Фонокорректоры — Edwards Audio Apprentice MM mk4

The Apprentice MM mk4 is the fourth generation of the moving magnet phono stage from Edwards Audio, a British company that hand-builds its electronics in Wiltshire. It was unveiled at the North West Audio Show 2025 together with the cheaper Intro MM, and its UK price is GBP 149.95 including VAT. The circuit and the basic figures carry over from the previous version, while the changes for the mk4 concern the enclosure and the power supply. Buyers can choose among six finishes, namely black, grey, white, red, blue and green.

Key specs that matter

Gain is 42.5 dB at 1 kHz. The input is loaded with a fixed 47 kohm and 120 pF, and it accepts up to 72 mV before overload. Signal-to-noise ratio is 81 dB for a 5 mV input. Edwards quotes a frequency response of 10 Hz to 100 kHz within 3 dB and holds the RIAA curve to within 0.25 dB between 20 Hz and 20 kHz. Maximum output reaches 11.0 V RMS, and the output impedance stays below 10 ohm. Power draw is 1 W at 230 V, and the mains side is protected by an internal T250mA anti-surge fuse in the 20 mm size.

Engineering and use context

The main change for the fourth generation is a new case made from non-magnetic aluminium, which the company says reduces interference, and the unit also gains a new acrylic top. The body is finished in black with a 3 mm aluminium front panel. The internal power supply arrangement was reworked at the same time, and this cut consumption to a third of the earlier model's figure. Because the supply sits inside the box, the stage needs only a mains cable, unlike the Intro MM, which relies on an external low-noise plug-top supply.

Pairing

The fixed loading matches the standard requirement of moving magnet cartridges, and there are no switches for other values, so moving coil pickups are outside its scope. At this gain, a cartridge with 5 mV output produces roughly 670 mV at the output, and that signal goes to a line input of the amplifier. The product is presented as an affordable phono stage for moving magnet cartridges, placed between the turntable and the amplifier.

Alternatives

The Edwards Audio Intro MM is the lower-priced moving magnet stage from the same maker at GBP 99.95, housed in a compact non-magnetic aluminium enclosure and rated at 80 dB signal-to-noise.