Aurorasound Vida Supreme phono preamplifier

After the worldwide success of the Vida VI-6 phono preamplifier and the Vida Mono VI-8 phono preamplifier, Shinobu Karaki, the designer of Aurorasound electronics, designed an exceptional phono preamp: the Vida Supreme.

The Aurorasound Vida (stands for Vinyl Disc Amplifier) Supreme phono preamplifier comes in two distinct casings.

AURORASOUND VIDA SUPREME: PHONO PREAMP

The gain circuit and the RIAA equalizer are housed in a superb solid aluminium casing with a standard size (420 x 350 x 106 mm). The front panel and the different parts of the aluminium chassis are treated against electromagnetic interferences.

The front panel has the switch buttons dear to the Japanese manufacturer.

On the right of the front panel, is a mute orange push button.     

There are also 4 switch buttons that respectively control the activation of a degauss circuit of the phono cartridge, the subsonic filter, mono/stereo selector, and high gain activation (+8 dB).

On the other side of the front panel, is a knob with four positions which enables to select the MM or MC input. The other two positions control the optional cards offered by Aurorasound.

AURORASOUND VIDA SUPREME: POWER Supplies

The second casing, is in the shape of an “ingot” and has an aluminium brushed finish (black and natural). This casing includes the power supplies for the right channel and the left channel. This casing also includes a toroidal transformer combined with the filter and control circuits.

A circuit stabilizes and regulates at the same time in voltage and in current audio circuits.

The power supplies are connected to the phono preamp via a multi-connector lock cable. This cable is different and of higher quality than the cable that comes with the Vida VI-6 and the Vida Mono.

AURORASOUND VIDA SUPREME: MM AND MC INPUTS

On the back panel of the phono preamplifier, there is a RCA MM input and a XLR and RCA MC input.

The MC input is clearly made for very high end MC cartridges that require a very low impedance load. The use of a Lundahl step-up transformer in input makes it compatible with phono cartridges that require a load inferior to 14 ohms.

Indeed, an LCR mount is the following: L = Inductance (transformer), C = Condenser, R = Resistance. These 3 components make up a RIAA filter network.

Most phono preamplifiers on the market only use condensers and resistances. This is because quite often the inductances are costly and difficult to produce under precise and rigorous specifications.

Aurarasound asked Lundahl, the famous Swedish manufacturer of audio professional transformers, to develop a custom made transformer corresponding to the specifications of the Vida Supreme.

The outputs are symmetrical and asymmetrical.

AURORASOUND VIDA SUPREME: TESTING AND LISTENING

The sound restitution is remarkable by its finesse and natural sound. The resolution is impressive, without ever falling into a surgical analysis. The distortion and noise level are very low, even inaudible.

The bass is impressive by its excursion and clarity in extreme notes. The midrange is rich and natural, with a quality timbre of the best phono preamplifiers on the market!

There is also a three dimensional soundstage. It is impressive on a live recording.

This Aurorasound Vida Supreme phono preamplifier is truly our top pick of the moment! It is part of the best phono stages that we have listened to up until today. Its price is even lower than competing phono preamplifiers, even if the price of this phono preamp is certainly dissuasive for the majority or music lovers…

One of the best phono preamplifiers on the market!

AWARDS:

The Stereo Times - Most Wanted Components - Decade 2010-2020

Audio Accessory - Audio Excellence (Silver Prize) - 2018

Analog - Grand Prix - 2018

Audio Technology MJ - Technology of the Year - 2017

US 10Audio - Perfect 10 Award 2022