Phonostages — Clearaudio BASIC V2

The Clearaudio BASIC V2 is an entry-level solid-state phono preamplifier, meant for adding a record player to a system whose amplifier offers no dedicated phono stage. Clearaudio is mainly a maker of turntables and tonearms, and the BASIC V2 is the entry model in its two-tier phono stage range, with single-ended connections only.

Key specs that matter

A switch sets the input impedance between 500 ohms for moving-coil cartridges and 47 kOhm for moving-magnet types, so one unit handles both. Output impedance is a low 10 ohms, and THD plus noise stays below 0.002%. The case measures 118 x 145 x 42 mm, or 158 mm deep including the RCA sockets, and the unit weighs 1.2 kg.

Engineering and use context

Connections are limited to one RCA input and one RCA output, enough for a simple vinyl setup with a single turntable. The compact case is sized to sit near the turntable.

Pairing

The MM and MC impedance settings cover most cartridges directly. A very low output moving-coil cartridge may still need a step-up transformer ahead of the MC input to reach enough gain. The output then goes to any line-level input on the amplifier.

Alternatives

The Clearaudio BALANCE V2 keeps the same MM and MC switching and adds balanced XLR inputs and outputs for systems wired in balanced form throughout.