Capital AudioFest 2013

Richmond, VA-based Luminous Audio demoed its soon to be introduced Arion phono preamp. The two stage design features an IC based JFET input and a discrete, cascaded/JFET second stage and JFET based servo coupled output. Low level signal relays handle gain switching.

The sophisticated power supply design is best described in a full review, as are all of the circuit design details, based upon the designer's 35+ years of audio design study and implementation. The Arion has undergone three years of intense refinement.

Construction and parts quality are ultra-high including a 4 layer PCB, 1% metal film resistors and polypropylene caps. Active devices include Toshiba JFETS and low-noise small signal transistors and JFETS from Sanyo, Burr-Brown and Analog Devices. The +/- raw power supplies utilize separate transformers. Signal path connections are secured with silver solder.

Two version will soon be introduced, one for $4500 and a "cost no object" version for "circa" $6500.