The Founder model 80F, a 4-driver, 2.5 way floorstanding speaker is on display for you to hear and review. You can schedule a dedicated time for you to audition these below.

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The Story behind “Foundation Series”
Original founder Scott Bagby, along with his brother, John, purchased back the controlling interest of Paradigm in May of 2019, the very company they founded. Since then, Scott and John have reignited their company to focus on what made great: exceptional products for the dollar. The Founder Series reflects that commitment.

Read More at Paradigm
  • High Performance Product
  • By Don Schmitt

Cambridge Audio Alva Turntable

  • Audition a great turntable in Columbus, Ohio
  • Home Audio | Home Stereo

Bluetooth High Performance Turntable now in Columbus, Ohio

 

Just Add Vinyl – Listen from a bluetooth receiver, streamer or headphones.
Bluetooth aptX HD – Wireless Hi-Res streaming. Place the turntable anywhere.
Built-In Phonostage – No need for extra components. Keeps your setup simple.
Direct Drive – Consistent drive speed with pitch-perfect audio reproduction.
Pre-installed High Output MC Cartridge – Pristine musical detail. No tricky setup.
British-made single-Piece Tonearm – Rega sourced arm is lightweight and strong. Tracks your records flawlessly.

Summary: As a whole, the turntable is a complete system and with very flexible capabilities. The integrated bluetooth phono stage means you can connect to many devices enabling you to extend your listening options without making it overly complex or adding more gear…

This is a benchmark product, and not because of the focus on internal engineering. That’s been done over and over. The focus on human use hasn’t. The incorporation of the world’s first high resolution Bluetooth in a turntable allows you to – place the table anywhere – enjoy it everywhere. Overall, this is a very sophisticated turntable, yet the enjoyment of it is so simple. Schedule a dedicated time to review this turntable.

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“New ground can only be broken once, and Cambridge Audio’s hi-res wireless Alva TT turntable is now a benchmark product…The fact it’s able to stream wirelessly to a 24bit/48kHz aptX HD standard makes it number one in a field of one. No other record player from any better-established brand in this sort of market – Rega, for instance, or Clearaudio – is able to come close to this level of convenience. No other record player is as friendly or adaptable, and no other record player will fit in with your wider lifestyle so seamlessly. That’s why the Alva TT is so easy to recommend so wholeheartedly.” – Jeff Dorgay, TONE

Read more At CAMBRIDGE AUDIO

KEF Speakers and the Blades on display!

  • Audition the Finest Stereo Speakers in Ohio
  • Home Audio | Home Theater

KEF Loudspeakers now in Columbus, Ohio

We are very proud to be a dealer for KEF. From the very beginning, the pioneering inventiveness of KEF loudspeakers was undeniable and for several decades, audiophiles around the world have revered KEF for its innovative, high-performance loudspeakers. We have the highly regarded KEF Blade and the Reference One and many more on display and ready to audition. Schedule a dedicated time for you to audition.

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“Beware of being beguiled by their good looks lest you forget that what you are getting for all that cash: the most advanced state-of-the-art engineering you will find in a modern loudspeaker.” – Jeffrey Bradley, Dagogo

“This is a speaker that reveals the finest nuance, allowing me to evaluate different components with ease, yet is also a speaker with which I love to just sit and listen to music for pleasure, even after a 12-hour day of component reviews. This is the highest compliment I can pay the Blades—…” – Jeff Dorgay, TONE

We hope you will take the time to hear what legends are made of…

Read more At KEF

Cambridge Audio Edge Amplifiers and Digital Streaming Preamplifier

  • Audition one of the finest preamplifier/amplifier in Ohio
  • Home Audio | Home Theater

Cambridge Audio Edge is here in Columbus, Ohio

In the build-up to Cambridge Audio’s 50th anniversary, we asked our engineers a simple question – what would they make if anything was possible? Over 3 years in the making, utilizing a team of 9 engineers, the result is Edge.

In recognition of our heritage, we developed Edge. The embodiment of Cambridge Audio’s pinnacle of 50 years of Hi-Fi expertise. Beautifully minimal in its design, the Edge Series features one high-quality dual concentric volume and source select control knob, enabling you to navigate menus intuitively with a simple twist. Designed and assembled in the UK by the EDGE team.

