Atoll PH200 Phono Preamp MM/MC, Black

The Atoll PH200 is an external phono preamp for MM and MC cartridges that brings your turntable's tiny signal up to line level.

Five kilograms for a device that amplifies millivolts – that's not gear-fetish excess, it's the only real way to keep hum and noise out of the picture.

Why the PH200?

Because the phono signal is the most sensitive in the whole chain. Atoll answers with two separate 7 VA transformers, 54,400 µF filter capacitance, an 8 mm aluminium housing and Sorbothane feet against structure-borne vibration. Gain and input capacitance can be set on the unit – 40 dB for MM, 47 dB for high-output MC and 60 dB for low-output MC.

What you hear

Black between the grooves. The noise floor vanishes, and suddenly you hear again just how much information a good pressing holds: space around the instruments, attacks with body, a bass that no longer blurs into the fundamental. The frequency response runs from 20 Hz to 20 kHz within 0.1 dB – so the RIAA equalisation is spot on, and you hear that as a matter of course.

Who is the PH200 for?

For anyone with a decent turntable and a good cartridge who has outgrown their amplifier's built-in phono stage. And for anyone who wants to switch between MM and MC. Plain talk: the termination impedance is fixed at 47 kOhm – if you run MC cartridges with exotic impedance requirements, talk it through with us first. It's not a price match for an entry-level turntable with cartridges under 150 francs.

Our verdict

The PH200 is the phono stage for people who don't listen to vinyl on the side. It doesn't make anything prettier, it makes it quieter – and with phono, that's half the battle. If you're not sure whether your cartridge justifies the effort, tell us what you have: 044 680 22 00 or WhatsApp 076 534 22 00 – we at HD Zürisee in Wädenswil will tell you honestly where your money is better spent.

Technical data

• Type: external phono preamp for MM and MC
• Gain: MM 40 dB, MC high-output 47 dB, MC low-output 60 dB (via switch)
• Termination impedance: 47 kOhm
• Input capacitance: switchable 0 / 100 / 220 / 320 pF
• Inputs: 1 × RCA pair phono with ground clamp
• Outputs: 1 × RCA pair line (no XLR)
• Output level: fixed, determined by the gain setting – no volume control
• Headphone output: not present
• Power supply: 2 × 7 VA transformer
• Filter capacitance: 54,400 µF
• Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz, deviation under 0.1 dB
• Distortion: 0.05%
• Signal-to-noise ratio: 80 dB at 1 kHz
• Crosstalk: under −86 dB at 1 kHz
• Power consumption: switched off 0 watts, switched on 1 watt
• Housing: 8 mm brushed aluminium, Sorbothane feet
• Colour: Black
• Dimensions (W × H × D): 440 × 63 × 295 mm
• Weight: 5 kg
• Warranty: 2 years

Frequently asked questions

Which cartridges suit the Atoll PH200?
MM cartridges with 40 dB gain, high-output MC cartridges with 47 dB and low-output MC cartridges with 60 dB. It's switched on the unit. That means the PH200 covers practically every common cartridge – we'll set it up correctly for you.

What does the switchable capacitance on the PH200 do?
It matches the phono input to the cartridge cable and the cartridge itself. Four steps are available: none, 100, 220 and 320 picofarads. You hear the right value mainly in the treble – too much sounds dull, too little can sound harsh.

Do I need the PH200 if my amplifier already has phono?
Depends. Built-in phono stages are often a concession, not a focus. The PH200 has its own housing, two transformers and 54,400 µF filter capacitance dedicated to this one task alone. With good turntables and cartridges, you hear the difference.

Does the Atoll PH200 have a headphone output?
No. The PH200 is a pure phono stage. Its output level is fixed and determined by the gain setting – it belongs on a line input of your integrated amplifier or preamp, not directly into a power amp.

Why buy the Atoll PH200 from HD Zürisee?
Because a phono stage only sounds good once gain, impedance and capacitance match the cartridge. That's exactly what we set up with you, checking the earthing, and take care of delivery, installation and service with our own technician.

Goes well with

Ahead of it belongs a turntable with a suitable cartridge, behind it an integrated amplifier. A good phono cable does the rest.