Фонокорректоры — Fezz Audio Fezz Gaia Prestige

The Gaia Prestige is a vacuum tube phono preamplifier made by Fezz Audio, the Polish brand owned by the transformer maker Toroidy.pl, based in Kolonia Koplany in the Juchnowiec Koscielny district. It belongs to the Evolution range alongside the compact Gaia Mini and the more elaborate Gratia Prestige MK2, and it accepts moving magnet, high-output moving coil and low-output moving coil cartridges. Fezz lists it at PLN 4,350 on its home market, and one European price is EUR 1,250.

Key specs that matter

The amplification uses two selected low-noise 12AU7 double triodes, also sold as ECC82. Gain is 42 dB in MM mode and 60 dB in MC mode, against an input sensitivity of 4 mV and 0.5 mV respectively, and equalisation follows the RIAA curve. Fezz quotes total harmonic distortion below 0.2 percent, channel separation beyond 86 dB for MM and 80 dB for MC, and noise sitting more than 90 dB (MM) and 86 dB (MC) below the signal. Connections are limited to a single pair of RCA sockets in and a single pair out, plus a ground terminal for the tonearm lead. The steel case measures about 212 x 320 x 95 mm and weighs about 5 kg, and mains draw is rated at 20 W.

Engineering and use context

The stabilised mains supply is built around a Supreme Audio grade toroidal transformer wound by Toroidy.pl, the parent company of the brand. The valves are placed within easy reach, and Fezz describes swapping them for other 12AU7 types as a straightforward job that lets an owner tailor the unit to taste. The box contains the phono stage with its two tubes already supplied, a mains cord and a printed manual. Each unit is hand-assembled in Poland to order, and the chassis is offered in seven colours, among them Republika, Moonlight, EverGreen, Sunlight, Black Ice, Big Calm and Burning Red, so it can match a Fezz amplifier in the same finish. The manufacturer covers the Gaia Prestige with a three-year warranty.

Pairing

The MC gain setting is meant for low-output coil cartridges, and the MM setting for common magnet designs. Because the single output is a line-level RCA pair, the Gaia Prestige feeds any free line-level socket of an integrated or pre-amplifier, including the valve integrated models and line stages in the Fezz catalogue.

Alternatives

The Fezz Gratia Prestige MK2 is the better-equipped valve phono stage of the Evolution range, adding a second input, a subsonic filter, a mono switch, four MC load values and four MM capacitance settings.