Avid Pulsus II Phono Stage – AVID HiFi Ltd. relaunches its ambitious phono preamplifier

In 2010, AVID HiFi Ltd. introduced the original AVID Pulsus Phono Stage, a model that quickly made sense to listeners who wanted something rather more considered than a basic phono add-on. Now the British analogue specialist returns with the AVID Pulsus II Phono Stage, a substantially developed successor aimed at vinyl enthusiasts who demand adjustability, circuit discipline and convincing musical authority without moving into the uppermost reaches of the AVID portfolio. The brief is clear: improve resolution, dynamic headroom, control and quietness, while retaining the practical breadth that made the Pulsus concept so useful in serious systems. To that end, AVID HiFi Ltd. has reworked the circuitry, refined the component selection, expanded cartridge-matching flexibility and placed the power supply in its own regulated chassis. This is not decorative model-year housekeeping; it is a more exacting take on what a phono preamplifier at this level ought to do.

Key Facts AVID Pulsus II Phono Stage

• Successor to the AVID Pulsus Phono Stage introduced in 2010
• Phono preamplifier for MM and MC cartridges
• Three gain settings: 40 dB, 60 dB and 70 dB
• Seven load resistance values from 100 Ohms to 47 kOhms
• Selectable capacitance: 100 pF, 200 pF and 500 pF
• Revised circuit design and improved component selection
• Separate regulated power supply with 35 VA transformer
• New casework design in the style of the AVID turntable range
• Worldwide launch through authorised dealers on 1 July 2026
• Price: € 3.995,-

AVID Pulsus II Phono Stage – The second generation of a proven analogue idea

With the AVID Pulsus II Phono Stage, AVID HiFi Ltd. is not merely refreshing an existing product; it is revisiting a design that has long occupied a telling position in the company’s analogue hierarchy. The original Pulsus was never intended for the casual vinyl listener who simply needed an input marked “Phono”. It was built for users who understand that cartridge output is fragile, loading matters, gain structure matters, and the first active stage after the pickup has a disproportionate influence on what follows.

That remains the territory of the AVID Pulsus II Phono Stage. AVID HiFi Ltd. claims clear advances in resolution, dynamics and control, and the route chosen is an entirely plausible one: a revised circuit topology supported by a more carefully specified parts selection. The purpose is to lower noise and distortion, thereby allowing low-level information, spatial stability and musical phrasing to emerge with greater assurance. In analogue replay, refinement rarely comes from one dramatic gesture; more often it is the sum of quieter, more disciplined engineering decisions.

MM and MC – Proper adjustment for different cartridges

The AVID Pulsus II Phono Stage is designed for both MM and MC cartridges and offers three gain settings. Moving Magnet cartridges are catered for with 40 dB gain, while Moving Coil designs can be used with either 60 dB or 70 dB. That range gives the phono preamplifier useful reach, from conventional MM cartridges to lower-output MC designs that demand rather more from the amplification stage.

Loading is similarly well served. The AVID Pulsus II Phono Stage offers seven resistance values: 100 Ohms, 300 Ohms, 500 Ohms, 1 kOhm, 5 kOhms, 10 kOhms and 47 kOhms. Selectable capacitance is also provided, with 100 pF, 200 pF and 500 pF available. This is precisely the sort of adjustment that separates a phono stage designed as a genuine system component from one that simply hopes the cartridge will meet it halfway. It allows the user to tune the relationship between cartridge, cable, preamplifier and system rather than settle for a fixed compromise.

Separate power supply as a serious quality marker

One of the defining features of the AVID Pulsus II Phono Stage is its two-box architecture. The phono stage itself is partnered by the AVID Pulsus II PSU, a separate regulated power supply fitted with a 35 VA transformer.

In a phono preamplifier, power supply quality is not a marginal concern. The signal being handled is tiny, the required gain is substantial, and unwanted noise or instability can be magnified along with the music. By moving the power supply into a dedicated enclosure, AVID HiFi Ltd. reduces the proximity of sensitive gain circuitry to transformer-related interference and power-supply artefacts. It is a fundamentally sensible engineering decision, especially in a component whose job is to recover very small electrical signals with composure and precision.

New casework in the style of AVID turntables

The AVID Pulsus II Phono Stage has also been visually redesigned. AVID HiFi Ltd. describes the enclosure as an entirely new casework concept, aligned with the company’s current turntable range. The phono unit and its separate power supply therefore present themselves as a coherent system rather than as a main component with an incidental external box.

The design language is deliberately restrained: compact proportions, clean lines and a purposeful front panel that brings the AVID Pulsus II Phono Stage closer to the visual character of the company’s record players. There is nothing flamboyant here, and that is very much the point. The appearance suggests an instrument rather than an ornament, and in the context of AVID HiFi Ltd.’s analogue ecosystem, that feels entirely appropriate.

The most important benefits at a glance

• Broad cartridge compatibility:
  MM and MC cartridges can be integrated confidently thanks to three gain settings and extensive matching options.
• Fine-tuning rather than guesswork:
  Seven load resistance values and three capacitance settings allow the phono stage to be matched more precisely to the cartridge and the wider system.
• A quieter signal path:
  The revised circuitry and improved component selection are intended to reduce noise and distortion, helping preserve low-level detail and musical structure.
• Separate power supply:
  The outboard regulated PSU provides a more stable electrical foundation and keeps sensitive phono circuitry away from avoidable power-supply influence.
• A closer visual fit with AVID turntables:
  The new casework gives the AVID Pulsus II Phono Stage a more consistent presence within high-quality AVID analogue systems.

Price and availability

The new AVID Pulsus II Phono Stage from AVID HiFi Ltd. is scheduled to be available worldwide from authorised specialist dealers from 1 July 2026. The recommended retail price is € 3.995,-.

Conclusion

With the AVID Pulsus II Phono Stage, AVID HiFi Ltd. revisits a model that should never be mistaken for a mere turntable accessory. This is a phono preamplifier for listeners who want to integrate their cartridge properly and give their analogue front end a robust, carefully controlled electrical foundation. The move to a second generation feels logical and well judged: broader adjustment, revised electronics, an outboard regulated power supply and new casework that ties the product more closely to AVID HiFi Ltd.’s turntable line. The AVID Pulsus II Phono Stage therefore positions itself as a serious choice for ambitious vinyl systems in which the phono stage is not an afterthought, but a deliberate and decisive component.

Technical Data