TESTED: Phonostages from Clearaudio, Musical Surroundings & Graham Slee

Three Affordable Phonostages

Clearaudio Nano Phono, Musical Surroundings Phonomena II, Graham Slee Era Gold MK V and Era Gold Reflex and Elevator EXP

The three phonostages represented in this survey cover a range of reasonable price points. They are basic though distinct in operation and are externally adjustable for use with the majority of cartridges. All are solid-state units equipped with the standard RIAA equalization curve and, with the exception of the unique Graham Slee unit, are switchable between moving-magnet and moving-coil cartridges. My “control” phonostage for this survey was the well-regarded JR Transrotor Phono II, which at $1500 is not outrageously expensive either. My impressions of each phono preamp (listed in order of price) are a summary of listening sessions with three cartridges—two moving magnets, the Ortofon 2M Black (5mV) and the Clearaudio Maestro Wood (3.6mV), and a medium-output moving coil, the Benz Micro Glider SM (0.8mV).

Clearaudio Nano Phono

($350)

About the size of a deck of cards, the appropriately named Nano Phono uses a body of CNC-machined aluminum. Its sophisticated surface-mount technology boasts BurrBrown integrated circuits, very short signal paths, and dual-mono design. In spite of its petite profile it answers a variety of cartridge needs by including input loading resistors, mm/mc jumpers, and a subsonic filter. It also offers variable gain via a top-mount control wheel.

The Nano Phono outputs a lot of sound from its Lilliputian body. In the midrange it leans toward the delicately sweet and less aggressive end of the sonic spectrum. It doesn’t place a wrong foot tonally and its subtractions always favor musicality.

On a direct-to-disc track like Fanfare for the Common Man from Sonic Fireworks [Crystal Clear Records], the Nano sweetens up the Atlanta Brass ensemble to such an extent that it almost sounds velvety and rounded. While the Nano may lack muscular dynamic swings and crunchy crescendos, it is unwaveringly musical with boatloads of inner detail. It’s at the extremes that the Nano can run a little short of breath. Its top end is somewhat dark and transients lack some speed and sparkle. The bass of the 45-rpm pressing of “If It Be Your Will” [Famous Blue Raincoat] was neither as deep nor as complex in timbre as I’ve heard it sound. The Nano’s largest performance-related “issues” are its slightly narrowed soundstage, slight compression of micro-dynamic gradations, and softer definition on percussion timbres and transients. It’s not perfect, but at its price the Nano Phono is a well-crafted, entry-level miracle.

Phonomena II

($600)

The sequel to the original Michael Yee design, the Phonomena II is based on the latest discrete circuitry of the top-flight Nova Phonomena, minus the battery pack. It’s supremely flexible and easily adjustable via rear-panel gain and loading DIP-switches.

Like the original Phonomena it exhibited wonderful bass extension, with a kind of gravity that fleshed out the bottom octaves—a characteristic unique among the products reviewed in this survey. It was a bit cooler and brasher on brass fortissimos, but its sound was alive with dynamic energy. The bloom from bass drums was stunning in extension and decay. Warnes’ vocal during “If It Be Your Will” was slightly chilly at peaks, but the detailing and focus of the hard-panned acoustic guitars were exhilarating. Though I found the Phonomena II’s perspective slightly forward, during Holly Cole’s rendition of “Take Me Home” it produced a thrillingly wide vocal image—a standout in this group—revealing every nuance in Cole’s expressive voice. It wasn’t as butterscotch-smooth as the JR Transrotor seems to be, but some may prefer the Phonomena for its greater transient speed. It also might be the quietest phonostage of the group. Personally I would have liked to hear a little less brightening of the massed string sections during the fourth movement of Solti and the Chicago Symphony’s rendition of the BeethovenNinth [Decca], but this is a quibble.