Van den Hul The Grail SX

Fremer specifically credits the Grail SX with quiet, black backgrounds and says it largely gets out of the way of the cartridge. He also describes it as a notably neutral arbiter of timbre, texture, and transient attack rather than a component imposing an obvious character of its own.

The presentation is described as neither thin, antiseptic, nor clinical, with rich, believable instrumental harmonics and filled-in images. Fremer praises its unusually neutral handling of timbre and texture while retaining a sophisticated, musically convincing sense of body.

Macro-dynamic performance is characterized as powerful and effortless, with convincing slam, rhythmic authority, and a controlled, full-bodied low end. However, Fremer identifies a clear microdynamic shortfall, saying the unit gives up some expression at the bottom of the dynamic scale.

Fremer hears solid, three-dimensional imaging with generously wide and deep staging, saying there is little to be desired in this respect. Images are described as fully formed rather than skeletal, while transients remain well defined without becoming edgy.

The Grail SX accommodates both MM and MC cartridges, with two MC inputs including balanced operation on MC-1 and a dedicated MM input. Its multiple gain options and automatic MC impedance matching from approximately 10 to 400 ohms offer substantial scope, and Fremer found the 60dB setting sufficient even for the lowest-output moving coils he used.

Fremer describes a sleek, satin-finished all-metal chassis and a separate power supply connected by a single umbilical. The review provides a positive account of the physical execution, though it says little about internal construction or long-term durability.

At $29,995, Fremer explicitly calls the Grail SX a lot to pay for a phono preamplifier. He also notes that it remains basic in facilities for this price, omitting both a subsonic filter and a mono switch, despite its very high sonic capability.