Avid is known worldwide for its 'PULSAR' and 'PULSUS' RIAA preamplifiers. In recent years, the British manufacturer has won many awards from the specialist press for its electronic products, and a growing popularity among music lovers for its turntables.
The latest product, the 'Pellar' is the little brother of the 'Pellere', with which it shares a number of technological and musical features. AVID's strategy is straightforward: developing a phono preamplifier at a very competitive price!
It is designed like a large gold bar with a brushed aluminium front panel. It only features the On/Off switch and the logo. The rear panel has the traditional RCA connector pairs, two inputs and one output. One pair is used to connect RCAs with load resistors that adapt the resistance of an MC phono cartridge. The underside features two sets of gain adjustment switches. Three positions are available, one of 48 dB for MM cartridges, one of 60 dB for high output MC and one at 70 dB for low output MC cartridges. The gains are quite high and efficient! The housing is built in a non-magnetic alloy.
RIAA correction is passive and uses a HF Neumann schema. Avid only uses high-end components that guarantee perfect linearity. The internal power supply boasts a meticulous build quality and is perfectly regulated and stabilised. It delivers a powerful and clean current.
From the first notes, you can identify the typical Avid sound. It features the tonal balance and neutrality of the brand's higher end products. We tried it with an AVID INGENIUM turntable featuring Ortofon's Quintet Black MC cartridge and BENZ MICRO ACE SL. The result is quite simply baffling in regards to the price! The noise level is low, which leaves room for the subtleties and slightest detail in the music. It has outstanding articulation. It delivers great subtlety with every musical genre. With the various LPs we tried, the mids were very open, working wonders with vocals and brass sections. The frequency response is very wide and the response is very flat. I like it when manufacturers keep their products simple, yet precise and of good quality.
Avid's tagline 'The truth, nothing more, nothing less! ' is perfectly illustrated in this case! This preamp is impressive and we love it!
We can only recommend it!
FranckCompatibility: MM, MC
Gain selection: 48, 60, and 70 dB
Load impedance: 47K, 500 Ohm and custom
Capacitive load: 100 pF
RIAA equalisation: Passive of 5 Hz-70 kHz +/- 0.5 dB
Channel separation: 80 dB
Signal-to-noise ratio: < -81 dB MM, <-67 dB MC
Power supply: Internal, regulated 24 V DC
Dimension: 120x230x70 mm
Weight: 1.6g
Customer reviews
Avide de musiques !
Compagnon idéal (lire indispensable) des platines Avid, ce petit appareil (so british) vous montrera les défauts des autres (beaucoup plus gros). Heureux possesseur d'une platine Avid, je vous conseille de l'upgrader en le découplant de sa tablette au moyen, pourquoi pas de Stillpoints Ultra Mini, ou de surplus (militaire) de ce que Sieur Hackenschmitt appelait "pointes" (Goldmund) dans le temps ! Gare à ceux qui l'utiliseraient avec des platines manquant de Neutralité ! Gérard H. leur répondrait, je cite : "Pauvre Absalon, à quel danger, t'expose ta funeste envi-i-e. Avid, saura se venger, car, il n'entend point railleri-i-e"(Colonna, non pas le footeux, l'autre, Giovanni Paolo : 1637-1695, paix à son âme).