T+A R 2500 R STREAMING RECEIVER PHONO MODULE

In my review of the T+A R 2500 R receiver (August 2024 issue), I covered many of its features and took as deep a dive as time and column inches allowed.

- Tom Fine

Suffice to say, it's a very complex device, a near-complete system minus speakers (and a turntable/cartridge system, if you're into vinyl). It's a radio (FM and FM-HD), CD player, networked streamercomputer, DAC, analog preamplifier (including analog tone controls), class-AB power amplifier, and power supply, all in one relatively compact and midweight, well-finished metal chassis. It is perhaps the most complete receiver ever made.

After I submitted the review, T+A's Jim Shannon said "Keep it a while." He offered to send an optional phono preamp module ($920) for installation and review. I jumped at this opportunity, as well as the chance to retest some of the app-control features when it was finally certified Roon Ready.² In a firmware/app update, T+A also added a swell feature to the built-in CD player.

Although the R 2500 R is fully featured and not inexpensive by any measure,³ it's still a receiver. I don't think its optional phono preamp will be of interest to a vinyl aficionado with a sedan-priced recordplaying rig. That person has their own fleet of cartridges and preamps and will connect them to the R 2500 R's line inputs. I asked Shannon to send me the moving magnet version of the phono board and configured its gain, input resistance, and capacitance as I thought would well match my Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge (once owned by the late Art Dudley, RIP), which was mounted on my Technics SL-1200MK7 turntable and connected with a vintage SME cable. I love this no-fuss, no-frills vinyl-spinning system. I won't claim for a second that it digs every tiny microdetail out of every groove, but it's a cinch to use, it runs flawlessly onspeed, and surface noise is minimal with clean, carefully owned records.