Фонокорректоры — Fezz Audio Fezz Gaia MM/MC

The Gaia MM/MC is a solid-state phono preamplifier from Fezz Audio, the Polish manufacturer best known for its tube amplifiers. Fezz builds its own transformers through its sister company Toroidy.pl, and the Gaia belongs to the Evolution line, whose casework was designed with the KABO & PYDO design studio. It handles MM as well as MC pickups and is intended to add a vinyl input to amplifiers that lack one.

Key specs that matter

Gain is 53dB for moving-magnet and 60dB for moving-coil cartridges, with input impedance of 47 kilohms (MM) and 100 ohms (MC). Equalisation follows the standard RIAA curve, and frequency response covers 20Hz to 20kHz. THD from 20Hz to 20kHz is below 0.15% on the MM input and below 0.008% on the MC input, crosstalk exceeds 91dB and signal-to-noise ratio is around 90dB. There is one RCA input and one RCA output. The amplifier stages use Burson V5i discrete operational amplifiers, and the power supply combines a stabilised circuit with an audio-grade toroidal transformer from Toroidy.pl. Power consumption is 5 to 10W, the chassis measures 212 x 320 x 95mm and it weighs 5kg.

Engineering and use context

A phono stage has two jobs - amplifying the very small signal from the cartridge, typically a few millivolts from an MM and a fraction of a millivolt from an MC, and applying the RIAA equalisation that reverses the bass cut and treble boost used when records are cut. The Gaia provides separate gain settings for each cartridge type, with the extra 7dB on the MC side and a 100-ohm load suited to typical low-impedance moving-coil generators. Instead of generic integrated op-amps, it uses Burson's V5i, a discrete operational amplifier built from individual transistors on a small module, which offers a lower noise floor and more output current than many chip op-amps. The toroidal transformer keeps its magnetic stray field compact, which matters in a circuit amplifying microvolt-level signals, and the supply is stabilised to keep the amplification stages free of mains ripple. The heavy chassis is solid for a phono stage, reducing sensitivity to vibration. Fezz offers the Evolution casework in several colour finishes.

Pairing

The Gaia connects to any line input of an integrated amplifier or preamplifier, tube or transistor, and works as a companion to Fezz's own tube integrated amplifiers such as the Silver Luna and Mira Ceti. Its MC gain suits moving-coil cartridges of moderate output, while very low-output MC designs may need more gain.

Alternatives

Fezz Audio's own Gaia Prestige adds a 12AU7 tube stage to the same MM and MC phono concept.