Treehaus Audiolab LCR Phono – a Vacuum Tube Phonostage with Passive Equalization

Treehaus Audiolab has announced the Treehaus Audiolab LCR Phono reference vacuum tube phono preamplifier. To equalize the signal, the device uses only passive components: inductors (L), capacitors (C) and resistors (R).

Although this is a more complex method, according to the company, this approach guarantees the best performance - only the inductors are in the signal path, capacitors and resistors are used in parallel circuits. This means that the audio signal passes through fewer components. The inductors in the LCR Phono phonostage use Finemet cores, and each of them is hand-painted with Urushi varnish.

The Treehaus Audiolab LCR Phono uses 7308 triodes in the first amplification stage, and 12AT7 tubes provide additional gain in the second stage. The power supply with a rectifier tube in a separate housing, using a CLCLC configuration with a Finemet choke, ensures the cleanest possible power supply.

The gain level of 46 dB makes the Treehaus Audiolab LCR Phono a universal choice for both MM and MC cartridges (if a step-up transformer is used). Two of the three inputs have cartridge impedance adjustment. The recommended retail price of the Treehaus Audiolab LCR Phono phono preamplifier is $24,000 including tubes.