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The VPS 100 is a moving magnet tube phono stage, using passive RIAA equalization encompassing inductors, capacitors and resistors (LCR). It has two stages of gain. The RIAA network is driven by a custom transformer which is wound in-house. This is a split RIAA design using two gain stages based on the SIEMENS C3g tube, considered very reliable and useful life up to 10,000 hours.

The road to VPS-100 took many turns for Ypsilon Electronics and its designer Dimitris Baklavas with long and extensive evaluation of topologies and materials, design and implementation.

Passive RIAA equalization is preferred to active because in active RIAA equalization there is a feedback loop and the RIAA network is in this feedback loop. Usually RIAA equalizer circuits are implemented with capacitors and resistors (CR networks). Capacitors present the so called “dielectric absorption” -energy is stored in the dielectric material and is added to the signal with a small delay producing a ringing character in fundamental notes. This ringing behavior can be noticed in piano notes. In the past an alternative way of implementing a RIAA equalizer the LCR (Inductance-capacitance-resistance) circuit was proposed.

 Long time ago TANGO transformers from Japan used to produce such a circuit working in 600 Ohms. A few manufacturers are using LCR based phono stages using variations of the original TANGO LCR circuit. The challenge in 600 ohm LCR eq is to drive the network properly; having no more than 2 gain stages with enough overall gain and low enough output impedance.

The best way of driving the LCR network is by using a transformer. We design and build ourselves the transformers using a special amorphous c-core material. Winding insulation is paper. A properly implemented LCR RIAA sounds much more natural, musical and open than CR networks with better defined macro and micro dynamics.

The LCR networks most commonly used are based in double T filter networks. One T filter forms the 50-500Hz poles and the second T filter forms the 2123Hz pole.

In the VPS-100 we took it one step further, the 2123Hz pole is formed by air core inductor with practically no stray capacitance at the first gain stage and the 50-500Hz poles are formed in high signal level directly at the output of the second gain stage. So this is a split RIAA design using two gain stages based on the SIEMENS C3g tube. These tubes are very reliable as they are specified for 10.000 hours.

The power supply uses the 6CA4 tube rectifier and a choke filter. The heaters for the tubes are AC in the second stage and DC passive regulated for the first stage. The construction uses no printed circuit boards and is point to point silver wired using our own extruded and annealed to spec silver wire. Special attention is paid to mechanically de-couple the first gain stage and 2123 pole coils using a specially designed decoupling system. The rest of the construction is mounted on a aluminium sub chassis that forms together with the aluminium bottom plate a very rigid platform.

This extensively praised phono stage starting at $28,000 for the classic edition. There is a Silver Edition (SE) version of the VPS-100 in which the signal path consists of the highest quality pure silver, including special in-house manufactured silver transformers, wiring, etc.

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Specifications and Price

Input Impedance	47 kOhm / 200 pf
Output Impedance	1200 Ohm
Outputs	RCA unbalanced, XLR unbalanced (pin 1, 3 grounded)
Frequency Response	-3dB @ 10Hz-40kHz
Maximum Output Voltage	5V peak @ 1KHz, 50V peak @ 50Hz
RIAA Accuracy	+/- 0.5 dB 20Hz-20kHz
Channel Mis-match	<0.2 dB
Gain	39 dB
Power Consumption	20W
Dimensions	400mm (W) x 180mm (H) x 400mm (D)
Weight	25kg
Price	$25,000 approximately – ask for quote

VPS-100 Photos

MC Step Up

MOVING COIL STEP UP TRANSFORMERS

The MC series moving coil step-up transformers are used to amplify the low level output signal from a moving coil cartridge bringing it to the appropriate level to drive a moving magnet phono preamp.

The MC5 provides 5 times transformation ratio or 14db of gain

The MC10 provides 10 times transformation ratio or 20db of gain.

The MC16 provides 16 times transformation ratio or 24db of gain.

The MC20 provides 20 times transformation ratio or 26db of gain.

When terminated in 47k which is the standard input impedance of MM phono preamps the equivalent input impedance of each one would be:

MC5 2K ohm

MC10 500 ohm

MC16 200 ohm

MC20 140 ohm

If additional loading is needed, it can be done through the parallel input RCA connectors.

The MC series transformers are large size single C-core double coil transformers using a proprietary amorphous core material. Special winding techniques were developed in order to minimize inter-winding capacitances and maintain wide frequency response. They are optimized sonically to be as invisible as possible.

The transformers are shielded with mu-metal and are potted in 10mm thick soft iron nickel coated enclosures providing immunity to outside magnetic fields and a quiet and noise free performance.

The MC transformers were developed in conjunction with the VPS100 phono preamp. They can be used with most of the moving coil cartridges. For optimum performance the MC transformers can be used within a specific range of cartridge output levels.

MC5 may be used with cartridges from 0,8-1,2mv

MC10 may be used with cartridges from 0.4-0.6mv

MC16 may be used with cartridges from 0.3-0.4mv

MC20 may be used with cartridges from 0.2-0.3mv

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SUT Specifications

MC5

Frequency Response	-3dB (source impedance < 50 Ohm) 8Hz-70kHz
Input Impedance	2 kOhm (when terminated @ 47 kOhm)
Gain	14 dB
Inductance	80H<< (measured @ secondary)
Max. Level @20Hz	+20dbu (measured @ secondary)
Dimensions	100mm (H) x 120mm (D)
Weight	4 kg

MC10

Frequency Response	-3dB (source impedance < 50 Ohm) 8Hz-70kHz
Input Impedance	500 Ohm (when terminated @ 47 kOhm )
Gain	20 dB
Inductance	80H<< (measured @ secondary)
Max. Level @20Hz	+20dbu (measured @ secondary)
Dimensions	100mm (H) x 120mm (D)
Weight	4 kg

MC16

Frequency Response	-3dB (source impedance < 50 Ohm) 8Hz-65kHz
Input Impedance	200 Ohm (when terminated @ 47 kOhm )
Gain	24 dB
Inductance	80H<< (measured @ secondary)
Max. Level @20Hz	+20dbu (measured @ secondary)
Dimensions	100mm (H) x 120mm (D)
Weight	4 kg

MC20

Frequency Response	-3dB (source impedance < 50 Ohm) 8Hz-60kHz
Input Impedance	140 Ohm (when terminated @ 47 kOhm )
Gain	26 dB
Inductance	80H<< (measured @ secondary)
Max. Level @20Hz	+20dbu (measured @ secondary)
Dimensions	100mm (H) x 120mm (D)
Weight	4 kg