K&K Phono Preamplifiers
We’ve been developing and selling kit and assembled phono preamplifiers since 2002. The original design topology is still the basis for the Maxxed-Out Phono Preamplifier, much improved over the years in between then and now. Most of those improvements can be retrofitted to any K&K Audio phono preamplifier. See the Upgrade Kits section below.
Over a year ago it became obvious that the Maxxed-Out Phono Preamplifier, as good as it was (and still is), had become too complex for many kit builders to construct successfully. At that time I began an effort to design a new phono preamplifier that offers the majority of the sonic strengths of the Maxxed-Out Pre while being substantially easier to construct without difficulties. I made an effort to reduce the total parts count, select more cost effective parts that worked well together in a sonic sense and modularize the remaining sections of the circuit that needed adjustment after assembly, so that they could be preassembled and adjusted/tested prior to shipping them to the kit builder.
That effort finally paid off fully in November 2014 with a fully functional prototype that has the sonic attributes I was striving for and meets the cost and ease-of-assembly goals. In view of this, I was prompted to discontinue the Maxxed-Out Standard and Premium Main Board and Complete Preamp Kits. They are no longer available, however what was called the Premium Maxxed-Out Phono Preamplifier Kit is still available as a factory assembled and tested product. Due to my time constraints I never made changes to this webpage to announce the release of a new circuit revision in 2013 to the Maxxed-Out Pre that added very effective power supply voltage shunt regulation to each channel, providing an even more open-sounding phono preamplifier. This revision is the assembled product described below.
A new phono preamp kit called the Trio will take its place for DIYers. As a DIYer you will still be able to get a phono preamp that can readily keep up with the mid-priced (~$5K) phono preamps out there, but for a much more manageable price!