Moon 110LP v2

A well-built and capable entry-level phono stage

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If you play records, no other electronic component in your system has as much impact on the sound as the humble phono stage. There aren't many talented units around the £500 mark, so when we come across something as capable as Moon's 110LP v2, it's something to celebrate.

This is a neatly made aluminium box finished to the high standards we have come to expect from Moon. The curved front panel is beautifully machined and makes the 110LP v2 look classier than most of the competition. This phono stage is a switchable unit capable of handling both moving coil and moving-magnet cartridges.

Unlike most rivals, the Moon offers gain adjustment in four increments, starting from 40dB and continuing through to 66dB. This range should be enough to cope with every moving-magnet design and all but the lowest-output moving-coil cartridges.

The phono stage's gain is changed through a series of dipswitches on the underside of the unit, as are the various input capacitance and resistance values. Provided you know what the correct settings should be, it's easy to manage - but check your cartridge's specifications if you're unsure. Elsewhere, the 110LP v2 is as simple as most affordable phono stages usually are. There's a single input and partnering stereo RCA output (to go to your main amplifier), a power port for the wall socket adaptor and a grounding post.