The MoFi MasterPhono at a Glance
If you have invested in a serious turntable and a cartridge you love, the phono stage is where all of that effort either comes to life or gets held back. The MoFi MasterPhono is the reference phono preamplifier in the MoFi Electronics lineup, built to draw everything possible out of the tiny signal your cartridge generates. Developed with Peter Madnick, whose work shapes the entire MoFi electronics family, it is designed for the listener who wants precise control and long term flexibility rather than a single fixed voice.
This is a fully featured moving magnet and moving coil design. It offers two inputs, each of which can be configured independently, so you can run two very different turntable and cartridge combinations at once and switch between them without recabling or compromise.
What Makes the MasterPhono Distinct
Discrete circuitry with a separate power supply
The MasterPhono uses a discrete circuit topology paired with a separate power supply. Keeping the power supply away from the sensitive gain stages is a classic approach to lowering noise and preserving the fine detail buried in the groove. With published total harmonic distortion in the neighborhood of 0.005 percent on moving magnet, the goal is a clean, honest presentation that lets your cartridge and pressing do the talking.
Passive RIAA equalization
Every phono stage must reverse the RIAA curve used when records are cut. The MasterPhono handles this passively, an engineering choice favored by many designers who prize accuracy and phase behavior in the equalization stage.
An extensive adjustable loading range
This is where the MasterPhono truly earns its reference status. Resistive and capacitive loading can be set to 15, 30, 50, 75, 100, 500, 1K, 10K and 47K ohms, plus a Custom setting for cartridges that ask for something outside those standard values. Gain is fully adjustable on each input as well. In practice this means you can dial the MasterPhono in to match almost any cartridge precisely, from a high output moving magnet to a low output moving coil, rather than settling for the closest available option.
Balanced and single ended outputs
The MasterPhono provides both balanced XLR and single ended RCA outputs, so it slots cleanly into a fully balanced signal path or a traditional RCA system with equal ease.
Where It Sits in the MoFi Range
MoFi offers phono stages at more than one level. The UltraPhono Pro is a single input balanced design that is an excellent match for a focused one turntable system and includes a headphone stage. The MasterPhono steps up to the reference tier with its dual independently configurable inputs, its far broader loading range, and its discrete circuit with separate power supply. If you own multiple turntables, plan to experiment with cartridges over time, or simply want the most adjustability MoFi builds, the MasterPhono is the destination piece.
Building a System Around the MasterPhono
Turntables to feed it
The MasterPhono rewards a resolving front end. Within the MoFi family, the UltraDeck is a natural entry point into this level of performance, with a Delrin platter and precision tonearm that give the MasterPhono a clean signal to work with. Moving up, the MasterDeck Reference is the most ambitious MoFi belt drive and pairs beautifully with a reference phono stage. The PrecisionDeck Fender Limited Edition is another strong MoFi option with distinctive styling.
Looking beyond MoFi turntables, the Thorens TD 1600 is a sub chassis belt drive design for the listener who favors a classic isolated suspension approach, while the Dual CS 718Q offers a well engineered alternative voice. Remember that some MoFi decks ship without a cartridge, so confirm what your chosen turntable includes.
Cartridges
Because the MasterPhono accepts both moving magnet and moving coil cartridges and offers such a wide loading range, your options are wide open. The MoFi MasterTracker is the top moving magnet in the Tracker series and is a superb match, letting you use the MasterPhono's fully adjustable gain and capacitive loading to fine tune the sound. If you later move to a low output moving coil, the MasterPhono is ready with the appropriate resistive loading options.
Amplifiers to feed
A phono stage needs an amplifier downstream to reach your speakers. The Advance Paris A12 Classic Integrated Amplifier is a musical partner that welcomes a dedicated phono source, and its RCA inputs pair naturally with the MasterPhono. For a more feature rich hub, the Advance Paris MyConnect 250 brings additional flexibility to a modern system. Since MoFi does not build amplifiers or receivers, choosing a separate amplifier like these is exactly the right approach.
How It Compares to Other Reference Phono Stages
AEA carries several respected phono preamplifiers, and the right one depends on your priorities rather than any notion of one being better than another. The Parasound JC3+, also offered in a limited silver finish, is a Curl designed reference known for its own tuning philosophy. The Luxman E-07 and the more approachable Luxman E-250 reflect Luxman's long analog heritage, while the TEAC PE-505 emphasizes a fully balanced signal path. What sets the MasterPhono apart within this group is its combination of two independently configurable inputs, its very fine grained loading and gain adjustment, and its discrete circuit with a dedicated power supply. If maximum adjustability and the ability to run two decks matter to you, it is a compelling choice.
Who the MasterPhono Is For
Choose the MasterPhono if you take analog seriously, own or plan to own more than one turntable, enjoy experimenting with cartridges, and want a phono stage that will not become the limiting factor in a high end system. It scales with quality sources and quality amplification, and its balanced output makes it a clean fit for ambitious systems.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MoFi MasterPhono in brief?
If you have invested in a serious turntable and a cartridge you love, the phono stage is where all of that effort either comes to life or gets held back. The MoFi MasterPhono is the reference phono preamplifier in the MoFi Electronics lineup, built to draw everything possible out of the tiny signal your cartridge generates.
Who is the MoFi MasterPhono for?
Choose the MasterPhono if you take analog seriously, own or plan to own more than one turntable, enjoy experimenting with cartridges, and want a phono stage that will not become the limiting factor in a high end system. It scales with quality sources and quality amplification, and its balanced output makes it a clean fit for ambitious systems.
Let AEA Help You Listen
All Elite Audio is an authorized MoFi Electronics dealer with a showroom in Timonium, Maryland. Demo units rotate and not every model is always set up, so we invite you to contact AEA to arrange a listen or to help match the MasterPhono to your turntable, cartridge, and amplifier for a system that sings.