Phono stages tend to end up wedged behind a rack or balanced on top of an amplifier, so Clearaudio has gone the other way and made one small enough to sit right next to the turntable. The German company’s new Compact Phono measures just 2.6 x 11.5 x 8cm (hwd), and Clearaudio says it is “small enough to fit discreetly into virtually any setup” — while insisting that “its compact dimensions belie a serious phono stage”.
The most practical change is on the front panel. On Clearaudio’s earlier phono stages, switching between moving magnet (MM) and moving coil (MC) cartridges meant opening the case and reconfiguring internal jumpers. The Compact Phono does the same job with a single button.
Two stages, two filters
Inside, Clearaudio uses what it calls “extremely low-noise, high precision operational amplifiers” in an Active Feedback Topology circuit, with gain split across two stages. The first does “the bulk” of the amplification to “maximise signal-to-noise ratio”, while the second applies targeted filtering. A 16Hz subsonic filter deals with low-frequency rumble, and a 70kHz ultrasonic filter “reliably catches cartridge resonances”. According to the company, that combination gives broader protection than the subsonic-only filtering of earlier designs, without compromising RIAA equalisation or stability.
The circuit sits on a four-layer PCB with separate ground and supply planes, and the audio section runs from a ±18V supply backed by two linear voltage regulators, which Clearaudio says delivers an “extremely stable, noise-free voltage supply”. Everything is housed in a low-resonance metal enclosure standing on isolating feet.
Key specs at a glance
- Dimensions: 2.6 x 11.5 x 8cm (hwd)
- Input loading: 47kΩ / 100pF (MM), 100Ω / 100pF (MC)
- Switchable gain: 40dB and 60dB
- MC headroom: 29dB
- Filters: 16Hz subsonic, 70kHz ultrasonic
- Power supply: ±18V with two linear voltage regulators
- Power consumption: 0.7 watts in operation
- Finishes: black and silver
Clearaudio says the unit will “accommodate everything from entry-level cartridges to extremely quiet MC systems”. Both gain settings are higher than on its predecessors, and the 29dB of MC headroom is described as “comfortably ahead of previous models”.
Less heat, less waste
Efficiency has improved too. The Compact Phono draws 0.7 watts in operation, against 2.3–2.7 watts for the models it follows, which makes for what Clearaudio calls a “lighter, cooler running” unit. There is no standby mode.
Price and rivals
As of September 17, 2026, the Clearaudio Compact Phono is on sale in black or silver for $639 / £490 / €490. That puts it up against the cheaper but similarly flexible Cambridge Audio Duo MC/MM ($399 / £299) and the slightly pricier Graham Slee Reflex M ($960 / £540). Clearaudio’s pitch is small size, one-button MM/MC switching and plenty of gain, all in a box you can tuck in beside your deck.
