Atma-Sphere MP-3 with Phono preamp [Template]

Second owner, selling due the lack of use. I'm a firefigther for half of the year all it does is sit and gather dust. Wanting this fine preamp to go to a home where they will be appreciated.

below is what the original owner have to say about the preamp.

If you are considering buying this MP-3 and upgrading to the most advanced capacitors you should contact ATMA-SPHERE  to find out how much they will charge to make the upgrade.    Probably money well spent.  I never upgraded simply because I have always been so happy with what I was hearing over the years.  My satisfaction with the sonic signature of this preamp is also the reason that I have never replaced the tubes or done any "tube rolling".  And of course none of the tubes have failed.  I have had some experience with "tube rolling" with various amps and preamps and I have no doubt that the sonic signature of a tube circuit can be tuned to taste by finding just the "right" tube.  A new owner might consider purchasing a new set of tubes, but the old ones sound great to me.  In the photos you will notice that there are red silicon tube dampers on the RIAA preamp tubes.  I installed those 5-6 years ago.  They are not essential, however I believe that I heard a small improvement in both soundscape and detail after I added the dampers.  I do not intend to remove the dampers and they will be shipped along with the preamp to the buyer.  

Be aware that this unit is fully balanced from phono input to line amp output.  This means you need to use XLR interconnects or obtain some XLR to RCA adaptors. Note that the tape monitor inputs and outputs accept standard RCA terminated interconnects. Having a balanced circuit means very low noise if your system grounding scheme is correct, and it allows for the phase inversion switch on the preamp for an quick and painless way to change total system polarity. Soundstage and bass impact are always more realistic when the polarity of a system is adjusted to correct for errors in the recording.  How many record buyers are aware that correct polarity is not always a given on every recording?   

You will notice in some of the photos that the textured black finish of the unit looks a little uneven.  In other photos it looks perfect.  This variation is caused by the high intensity of the photo flash causing different reflections from the texture in the finish depending on the angle of the preamp in the photo.  Under normal illumination, the black textured finish looks unworn and quite good.  The unit was used in a room that was never visited by pets or smokers.  I have an excellent shipping carton (I believe it is the original factory shipping box) so you can be sure this unit will ship safely.  UPS ground is probably the least expensive shipping, however I will gladly ship with another carrier if that is what the buyer requests. I also have a copy of the manual which I will include in the package.  I recommend that you find the manual on line and read it to fully understand all the great unique features of this preamp (the balance control is a brilliant design). 

Manufacturing Year 2005