Sonus Veritas Venice Phonostage Tube-Hybrid

World class tube-hybrid phonostage. Designed by Kevin Carter of KandK Audio.

No defects, blemishes or scratches. Sounds as beautiful today as the day purchased (2016). Purchased Price: $15,000. Current price $20-22k

Smoke-free, low-humidity environment. No pets.

Rated condition 9/10. Original tube compliment but will provide NOS Sovtec tubes at small cost. I have original boxes which are in excellent condition. Ship USA ONLY.

Online professional reviews are few because Sonus Veritas is an exclusive, custom-based, company dedicated to 'true sound' and excellent service not big profits. However, the most thorough review was by Marshall Nack; https://positive-feedback.com/Issue59/sonus.htm. NOTE, the designer, Kevin Carter, has produced this upgraded version since that review and, the reviewer has commented, sounds remarkably improved.

Sonus Veritas has designed a quiet,versatile phono preamplifier that uses an unconventional approach to support the goal of extracting the maximum pleasure from your LPs. We focused our efforts on developing a phono preamplifier with the following goals in mind:

• Very quiet input stage to ensure that preamplifier noise is never an issue that detracts from low level musical detail resolution, even with the lowest output MC cartridges
• Enough gain to accommodate very low output MC cartridges and enough gain flexibility to also allow the use of high output MC or MM cartridges
• Low impedance unbalanced (RCA) and balanced (XLR) outputs to enable a high quality interface with all preamplifiers and integrated amplifiers
• Stabilized vacuum tube operating conditions so that no adjustments are ever necessary to get the best performance throughout the life of the preamplifier, even in the face of tube changes

After experimenting with a number of approaches, we chose a three stage differential transformer-coupled topology that satisfies the goals above and provides a vinyl replay experience that has to be heard to be believed. Some of the technical attributes of this choice include:

• Differential circuitry, which rejects common mode noise resulting in cleaner sound reproduction
• Tube amplification circuitry supported by solid state devices, which provides a near ideal operating environment, for the preservation of music quality
• Use of Lundahl audio coupling transformers manufactured with high technology amorphous metals to facilitate the optimal interface with phono cartridges and preamplifiers

Features

• Two balanced/unbalanced (RCA) stereo inputs (XLR input jacks optional)
• One stereo unbalanced (RCA) output and one stereo balanced (XLR) output
• Flexible grounding options for inputs and outputs to eliminate ground loop hum/buzz
• Mute, polarity inversion, stereo/mono, gain, and panel light brightness controllable on the front panel
• Resistive cartridge loading, MC input gain, and MM/MC selection controllable on back panel
• Innovative TubeLife Monitor that indicates when tubes should be replaced.