Rega Fono MM MK5 Moving Magnet Phono Stage

Rega Fono MM Phono Stage Overview

What’s a “phono stage”? As lovely as an LP’s analog signal may sound, a microscopic needle wiggling around in an equally minuscule groove doesn’t generate much energy. Think of those first Victrolas at the turn of the 20th century, and those giant flared horns you’d need to hear anything. Today, the needle is a speck of diamond and the phono cartridge is a coil/magnet mechanism, but the current is still 100 times lower than the usual input signal. Today’s digital receivers and amplifiers don’t always include low-level inputs with enough gain and the proper equalization to play albums. Those setups need a pre-preamplifier known as a phono stage, and Rega’s Fono MM ranks among the best. Designed as a companion for the company’s own turntables and associated electronics, the Fono MM will extracts the last ounce of detail from any of today’s top moving magnet cartridges and turntables, with discrete electronic components, high-quality capacitors and separate RIAA equalization stages, all hand-built in Rega’s Essex, England facility.