Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

New Products

Michell’s Apollo Phono Stage Wants to Boost the Performance of Your Turntable and Cartridge

Does the Michell Audio range of high-end turntables finally have a complementary phono pre-amplifier to match its capabilities? The Michell Apollo looks ready to fly.

Michell Audio Apollo Phono Preamplifier and Muse Power Supply

In the world of high-end turntables, there are only two that truly ignite that part of my personality that refuses to accept sameness; the Vinyl Nirvana Thorens TD-125 restoration and the Michell Audio Gyro SE. In a past life, my primary deck was the Michell Orbe SE outfitted with a Wilson Benesch ACT 0.5 Tonearm and Benz Micro H2 Phono Cartridge.

It was an idiotic acquisition by someone far too young to appreciate its quirky nature and brilliant industrial design. The more affordable Gyro SE is also worthy of the finest Hi-Fi salons and modular cabins in the middle of nowhere — there is almost nothing else in the market that looks the part.

Michell Audio has always offered more than just its range of turntables; their lineup includes tonearms, external power supplies, accessories and phono cartridges. With the launch of its Apollo phono pre-amplifier and external MUSE power supply, Michell Audio is completing the circle for its customers and vinyl listeners who desire a high-end solid state unit that can handle both MM/MC cartridges — and that includes MC cartridges below 0.05mV (73 dB of gain).

So What’s New?

  • Pure Power: APOLLO’s inbuilt power supply circuitry works in harmony with the MUSE power supply to further refine and regulate the DC power from MUSE. Creating extremely clean and stable power for the amplification stages.
  • High-Quality Preamplifiers: Borrowing technology typically used in professional microphone amplifiers, the class A preamplifiers ensure precise signal handling.
  • Passive RIAA Circuit: Signal rectification is achieved via a finely tuned passive RIAA circuit, preserving fidelity.
  • Class A Gain Stages: Subsequent amplification stages utilise class A circuits for clean, accurate sound reproduction.
  • Regulation and Feedback: Each stage is monitored and controlled using feedback circuits to guarantee consistent performance.
  • Customizable loading and gain settings: Enables you to tailor APOLLO to your cartridge requirements. Giving broad cartridge compatibility.
Michell Audio Apollo Phono Preamplifier and Muse Power Supply
Michell Audio Muse Power Supply (left) vs.

Audio Quality Cabling

The external DC cable connecting the units is a custom-designed, high-quality audio cable, made in the UK.

  • High-quality Silver-Plated OFC Copper Conductors: Ensuring an optimal signal path and durability.
  • FEP Insulation: Aids DC signal transfer.
  • Cotton Fibre Wrap: Reduces mechanical noise.
  • AL-foil Mylar separators: Shields the individual conductors to maintain signal quality.
  • High-density Tinned Copper Shielding: Minimizes signal loss from high-frequency interference
  • High Quality ChorAlloy Plated XLR Connectors: Provide high pressure multi pin connections and reduces cable impedance changes by maintaining cable structure at termination. Maintaining overall signal integrity.

Precision Engineering

Both MUSE and APOLLO boast enclosures machined from solid aluminium in a two-part tight fitting clam shell design.

  • Noise Isolation: Minimising interference both internally and externally.
  • Compact and Robust Construction: Small, yet meticulously crafted for durability and precision.
Michell Audio Apollo Phono Preamplifier Bottom Dip Switches

MUSE Power Supply

The MUSE power supply is designed as an independent unit to optimise the power provided to the APOLLO system.

  • Mains Power Management: MUSE uses a high-quality low noise toroidal transformer, advanced capacitance multiplier technology and very high-quality voltage regulators, to reduce ripple and noise, delivering two highly filtered and regulated DC outputs.
  • Dual Filtration: It works in harmony with APOLLO’s internal power supply for superior filtering and regulation.
  • Noise Isolation: By housing the transformer separately in MUSE, any noise generation is isolated from the amplification circuits.

The Bottom Line

The Michell Audio Apollo/Muse combination will be available starting in March for £3500; we will update this with USD/CDN pricing next week.

The high-end phono pre-amplifier category has no shortage of options available from EAR, MOON by Simaudio, Musical Fidelity, Cyrus Audio, Luxman, McIntosh, Whest Audio, and another dozen brands that we can think of — it’s a very crowded field right now.

Will the Michell Audio Apollo/Muse find its spot in a rather crowded pool? If it offers the performance of the turntables that share its namesake, this might be one to put near the top of your audition list.

For more information: michellaudio.com

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisement

Latest Products

Michell Audio Apollo Phono Preamplifier and Muse Power Supply

New Products

Does the Michell Audio range of high-end turntables finally have a complementary phono pre-amplifier to match its capabilities? The Michell Apollo looks ready to...

Optoma Photon Go UST Projector Black Optoma Photon Go UST Projector Black

New Products

With an RGB triple laser light source, Google TV, built-in battery, and low price, the Photon Go might be a great home entertainment option.

Shanling EH2 Headphone Amplifier and DAC Shanling EH2 Headphone Amplifier and DAC

Headphone Amps

Forte Distribution previews Shanling's $399 EH2 DAC Headphone Amp for CanJam Attendees

FiiO FT7 Open-back Planar Magnetic Headphones Angle FiiO FT7 Open-back Planar Magnetic Headphones Angle

New Products

The FiiO FT7 Open-back Planar Magnetic Headphones will debut at the Bristol Hi-Fi Show and CanJam NYC this weekend.

WiiM Vibelink Amp Lifestyle WiiM Vibelink Amp Lifestyle

Integrated Amps & Stereo Receivers

WiiM is well-known for its streaming products, but they are expanding their reach with a dedicated integrated amplifier.

Meze Audio POET Headphones on Table with Cable Meze Audio POET Headphones on Table with Cable

Earbuds & In-Ear Headphones

Smaller, lighter, and more affordable than the flagship Empyrean II, the $2,000 Meze Audio Poet have planar magnetic fans rather excited.

Gift Ideas?

Ultimate Man Cave Gift Guide 2025

Gift Guides

Unwind in the ultimate man cave and escape into home entertainment bliss with incredible gift ideas for hi-fi audio or home theater.

You May Also Like

New Products

Musical Fidelity's new flagship M8x Vinyl Phono Stage is both fully discrete and fully balanced with improved gain stage and more.

New Products

Phono Preamps are very practical for Vinyl Record enthusiasts, but is the $4900 Grimm Audio PW1 worth it?

Articles

The Michell Gryo SE with TechnoArm 2 could be an end game audiophile turntable combination. What's yours?

Reviews

The Pro-Ject Phono Box RS2 delivers the presence and gestalt of vinyl in a manner that makes it a genuine threat to more expensive...

New Products

Gryphon Audio has teamed up with Helmut Brinkmann to create a dream turntable system for the ultimate in analog playback.

Articles

For those with deep pockets, this $25,000 system featuring the DeVore Fidelity O/baby and Unison Research Simply 845 puts almost everything I heard at...

News

There were very few affordable turntables at CAF 2023 and that was a huge mistake. Did any of the tables on display strike our...

Amplifiers

As of December 8, 2022, Parasound is in new hands. Find out the reason why and what the future may hold.

Advertisement

ecoustics is a hi-fi and music magazine offering product reviews, podcasts, news and advice for aspiring audiophiles, home theater enthusiasts and headphone hipsters. Read more

Copyright © 1999-2024 ecoustics | Disclaimer: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.



SVS Bluesound PSB Speakers NAD Cambridge Audio Q Acoustics Denon Marantz Focal Naim Audio RSL Speakers