Zesto Audio Andros Spirit Phonostage

A 100% tube phonostage using 4 x JJ ECC83S/12AX7, with ESP power supply, and hand-made in the US.

Zesto Audio is proud to be one of the few manufacturers to offer a 100% all-tube analog phonostage at this price point. Zesto has a long history of producing award-winning phonostages since the company launched the original Andros PS1 Phonostage in 2010. George Counnas, founder and chief design engineer of Zesto Audio says, “I designed the Spirit so it would retain only the essential features of its predecessors, while still offering the Zesto Audio signature sound.”

George admits how challenging it is to design a high-quality product that sounds good at a low price point. The new full-size 17″ x 12″ enclosure design represents the new Spirit line of products in development at Zesto Audio. The Spirit is made with 16-gauge steel for better grounding to help isolate the electronic “chatter” from nearby equipment. 

The ESP Supply is so named because it anticipates the energy needs of the music. Zesto’s ESP Supply unlocks the true potential of the circuit, so it is at ease and doesn’t have to work as hard. It allows more music to flow through with more detail. It also creates a more dynamic presentation, the quiet passages are quieter, and louder passages have more punch.

The Andros Spirit uses 100% analog tube circuitry without any solid-state devices in the signal path. It uses a quad of 12AX7, which provides sufficient gain with minimal noise. There is a safety switch to discharge the high voltage before changing tubes.

The high-quality built-in MC step-up transformers are designed for better phase linearity which translates to better stereo imaging. It offers three of the most popular loading positions, 100, 250, 500, so you can dial in the best match for your cartridge. Users can adjust the MC load on the fly without clicks or pops. All MC loading is on the secondary of the MC step-up transformer. This allows all the delicate signal from the cartridge to pass through to the main circuits for the most musical detail.

To save money for moving magnet only users, the Andros Spirit is available in an MM-only version that is easily upgradeable to the MM/MC version. 

Features

• Illuminated tubes for a more sensuous musical experience
• Each unit is hand-built in the USA using US and imported parts 
• 50-hour factory burn-in on all circuits and vacuum tubes
• Dual mono circuit which creates better stereo separation
• Two toroidal transformers: High voltage (300 V),  low voltage (12 V)
• RIAA curve is achieved using a passive filter
• 1% metal film resistors throughout
• Polypropylene capacitors throughout the audio path
• All switches and knobs are easily accessible, with nothing hidden inside to adjust
• 16 gauge zinc plated steel enclosure
• Two-year limited warranty, six months tube warranty

Specifications

MM Impedance: 47 kOhms

MM Capacitance: 200 pf

MC Impedance: 500, 250, 100 ohm

Output Impedance: 10K ohm

Max. Output Level: +7 V

Tube Complement: 4 x JJ ECC83S/12AX7 

Gain (MM, MC): 44 dB, 64 dB

SNR (Max. Output): 65 dB

RIAA Accuracy: Within 0.5 dB

Connections: 1 x stereo RCA input, 1 x stereo RCA output 

Power Consumption: 26.5 W

Dimensions (WDH): 17″ W X 12″ D X 3.5″ H

Weight: 14.5 lb.