Sutherland PhD Phono Preamp Upgrade
We have collaborated with preamp guru Ron Sutherland to bring you an authorized board replacement for your beloved PhD
Questions & Solutions
Why are you making a new board?
While the battery supply provided a dead quiet background there have been many reported problems with battery leakage which of coarse ruins the board irreparable. We felt offering a replacement/upgrade board was a great opportunity for PhD lovers to keep enjoying one of the best phono pre-amps available at a very reasonable price. The PhD is fabulous sounding as is so we've gone to great lengths to maintain the same audio characteristics, or lack thereof, that everyone raves about by completely revamping the power supply. Removing all the battery power management circuit cleans up the board while keeping the true dual-mono construction provides the lush clean sound you already know. This is a plug and play stand alone board also.
---Michael Fremer of Stereophile says of the original Phd, "The Sutherland PhD is one of the best-sounding phono preamplifiers I've heard. It's not perfect, and it has a particular character, though part of that character is simply its unusual purity and delicacy. If you like a tight, snappy sound, the PhD won't be to your liking. But if you like a full, lush presentation, pure as the driven snow and set against ink-black backdrops the likes of which you've never heard, the PhD might be for you. Perhaps in part because of its jet-black backgrounds, its ability to resolve low-level detail with unforced precision was uncanny. The Sutherland PhD will let you play in the majors for a stiff but still minor-league price."
The Solution!
After being presented with the unpredictable long-term battery storage issue, designer Ron Sutherland offered a new solution. Use a high-voltage external power supply and filter the heck out of it. This is the same supply configuration as several of Sutherland's current hi-fi phono preamp offerings and is super quite. The AC supply stays on keeping your PhD warmed up and ready to go. Your turntable will thank you for it.
How does the replacement work?
Replacing the board is really easy. Remove the top, which you probably have already done, undo 8 screws and the RCA nuts. Insert the new board and reassemble. Plug it in and you're up and running. The other best option in our opinion is: you send us your dead PhD and a return label and we will evaluate the unit and replace the board for you at no additional cost.
Tell me about Gain and Loading
Both are adjusted by simply replacing a few resistors, which are included. Suggested values and outcomes are printed right on the board but you are welcome to explore specific values on your own. Deleting the older style resistor boards tightens up the circuit thus simplifying the signal path.
Sounds Great! How do I get one?
We are offering the upgrade/replacement board for $1000 including shipping to US addresses. Considering the original PhD was $3k over 10 years ago we feel this is a spectacular value. Comes with resistors and values are listed on the board for Gain and Loading. We prefer PayPal (see below) but Check or MO are more than acceptable. Just let us know if you send a check so your shipment is ready to go ASAP.
Note: While the board was designed by Ron Sutherland and uses similar parts as his other products this is not manufactured by Sutherland Engineering.
Questions?
Please submit your questions in the form below or email sutherlandphdboard@gmail.com
Purchase your Drop in Upgrade Replacement Board Today
$1,000.00
($0.00 shipping)
Experience the great sound of your PhD with a totally new board. You get the same circuit with robust filtering of the 48volt power supply. Includes resistors to change Load from 100-47.5k ohms and Gain from 40db-67db. Note: While the board was designed by Ron Sutherland and uses similar parts as his other products this is not manufactured by Sutherland Engineering.
We are more than happy to walk through the upgrade. There are a few particulars that are different between variations such as chassis hole placement.