Reference Phono 2 SE

About the Reference Phono 2 SE

The Audio Research Reference Phono 2 SE is a state-of-the-art tube phono preamplifier designed to deliver exceptional music reproduction. It features a tube complement of four 6H30 dual triodes in the gain stage, plus a 6550C and 6H30 in the power supply, providing a robust and refined sound. The unit offers two separate sets of inputs with selectable gain settings: Low (51dB BAL / 45dB SE) and High (74dB BAL / 68dB SE), compatible with both moving coil (MC) and moving magnet (MM) cartridges. It includes seven loading options (47K, 1000, 500, 200, 100, 50 ohms, and a custom factory-set load) to optimize cartridge matching. The phono equalization curves are selectable among RIAA, Columbia, and Decca standards. The front panel has six metal buttons for power, input, gain, load, RIAA curve, and mute, with a large vacuum-fluorescent display and remote control for additional functions. The power supply is electronically regulated with low and high voltage supplies, featuring line regulation better than 0.01%, and has twice the energy storage compared to its predecessor, resulting in lower noise, higher resolution, richer tone color, and improved imaging and ambience retrieval. The Reference Phono 2 SE is housed in a chassis measuring 19" (48 cm) wide, 7" (17.8 cm) high (standard rack panel), and 15.5" (39.4 cm) deep, weighing 27 lbs (12.3 kg) net. It requires 100-135VAC 60Hz or 200-270VAC 50/60Hz power and consumes up to 140 watts maximum.