atelier 13 audio
TRAFOMATIC
TUBE PHONO PREAMPLIFIERS
Where the Heart and the Soul meet Innovation
At Trafomatic Audio we don’t take any of the usual high-end audio norms as standard.
We’re setting new standards by moving the bar to extremes in each of our products. We strive for a level of excellence that goes beyond what the industry has tried to impose on listeners for the past few decades. Where most stop, our journey just begins.
MADE IN SERBIA
TRAFOMATIC LUNA PHONO PREAMPLIFIER
LUNA
C3g Phono Preamplifier
Dual Chassis - External Power Supply
Class of operation :
Single Ended Class A - with separate PSU
Tubes complement : 4x C3g
Inputs : 1x RCA MM / 47K, 1x RCA MC
Adjustable MC inputs :
10ohms, 20 ohms, 50 ohms, 100 ohms
Outputs : 1x RCA, 1x XLR (switchable)
Input transformers / MC :
LL1941 (uncut amorphous cobalt core, Cardas high purity copper wire)
Gain : 45dB MM / 70dB MC via LL1941 IPT
Frequency response : RIAA curve +/- 0.4dB)
Noise & Hum : -78dB
Output impedance : 660 ohm (RCA & XLR)
Power supply:
Low Induction toroid transformer by Trafomatic, High Inductivity custom made chokes, Mundorf MLytic HV type
Size : 400×310x85mm / each chassis
Weight : 10kg
Handmade in Serbia
$ 17,000
The Luna tube phono preamplifier is a top reference class product in the Trafomatic Audio line .
The main advantage with this preamplifier is that it uses a very rare LCR method to apply the RIAA correction ... and this at great complexity and cost.
We implement here only the finest components such as four C3g SE tubes connected in triode mode , two interstage and two line output transformers, as well as LL1941 input MC step ups .
This phono preamplifier also comes with a separate power supply using a low induction toroidal transformer as well as two high inductivity chokes and Mundorf MLytic HV electrolytic capacitors .
Luna features :
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Built in step up transformers
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Switchable ground plane with input selection preventing ground loops
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Balanced and unbalanced output
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Separate low impedance CLC power supply
Luna uses two tube gain stages with zero feedback and passive LCR equalization .
In the input stage, as well as in the output stage, we use low noise Siemens c3g "German Post" NOS tubes strapped in triode mode. Every stage is loaded by transformers which provides complete isolation of this sensitive circuit from all associated downstream components.
There are no capacitors in signal the path except in the RIAA correction where we use rare Silver Micas.
TRAFOMATIC REFERENCE PHONO ONE PREAMPLIFIER
Reference Phono One
Reference Phono One
EF806 / 6N6P Phono Preamplifier
Class of operation :
Single Ended Class A
with Lundahl Step Up Transformers
Tubes complement :
Phono Stage : 2x EF806, 1x 6N6P
Power Supply : 1x EX81, 1x EL84, 1x EF86
Inputs : 2x RCA MM / 51K, 1x XLR
Adjustable MC inputs :
20, 50, 100, 200, 500 ohm, 1 Kohm
Outputs : 1x RCA
Gain : 45dB MM / 67dB MC
Frequency response : RIAA curve +/- 0.4dB)
S/N Ratio : 78dB
Output & Impedance : 660 ohm / 1.2Vrms
Size : 430×370x130mm
Weight : 10kg
Handmade in Serbia
Under redesign- New Price TBA
Our Reference Phono One is the ideal complement to our Reference Line One Line Preamplifier, and will of course do supreme justice to any top flight analog set-up.
Sasa designed the Reference Phono One as a single-ended class A circuit. There are two input types like any modern phono stage should have. The MM input has 45dB of gain, the MC 67dB with the addition of Lundahl step-up transformers. Noise and hum are down a respectable -78dB. To give the following linestage something to work with, the phonostage puts out 1.2Vrms at 660Ω over the RCA sockets.
To obtain the desired RIAA function and necessary signal gain, Sasa did not reach for the classic solution of embedding the correction curve in the gain stage ... nor did he opt for the almost classic tube solution of twin-triode 12AX7 voltage gain. What took the most trial and error time of this design was the passive RIAA network. Routing the audio signal through the network which is standard MO for almost any phono stage was a complete no-no in Mladenovac, Serbia.
The production version differs slightly from the basic design in certain details. It uses two EF806 low-noise/low-hum pentodes per channel which also share one half each of a single 6N6P-EV double triode. Low noise designs require very stable low-noise power supplies. To achieve best power rectification and stabilization, Trafomatic uses three tubes where a choke-filtered EZ81 rectifier is followed by an EL84 pentode then EF86 low-noise pentode. The hefty input transformer in the power supply is responsible for the bulk of the 10kg total weight.
At the back sit three sets of input connectors - a pair of RCA terminals for MM with an input impedance of 51KΩ next to two pairs of MC inputs, one unbalanced, one fully balanced. A rotary switch adjusts MC input impedance for both RCA and XLR from 20Ω to 50, 100, 200 and 500Ω up to 1KΩ. Sasa’s RIAA deemphasis circuit shows a frequency response of +/-0.4dB for the RIAA correction curve.
TRAFOMATIC EVOLUTION PHONO ONE PREAMPLIFIER
Evolution Phono One
Evolution Phono One
OPA 2134 J-Fet Phono Preamplifier
Class of operation :
Class A
OP Amp : OPA 2134 , two per channel
Power Supply : Low Induction toroid transformer by Trafomatic Audio
Inputs : 1x RCA MM / 51K, 1x RCA MC
Adjustable MC inputs :
20, 50, 100, 200, 500 ohm, 1 Kohm
Outputs : 1x RCA
Output & Impedance : 600 ohm / 0.5Vrms
Gain :
MM – 40 dB, MC – 64 dB using low hum J-Fet
RIAA Accuracy :
+/- 0.4 dB max below 1KHz
0.6dB max above 1KHz
Hum & Noise : -76dB MC / -80dB MM
Size : 450×320x100mm
Weight : 6kg
Handmade in Serbia
$ 2,800
The Evolution Phono One is Trafomatic's entry level phono preamplifier ... but there is nothing really "entry level-ish" about it though -- other than its relatively accessible $2.5K price when compared to our Reference One ($6.5K), LUNA ($10.5K) and our 4-channel COLLINS ($85K) models. It is an OP AMP based phono preamplifier with separate MC and MM inputs, as well as the possibility to select between six MC input impedances.
We could have gone the tube-circuit route, but given that it was likely to be paired with our Evolution all tube Evolution Line One Preamplifier or another tube line stage ... and an all tube Integrated amp, we decided to take a stroll down "Solid State Avenue" to see what we could conjure up. It turned out that the OPA 1231 J-Fet reacted really well when introduced into the circuit design principles used for our tube components ... the end result was well worth the "detour" !
In essence, the Evolution Phono One's circuit represents an expression of "purist simplicity" ... a simplicity that was then "refined" by carefully selected very high quality parts, and by careful attention to circuit layout and the critical power supply stage. It uses two Burr Brown OPA 1231 OPAs per channel, one for RIAA equalization and the other for amplification.
EVOLUTION
LINE ONE
shown with
EVOLUTION
PHONO ONE
ELEGANCE POWER AMP + EVOLUTION LINE PRE + EVOLUTION PHONO
BUNDLE SPECIAL
$CALL
