Dropping the Needle on a New Phono Preamp

Toronto area audio company Six Acoustic has launched its new phono preamp claiming that “it could be the best phono preamp in town… maybe the world”. The York “Ultra” High Fidelity Phono Preamp purports to be a competitive piece of gear offering performance in line with elite, high end equipment for audiophiles and enthusiasts. Based on specifications alone, it can certainly challenge some of the entrenched premium players in the field.

Housed in an elegant anodized aluminum chassis, the York promises to deliver an audio experience unparalleled in its price range while not peacocking about in your hallowed audio space with unnecessary lights, obnoxious markings, and bulk. “The look of some current audio tech reminds me of franken-instrumentation my dad used to build for his own lab use” according to company founder Steve Meszlenyi, “…that’s not the look or feel we want”. Yet, on its own terms, the York is indeed precision instrumentation but it does not require a laboratory to be at home. Its natural habitat is somewhere near your turntable.

York: An ultra high fidelity phono preamp by Six Acoustic

Boasting distortion below 0.001% and a religious adherence to the RIAA equalization standard bordering on fundamentalist piety, the York delivers its ministry from a cool 6.5”x7.2”x1.2” aluminum box. Six Acoustic attests that the highs sparkle, the lows are tight, and the silences are of the darkest night. This low profile instrument offers an ease of use for enthusiasts rediscovering vinyl and a suite of load control options for experienced connoisseurs. It has adjustable gain settings for both moving magnet and moving coil cartridges.

Six Acoustic has plans to unveil some interesting new audio devices in the coming year with an emphasis on precision, performance, and signal transparency. High power and headphone amps are already in the works. Although new in name, the company brings decades of audio industry experience to bear in its quest to expand the breadth and reach of Canadian made audio tech.

The York phono preamp is available at a pre-order discount from the Six Acoustic website until they ship in July.