Now here’s something different: a (modern) tube-based phono equalizer! With the brand-new DS Audio TB-100, you can bring one into your home.
The DS Audio TB-100 is the first tube phono equalizer from this brand. According to the manufacturer, it guarantees “a rich and musical sound experience.” The TB-100 features quad-matched ECC82 (12AU7) tubes specifically optimized for this model. In two stages, the internal tubes amplify the signal, while external tubes buffer it. The TB-100’s inputs are transformer-coupled, and the current signal from the photodiode is converted into voltage with what DS Audio describes as “extremely high precision.” The equalizer boasts a flat frequency response of 10–70,000 Hz +/- 1 dB.
“The symmetrical dual-mono construction with completely independent grounding and power transformers eliminates crosstalk between the left and right channels, ensuring the best possible channel separation and spaciousness. The regulated power supply for the LED and photodiodes has an extremely low noise level. Separate power circuits and transformers for each photodiode ensure the best possible voltage stability,” the announcement states.
Naturally, the TB-100 is compatible with all DS Audio optical cartridges. The suggested retail price for the TB-100 is €19,999. The Dutch distributor is Mafico Pro.