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“At this price, we can’t think of a more complete alternative than the Edge Amplifier. Cambridge has done a terrific job” – WHAT HIFI, United Kingdom

“I loved the unusual styling and the software is superb; the sound is inspirational…” – Mark Sparrow, Forbes, United States

“The Edge NQ and W can connect all the connected aspects of your music-reproduction life. They do so reliably and easily. The overall achievement as a product line clearly built by proud experts in their fields deserves respect and acknowledgement. Beautiful, substantial, and intelligent separates that should be sought out for audition. “ – Allan Moulton, The Absolute Sound, United States

We hope you will take the time to hear this celebration of a 50 year heritage and enjoy what a well designed and beautifully integrated networked preamp and amp combination can bring to your life.

Read more At CAMBRIDGE AUDIO

7 Tips for Good Sound in Outdoor Speakers

  • Getting good sound from outdoor speakers
  • Home Audio | Landscape Audio

Seven Tips for Good Sound in Outdoor Speakers

Fact: Outdoor speakers are different. They are NOT indoor speakers made waterproof. They are engineered to sound completely different as they are being used in a completely different acoustic environment. Outdoor speakers are engineered to acoustically offset the large open expanse of the outdoors without floors, walls and ceilings to help reflect the sound and augment the bass. The outdoor speaker is acoustically engineered to deliver tight, deep bass, and a broad soundstage, so no matter where you are – outdoors – they sound impressive! Have questions about outdoor speakers and outdoor televisions? Schedule a Zoom call or reserve a dedicated time to hear our outdoor speakers.

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This article identifies how outdoor speakers perform and provides tips and insights to get the most from your outdoor speakers in Columbus, Ohio.

7 tips for Good Sound in Outdoor Speakers

PARADIGM Persona available to audition

  • PARADIGM Persona
  • Home Audio | Home Stereo | Home Theater

PARADIGM has become synonymous with high performance speakers and incredible value for the dollar. PARADIGM continues that tradition with the new top-of-the-line Persona series, which are considered by some, the finest speakers in the world, at any price.

The new PARADIGM Persona stylishly delivers an unprecedented level of audio realism. Their new flagship speakers showcase cutting-edge design & engineering coupled with the most advanced technologies, culminating in a reference level audio speaker.

We are the only Audio Video dealer in the Columbus, Ohio market showing the PARADIGM Persona 7F on display with the ability to audition. If you are in the market for high-end audio speakers, such as Focal, Revel, Bowers & Wilkins, Dynaudio, KEF, Sonus Faber, Wilson Audio, or just consider yourself a music lover, come in and listen to them. You’re always welcome here.

READ MORE AT PARADIGM
ABSOLUTE SOUND - PERSONA 9H REVIEW
STEREOPHILE - PERSONA 5F REVIEW

THE LEGENDARY BRYSTON 4B3

  • BRYSTON 4B now in its 3rd Generation
  • Audio Video | Home Theater | Home Stereo

BRYSTON is a brand that has become synonymous with impeccable build quality, superlative sound and a reputation that is head and shoulders above everyone in the industry.

BRYSTON’s credentials extend far beyond home audio. Their beginnings were making amplifiers for professional recording studio’s and delivering a product with unrivaled reliability and the requisite sound quality to go with it. One such product is the Bryston 4B. This product has been manufactured continuously since 1978. Now rated at 300 watts per channel, this true dual-mono amplifier is powerful enough for practically any speaker, yet it’s priced to remain within reach. The degree of clarity, power, nuance, and outright truthfulness of this amp is reference level.

BRYSTON is a brand you’ll always be proud to own with a fully transferable 20-year parts & labor warranty.

READ MORE AT BRYSTON

Parade of Homes | Lewis Center

  • Parade of Homes & Interior Design
  • Home Automation | Home Audio | Home Theater

What’s new in architectural and planning is the highlighting of “New Urbanism” as the model for community development.

Evans Farm expresses it this way… “Evans Farm is Ohio’s only community designed around the principles of new urbanism, where shops, restaurants, parks, residential houses, and more are all within walking or biking distance of each other—so you can spend less time in rush hour and more time at happy hour.”

You may think this is just good marketing copy, but what they’re actually saying is true and… new.

READ MORE AT EVANS FARM

Pro-Ject Turntables

  • Analog | Records | Turntables
  • Home Stereo | Home Audio

Pro-Ject turntables are long established as both a leader in performance and value, two words that aren’t often used together.

For vinyl fans, Pro-Ject has been a long established leader in turntable and tonearms. The Pro-Ject turntable series has been on the market for over 25 years. Their tonearm series has been continually evolving for 20 years. Their rich history and experience has resulted in products that have few equals at their respective price-points.

The new line up from Pro-Ject also includes an excellent line of phono cartridges that will fit most tonearms. We also carry Denon, Sumiko and Ortofon cartridges. If your system lacks a phono stage, Pro-Ject has some terrific options.

READ MORE AT PRO-JECT TURNTABLES