Phædrus Audio Groove Sleuth Adaptor preamplifiers were developed to convert the XLR socket microphone inputs on commercial computer sound cards to non-equalised phono cartridge inputs.
Commercial soundcards designed for the highly competitive musical instrument and recording sector often integrate excellent, low-noise preamplifiers and fast, high-resolution (24 bit) analogue-to-digital converters to convert the analogue signals so that they can be recorded into the computer at sample rates up to 192 kHz. They therefore make the basis of an excellent and good-value capture front-end for Pspatial Audio’s Stereo Lab software. At least, they do almost.....
The problem is that the preamplifiers are microphone preamps, not phono preamps. They have more than enough gain to raise the output from a phono cartridge to line level. But microphone inputs do not present the phono cartridge with the correct impedance and attempting to connect a phono cartridge directly to a microphone input will destroy the high-frequency response because the impedance mismatch isn't small, it's wrong by nearly two orders of magnitude!
Phædrus Audio Groove Sleuth Adaptors ensure the phono cartridge and the microphone inputs are presented with the appropriate signal levels and impedances. The 48V phantom-power for microphones is remodelled to power the miniature Groove Sleuth Adaptor preamplifiers.
Groove Sleuth Adaptors were designed to work with Pspatial Audio’s Stereo Lab software. With a wide frequency-response and deep dynamic range, they offer a very high-quality solution for recording non-equalised needle-drops at a reasonable price.
Three versions exist of the Groove Sleuth Adaptors, their roles are as follows:
Please ensure you order the appropriate adaptor for your cartridge type. Moving-magnet cartridge output levels are all very similar so the Groove Sleuth Adaptor MM is optimised for all moving-magnet cartridges.
Go to this page for a (near complete) range of contemporary moving-coil cartridges and the best choice of Groove Sleuth Adaptor MC.
If your cartridge is not on this list, please contact sales@phaedrus-audio.com for further advice.
Download the manual for the Groove Sleuth Adaptor preamplifiers.
Model: Groove Sleuth Adaptor MM
Gain: 0dB (with 2kΩ load)
Sensitivity @5cm/s: 5mV RMS
Input load: >47kΩ, <20pF
Frequency Response: ±1dB: 10Hz to 100kHz
Noise (EIN): 1.0µV A-weighted, 200Ω terminated (better than -70dB relative to 5mV RMS)
Headroom: >40dB (relative to nominal level of 5mV RMS)
THD on 5mV RMS signal at 1kHz: 0.003%
Current draw (from 48V phantom): 1.5mA
Model: Groove Sleuth Adaptor MC
Sensitivity @5cm/s: 0.5mV RMS (18dB gain)
Gain: +11dB (with 2kΩ load)
Input load: >100Ω
Frequency Response: ±1dB: 10Hz to 100kHz
Noise (EIN): 0.1µV A-weighted (better than -65dB relative to nominal level of 0.5mV RMS)
Headroom: >40dB (relative to nominal level of 5mV RMS)
THD on 0.5mV RMS signal at 1kHz: 0.03%
Current draw (from 48V phantom): 1.5mA
Model: Groove Sleuth Adaptor PHLUX/PHLUX-II
Sensitivity @5cm/s: 5mV RMS
Gain: 0dB (with 2kΩ load)
Input load: Suitable for active cartridge;
Frequency Response: ±1dB: 10Hz to 100kHz
Noise (EIN): 1.0µV A-weighted (better than -70dB relative to nominal level of 5mV RMS)
Headroom: >40dB (relative to nominal level of 5mV RMS)
THD on 5mV RMS signal at 1kHz: 0.02%
Current draw (from 48V phantom): 1.5mA (0.5mA with PHLUX-II Black and 8mA with original PHLUX-I)
Phædrus Audio reserves the right to change specifications without notice.
Address all mail to sales@phaedrus-audio.com
