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PS Audio Stellar Phono Preamplifier variant 1

PS Audio Stellar Phono Preamplifier variant 2

PS Audio Stellar Phono Preamplifier variant 3

PS Audio Stellar Phono Preamplifier

Name: PS Audio Stellar Phono Preamplifier
Brand: PS Audio
SKU: stellar-phono-preamplifier
Rating: 4.6 (27 reviews)

View at PS Audio

MC/MM Switching

Balanced Output

Remote Control

Our finest phono preamplifier in the company's 45-year history. All analog from input to output, this stunning addition to the Stellar line will bring new life to your vinyl in ways you never dreamt possible.

PS engineer Darren Myers wiped the tradition slate clean by hand-fashioning a new approach to capturing all the magic trapped in the grooves of our records. The results are breathtaking. Music that might once have been locked into the confines of our loudspeakers is suddenly free. Stellar phono features dual inputs that can support either a moving coil or moving magnet cartridge. Cartridge loading and gain options are easily adjusted from your listening position via the supplied remote control. Input to output, Stellar is a fully discrete FET design with extraordinarily low noise and high overload capabilities so even the wildest dynamics from the punchiest cartridges sail through Stellar with no limitations or compromise whatsoever. If you love vinyl you’ll love Stellar.

Design

Phono preamplifiers at anywhere near this price range are almost always integrated circuit based, but not Stellar. Input to output, Stellar is a fully discrete FET design with extraordinarily low noise and high overload capabilities so even the wildest dynamics from the punchiest cartridges sail through Stellar with no limitations or compromise whatsoever. Stellar Phono stands out in a crowded field of conventional IC designs. Its sound is rich, warm and enticing as only vinyl through hand-tuned class-A circuitry can be.

Application

Stellar is the perfect phono preamplifier for any resolution system or cartridge type. From the lowest output moving coil to the most dynamic and punchy moving magnet, Stellar Phono will deliver incredible performance, low noise, and world class sonics. Use Stellar as your reference preamplifier in the highest end systems in the world. Stellar comes complete with remote control so users can select between two turntables, or adjust cartridge loading and gain settings from the comfort of their chairs.

Technology

PS Audio’s first product was a phono preamplifier that took the Hi-Fi world by storm in 1975. Its designers, Paul and Stan, labored for years over every circuit detail with one goal in mind—making musical magic. Stellar Phono shares that same ethos. Stellar Phono is the finest preamplifier PS Audio has ever built in its 45 year history and sets a new standard within the industry. It is a triumph of performance and value that you’ll instantly recognize from that first needle drop, as music emerges from a velvet blackness, filling the room as if there were no speakers. Stellar handles all cartridge types and employs no ICs in the signal path. Its all discrete, class A analog design produces over 20V rms output for unparalleled headroom and dynamics.

The art of design is a careful balance between the measurement lab and the listening room. The hundreds of hours of design and audition resulted in a unique amalgam of time honored technology coupled with daring innovation. Stellar Phono is an all discrete FET design that uses a passive RIAA curve, hand selected premium components, and is direct coupled from input to output. Its ultra low noise discrete pre and post voltage regulation stages, coupled with low internal feedback, offer increased transparency and openness rarely found in instruments anywhere near this price.

When you first pick up Stellar Phono Preamplifier you'll notice its solid build and heft. Every inch of Stellar suggests quality: from its rear panel connectors, cartridge loading facilities, to its internal high current oversized power transformer. The internal shielding and build quality provide Stellar with up to 70dB of ultra low noise gain for MC cartridges as low as 0.15mv. On its rear panel find facilities for two inputs for two tonearms selectable from remote control, as well as both single ended and balanced outputs to match any preamplifier.

Features

MOVING MAGNET AND COIL

FIXED AND VARIABLE LOADING

70dB ULTRA LOW NOISE GAIN .15mv CARTRIDGES

2x INPUTS FOR 2x TONEARMS

SINGLE-ENDED BALANCED INPUTS

DISCRETE FET DESIGN

CLASS 'A' ANALOG CIRCUITRY

LOW DISTORTION

20v RMS OUTPUT

LOW NOISE CIRCUITRY

HAND SELECTED DISCRETE COMPONENTS

DC COUPLED FROM INPUT TO OUTPUT

LOW NOISE PRE + POST VOLTAGE REGULATION

NO COMPLIMENTARY FET TRANSISTORS

OVERSIZED POWER TRANSFORMER

REMOTE CONTROL

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Overall Score 92/100

Deliciously Crispy

PS Audio Stellar Phono Preamplifier

The Stellar Phono Preamplifier is a feature-rich, class-A, fully discrete phono stage built for serious vinyl fans who want precision and musical engagement. Reviewers praise its ultra-low noise floor, wide, open midrange and expansive imaging that reveal detail without sounding thin. Positive Feedback and The Audio Beatnik highlight its dynamic contrast and inky-quiet backgrounds, while Audiophilia notes clarity and speed retrieval. Its connectivity and ergonomics—remote-controlled MM/MC switching, balanced XLR/RCA outputs, and a robust steel chassis—make setup and operation straightforward. With generous MC gain (up to 72 dB), flexible loading and measured performance, the Stellar suits listeners who want a single, highly adaptable phono stage that doubles as an evaluation tool and a long-term musical partner.

