Esoteric E-03 Phono Preamp

Filed under: Home Audio > Analog > Cartridges



Esoteric is mostly known for their high-end CD transports and state of the art VRDS-Neo drive mechanism, but lately the company has been branching out into several avenues including speakers, cables, amplifiers, and now, the world of vinyl with the new E-03 phono preamp. In typical Esoteric fashion, the E-03 is a high-end, no compromise design.

The E-03 is a completely dual-mono design, with separate R-core power supply transformers, power boards, and audio boards for the left and right channel. Features include a MC head amplifier and an NF-CR type RIAA amplifier, with high voltage circuits on the RIAA and output buffer for improved headroom and transfer. The E-03 eschews a microprocessor; input and load are switched directly on the audio board to avoid noise contamination. Two inputs support both MM and MC cartridges, with impedance controllable via a front panel knob. The Esoteric E-03 is priced at $5500.