Arcam rphono
FOR Refined and entertaining sound; flexible; well built AGAINST Nothing at this price
Phono stages have one of the hardest jobs to do in hi-fi. They amplify the tiny signal put out by a record player’s cartridge by as much as a thousand times, while adding a minimum of noise and distortion in the process. In comparison, the task faced by pre and power amplifiers seems easy.
The built-in phono stage has become something of a rare beast in amplification. Such circuits aren’t always great even when included, so if the current vinyl revival has piqued your interest, we think you should consider Arcam’s rphono.
Tools of the trade
This is a small aluminium-cased unit – about the size of a paperback book – and it feels as solid as a brick. It’s finished beautifully with crisp edges and a smart, understated appearance. On the front you’ll find just a single indicator light, which shows the unit is working. Look around the back and things get more interesting.
Here you’ll find dedicated inputs for moving-magnet and moving-coil cartridges along with adjustments for impedance (Mc-only), input capacitance (Mm-only) and a range of gain settings that range from 30db all the way to an impressive 82db.
There’s even a rumble filter to get rid of ultra low frequency noise that your record player or disc could possibly generate. All these adjustments are made using a multitude of dipswitches. At a pinch these can be moved with your fingernail, but Arcam, rather thoughtfully, has included a small tool that slots into the rphono’s base for easy storage.
Look inside the rphono, and you’ll find a multi-layered PCB, with a great deal of attention paid to grounding and the power-supply arrangement. It’s all about minimising the interaction between components, which reduces distortions and noise levels. The end result should be a cleaner, more transparent sound.
We start off by plugging in our reference Clearaudio Innovation Wood package that includes the Stradivari V2 moving-coil cartridge. Of course a turntable that costs car money isn’t exactly a typical match for a phono stage such as this, but it does put a spotlight on the Arcam’s performance.
Sense of composure
Once we optimise the rphono’s various settings we’re impressed by what we hear. It sounds big-boned and powerful, delivering a sound of generous scale and pleasing stability. As we listen to Beethoven’s Ninth
Symphony we’re struck by the unit’s sense of composure. It sounds in control no matter how demanding the piece gets, while still delivering a strong dose of dynamic extremes. There’s lots of detail here, and the ability to organise it properly.
Moving to Mary J Blige’s No More Drama set shows up a surefooted sense of rhythm and plenty of punch. The title track reveals the Arcam to have a subtle and revealing midrange, and a level of transparency that’s rare at this price. Add it up and you have a capable and informative phono stage that still knows how to have fun.
No restraints
Switching to the moving-magnet input – through our Rega Planar 3/Elys 2 package – the rphono continues to impress. As we would hope, the sonic character of the product is unchanged from the moving-coil circuit, the sound retaining all the composure, insight and drive we enjoyed. The tonal balance is smooth and refined without sounding as if it wants to restrain any of the music’s enthusiasm. That’s just fine with us.
This is a hugely accomplished box. It’s relatively quiet – hiss levels are low – and capable of matching any price-compatible cartridge. It sounds great too, with a combination of insight and entertainment few rivals can match. Highly recommended.