The Audio Beatnik

"If you are considering a phonostage anywhere near this price point (or even quite a bit more expensive), you simply MUST audition this phono preamplifier."

Audiophilia

"I will not use the word “transparent” to describe its sound, that does the Stellar a disservice, I’ll say its clarity blew me away."

Positive Feedback

"the PS Audio Stellar Phono Preamplifier has a beautiful tendency to extract the maximum enjoyment from any platter spun through it."

Future Audiophile

"If you’re looking for a phono preamp in this price class with these features and a rich, warm, and dynamic sound, I do not see how anyone could go wrong in giving the PS Audio Stellar Phono Preamplifier a serious listen."

Part Time Audiophile

"the PS Audio Stellar phono preamplifier is the perfect candidate for Employee of the Month, or maybe even year."

Positive Feedback

"The Stellar Phono preamplifier projects an expansive sound stage, with the ability to extend wall to wall and create the illusion of the venue imagined by the artist."

Audiophilepure

"The Stellar Phono Preamplifier brings fresh life out of this recording, which now belies the antiquated single microphone in the room that was used to capture the three instruments and voices."

Audiophilepure

"Like the XP17, the PS Audio Stellar was so quiet that it was difficult to pick out its character in the context of the system."

Pros

Exceptionally low noise floor and superb quiet-between-notes retrieval, improving perceived clarity and microdynamics.
Wide-open, natural midrange and strong imaging that produce convincing soundstages and instrument focus.
Very flexible cartridge compatibility—remote-controlled loading plus MM and MC gain options (MC to 72 dB) handles low-output MCs without a step-up transformer.
Solid build and thoughtful features (balanced outputs, hefty transformer/steel chassis, comprehensive remote) that support long-term use and system integration.

Cons

Most controls are remote-only (no front-panel knobs), which can be inconvenient if the remote isn’t at hand.
Sensitive to grounding and cable/power-cord routing—some reviewers reported high-pitch noise or RF issues until cables were re-routed.
Bright front-panel LED indicators can be hard to read for some users.

Transparency

92/100

Multiple reviewers praise an exceptionally low noise floor and 'inky-quiet' backgrounds (Positive Feedback, The Audio Beatnik, Audiophilia), and PS Audio's spec sheet supports strong S/N (MM >82dB, MC >74dB). A few notes remind users to pay attention to grounding and cable orientation (Future Audiophile, Audiophilia) — one reviewer reported a high‑pitch noise with an MC setup before addressing cable routing — but overall reviewers consistently describe vanishingly low noise and excellent RIAA performance.

Sound Quality

90/100

Critics report excellent micro- and macro-dynamics: 'visceral power', 'louder crashes are impressive', and 'microdynamics are excellent' (Positive Feedback, Future Audiophile, The Audio Beatnik). The combination of a quiet background and good overload margin lets percussive attacks and subtle decays come through vividly, though a few very high-end references might exceed its deepest weight in bass authority.

Cartridge Compatibility

93/100

The Stellar supports both MM and MC with multiple gain settings (MM: 44/50/56dB; MC: 60/66/72dB) and a wide array of loading options including 60/100/200/47kΩ and a custom 1–1kΩ range, adjustable via remote (Positive Feedback, Future Audiophile, Part Time Audiophile). Reviewers note the very high 72dB MC gain and remote-controlled loading as exceptional for flexibility with low-output MC cartridges—making it easy to pair with virtually any cartridge.

Build Quality

90/100

Build is described as substantial and well executed (21–22 lb chassis), with a steel chassis likely for superior shielding, quality connectors, and a large internal transformer (Positive Feedback, The Audio Beatnik, Part Time Audiophile). A couple of ergonomic quibbles (front LED readability; most controls via remote) are noted but reviewers praise the construction, shielding, and component choices that favor low noise and reliability.

Value for Money

93/100

Across reviews the Stellar is repeatedly called an uncommon value for its sound and feature set—comments include 'must-have', 'uncommon value', and 'well worth it' relative to the competition and even gear costing much more (Positive Feedback, Part Time Audiophile, The Audio Beatnik). Several reviewers cite trade-in promotions and the combination of features (remote-controlled loading, 72dB MC gain, balanced outputs) as justifying the asking price.