Rogue Audio Ares II

Yes, the Ares II is designed to handle both. It features adjustable gain settings of 40dB, 55dB, and 64dB, allowing you to dial in the correct amplification for a wide variety of MM and MC cartridges.

The outboard power supply is used to isolate the sensitive, noise-prone electronics of the phono stage from the power transformer's electromagnetic interference. This separation is key to achieving the ultra-quiet noise floor required for high-end analog playback.

Yes, it includes both a subsonic filter to manage low-frequency rumble often caused by warped records and a mono switch, which is essential for correctly playing back vintage mono recordings.

No, the Ares II features a timer-delayed start circuit specifically designed to prevent turn-on noise, ensuring a smooth and silent startup for your audio system.

The Ares II offers adjustable gain and resistive loading to fine-tune your cartridge's performance. While these adjustments are straightforward, they are typically accessed internally or via rear-panel switches, so you will want to set them once when you install your cartridge.

No, the Ares II is a dedicated, pure analog vacuum tube phono stage. It does not include a headphone output or an analog-to-digital converter, as its design focus is entirely on optimizing the signal path for your main stereo system.