Moonriver Audio 505 Hybrid Phono Stage

Overview

The unique, adjustment feature of the Moonriver 505 hybrid phono stage allows “on the fly” listening tests with various adjustments without the need to switch off, remove the cover, switch on again and wait to warm it up.

The hybrid design combines the use of ICs and discrete solid-state circuits to form an ideal, high performance and ultra low noise circuit. While the IC op amps offer very low noise levels, a discrete circuit offers lifelike drive and dynamics which is impossible to get from IC op-amps.

As for the sonic signature of all Moonriver Audio products, we strive to balance the fine line between musicality & resolution. The soul of the music is in the midrange, this is where most of the emotion, the passion, the joie de vivre is contained.

On a technical level, it’s within the frequency band of 200 – 4,000Hz. Without a solid foundation underneath the midrange, the music sounds thin & brittle and often un-involving. If the brain perceives that the sound is artificial, then it’s difficult to be swept away by the message contained within the music.

Similarly, accurate timbre reproduction is essential. A New York Steinway does have noticeable sonic differences from a Hamburg Steinway, while a Guarneri violin sounds distinct from a Stradivarius. To capture all those nuances, the loudspeakers & electronics need to act in unison, neither obscuring, nor exaggerating detail.

The sound and the level of performance of the Moonriver 505 phono stage is hard to describe and it must be heard to be believed.