British hi-fi manufacturer Audio Research has announced a new pair of very high end phono preamps.

The more ‘affordable’ model is the PH6, a hybrid phono stage with a low-noise, high-gain JFET input stage, which uses two high-current 6H30 twin triodes in the gain and output stages.

There are front panel controls for power, mute, mono and loading, with a choice of 47,000, 1,000, 500, 200 or 100 ohms. The rear panel includes a pair of single-ended inputs, a ground post and a 15A IEC connector. The company claims it should be able to deliver more than 4,000 hours use from the tube set.

It has silver handles and small aluminium buttons under the LED display, though black front panels and black handles are also available.

The more expensive PH8 also uses twin 6H30 tubes, plus the same type of capacitors from Audio Research’s flagship Reference Phono 2. But there’s also a new R-core transformer and circuit board material is the same as used in the firm’s Reference products.

Audio Research products are distributed in the UK by Absolute Sounds. The PH6 is on sale now for £3,368, while the PH8 will go on sale in June for £6,298.