JLTi Phono shown with optional power supply ($950) in matching case
Click on image above for larger view

"Among the best values currently available in MM-MC phono preamps". Michael Fremer, Dec. 2008 Stereophile. 

Just Listen To it! - Vacuum State's JLTi Phono Stage continues to win the hearts of reviewers and customers when comparing to phono stages at up to three times the price, and this is in real live comparisons with top contenders. The JLTi handily beat 8 other phono stages in a shootout, including 3 at over $3500.

Add $950 External Power Supply (in matching case) and already stunning performance of this phono preamp gains ever better resolution, clarity and bloom! ($2600 w/ external power supply, $1650 w/o)   

Audio Revelation is an analog specialist with 12 upscale turntables, 14 tonearms, 16 cartridges and a dozen or so phono stages on demo hosted a phono stage 'shoot out' with 5 dedicated hi-end analog buffs including a respected reviewer who brought the then unheard of JLTi. Wow! By far and way the JLTi was the hit of the day. No it didn't sound as good as the $7000 ASR Basis Exclusive but it beat or tied everything else under $4000. I followed up on this amazing phono stage to bring JLTI into the USA (made in Switzerland) and have been successfully selling it direct without any distributor / middleman markup. Pricing is a tremendous sonic value at $1650 or with optional outboard Power Supply add $950 (Outboard PS was not even available, let alone used, for the shoot-out).

Testimonials

"The Vacuum State JLTi PhonoPre is among the best values currently available in MM-MC phono preamps, particularly at $1650... it came remarkably close to revealing the long, long reverb trails on those great records we all know and love, and it's retrieval of low-level detail and microdynamics were particularly impressive...  Adding the outboard power supply ($950) took the JLTi's performance up a few notches, particularly in terms of the all-important rhythmic grip and the preamp's ability to deliver musical meaning."
 - Michael Fremer, Stereophile, December, 2008   

"Comparing the sound to my reference ASR Basis Exclusive ($7000) it held its own very well and did an incredible job with getting the spatial cues right ... What really impressed me right from the beginning was the sense of weight this tiny little preamp was able to throw ... noise was never an issue no matter what cartridge I matched it with ... thanks to the spot on tonality... one of the highest compliments I can pay the JLTi was that no matter I was just concentrating on the music, not nitpicking the sound. I was very pleased no matter what kind of music I was enjoying. The JLTi is well built, easy to use and offers up a very neutral, yet powerful presentation of LP playback. It gave a fantastic performance with every cartridge that I matched it with. If you are shopping in this price range, snap it up now before the dollar gets weaker!"
- Jeff Dorgay, Editor Tone Audio (Tone Audio - Issue 11, see page 134 for full review) 

"... very quiet, very smooth. It sounds more like a tube phono stage than a solid state phono stage. My continued listening has been most pleasurable... lots of bass slam ... Heavy metal is loads of fun. It is a very good unit for the price. I lent the phono stage to a colleague. He preferred the JLTi to the Sutherland. ""Thought your unit sounds less like solid state and had a more expansive midrange than the Sutherland"" Roger continues:The JLTi is a very good phono stage that is comparable to phono stages costing twice as much or more ... performs far above its price point. I highly recommend a listen if you are in the market"
- Roger Gordon, Positive Feedback   

"The JLTi was mastering them effortlessly, connecting a stunning resolution over the whole frequency band with an extraordinary control of the sound picture, without limiting the musical flow the tiniest amount. The specific qualities of those cartridges could fully be heard, which clearly shows that the JLTi is not just having one attractive side, but delivers an excellent, sensitive performance in all regards. The Vacuum State JLTi Phono Preamp (even just with the wallwart) is clearly one of  the top phono preamplifiers. In all disciplines that a phono has to master, it provides far more than one would expect from it‘s favorable price."
- Helmut Rohrwild, HiFi & Records, Germany

"I find the JLTi resolves an amazing amount of detail. It also captures an extended bass response and a large hall ambience. My favorite test for these last two characteristics is found on side two of "The Mission", a soundtrack recording. A concert bass drum is played on a couple of the tracks. With the JLTi, one hears not only the deep note of this very large drum, but the attack and decay as the mallet strikes the drum skin, then the sense of space from the recording studio as each note fades away are fully revealed...most tracks are interesting and fun to listen to."
- Tim Price, California

Look for highly enthusiastic post on Steve Hoffman's (Steve is a master LP masterer) website and other discussion forums that extoll the JLTi's virtues and honest-to-God giant killer status.

JLTi w/ optional power supply - rear view

Overview

An entirely new and totally original design. Do not hesitate to compare with anything! Yes, it does have the usual desirable attributes, such as no negative feedback, all passive RIAA EQ, very low noise, etc. Yet the electronic wizardry is very unusual, unlike anything available now. It is also an extremely elegant solution to a myriad of problems faced by any designer. Indeed, the best solution that no one else thought about. All RCA jacks and critical wiring are cryogenically treated.

This Phono Stage is 'slew rate' induced distortion free. In fact, this is one reason why tubes sound so good, they too are slew rate insensitive. Gone is the harshness or in many cases it becomes a flat grayness that robs the music of its natural tonal colors. This new Phono Stage has extraordinary life and dynamics combined with great finesse and transparency, without any exaggerations - truthful and beautiful.

When we started developing this prototype, it was decided, only IF it lived up to the performance of the JLTi Mk2, only then would the external JLTi Phono Stage become available. Happy to say, not only met but also exceeded all our expectations. This is what the JLTi brand is all about, it must compete well above the asking price. Comes standard with a wall wart power supply; optional larger external power supply is also available at $950 and can be purchased anytime and is in matching casework with 1 meter cord.

Specifications

• Solid State Design
• Flat frequency response, 1 Hz to over 300 kHz
• Zero negative feedback design
• All passive RIAA equalization
• 10 Volts RMS maximum output (> 20 dB headroom with typical MC cartridge)
• MM or MC switchable and don't worry about gain, while its stated at 45/55, it is dead quiet and perfect for any MC down to .22mv. Read Rogers/Positive Feedback review above about how it had more gain than his 60db phono stage
• Easily adjustable loading with swapable phono plugs; Standard are 47k for MM and 220 ohm for MC (220 MC is optimized  for cartridges on the market)