The PH 2.10 Tube Phono Preamplifier (USD 4000), Canor’s second review piece at Audiophilia, is a tube phono preamplifier designed for use with both MM and MC cartridges. It’s part of Canor’s “Performance Line” and features a minimalist design that requires the fewest amplification steps to apply purely passive corrections.

Our first review of a Canor product was the AI 2.10 Integrated Hybrid Amplifier, a fine hybrid tube/solid-state design from the Slovakian company.

I want to thank Bryan Taylor of The Gramophone, Canor’s Canadian distributor, for kindly delivering the PH 2.10 to my home in Victoria. You can watch our unboxing and introduction video here.

The unit is quite handsome and hefty, featuring the typical Canor font and orange text colour. It’s easy to read and very functional. Power, mute, dimm, MM, and MC selections are all on front buttons, and cartridge loading (see specifications below for values) is selected via the large central knob.

Factory-installed tubes make for a simple setup. Plug and play, and I was up and running in minutes. Once the rear rocker switch is on, the unit goes into standby mode. Pressing the front power button triggers a short, muted tube warm-up cycle, and then you’re ready to go. There are generous loading choices, and I settled on 150 ohms for my requirements. I only used the MC section. The MC section has a very healthy 70 dB of gain.

My reference turntable setup of Pure Fidelity Symphony Turntable with Pure Fidelity 12” Savant Ti Tonearm and my Analog Relax EX1000 MC Phono Cartridge was used throughout.

I used quality Ansuz Acoustics cables, and there’s only one input (either MM or MC). Quality connectors are used (see photo below).

Moving coil cartridges are connected to the input using a high-quality Lundahl step-up transformer, and to ensure no hum, the transformer core is vacuum impregnated and enclosed in a special anti-vibration compound. The unit was silent in operation.

Additionally, “The primary and secondary windings of the transformer are separated by a shielding copper foil with a 50 % overlap, which prevents the penetration of interfering voltages from the network. Only high-quality polypropylene capacitors are used in the signal path. The RIAA correction is passive and consists only of quality polystyrene and polypropylene capacitors. The output capacitor is also of high quality (polypropylene foil). The PH 2.10 is designed without overall feedback. The first and second amplification stages are made up of 12AX7, among which a subsonic filter is put. The third and fourth stages are made up of 12AT7.”

Specifications

Load capacity MM / Gain 50, 150, 270, 370, 520, 620, 740, 840 pF / Gain: 46 dB

Input impedance MC / Gain 10, 20, 40, 80, 150, 300, 600, 1.200 Ω / Gain: 70 dB

Output impedance< 500 Ω

Input/Output RCA

Total Harmonic Distortion MM / MC < 0,2% / 1V RMS

Subsonic filter/threshold frequency 18 dB / Octave / 18 Hz

RIAA accuracy within 0,3 dB / 20 Hz - 20 kHz

Signal-to-noise ratio MM 84 dB

Signal-to-noise ratio MC 80 dB

Tube complement 2 x 12AX7, 2 x 12AT7WC

Power 230 V / 50 Hz / 50 VA

Dimensions (w x h x d) 435 x 120 x 405 mm

Weight (net)14 kg

• MAIN ROTARY KNOB – Adjusting loads and resistance for dedicated input. It replaces the C / R buttons.

BACK PANEL

• LEFT / RIGHT OUTPUTS – Unbalanced (RCA) output.

• LEFT / RIGHT INPUTS MC – Unbalanced (RCA) inputs for MC cartridges.

• LEFT / RIGHT INPUTS MM – Unbalanced (RCA) inputs for MM cartridges.

• GROUNDING SCREW – Grounding point for turntable.

• POWER – Mains power inlet / mains switch with mains fuse.

Sound

After a good 50-hour break-in, the 2.10 gave a neutral, detailed but warm presentation to all types of music. The tubes add an autumnal glow but not at the expense of detail or dynamics. The overall aural perspective was of a well-designed tube circuit, ultra quiet, and giving a sophisticated tonal palette to all genres with no loss of energy in any octave.

So, a stalwart opening act of The Firebird, the Dorati/Mercury/Classic Records reissue. The ultra-dynamic record, from the whisper-quiet of the fairy tale opening to the biggest and deepest bass drum whacks ever heard in an orchestral setting, the Canor had no difficulty in replicating all dynamic comers. And with the timbre intact. No glossing of detail, no painting with thick brushes. Very impressive for a sub-4K phono, no doubt improved by the use of quality Lundahl transformers.

And to follow, my old standby: Stan Ricker’s 1980 cut of Tea for the Tillerman. The bass on the opening of "Where Do the Children Play?" was clearly defined, but kept the warmth that Stan Ricker’s cut is famous for. And the soundstage was also clear, with instruments, even those multi-tracked, in a solid space.

In collaboration with the wonderful and relatively inexpensive Synthesis Roma 96DC + 25W Pure Class A Integrated Amplifier (reviewed next month ), its Class A tube topology only added to the smoothness of the Canor’s sound, almost luxurious. With both pieces of kit using tubes, they did not “gild the lily”. There was power and detail aplenty. High-end tube pre, power and phono for about CAD 8000.

One recording where this tube pair shone very brightly was the 2011 Speakers Corner double album reissue of the 1963 Philips original of the Sonatas for Piano and Cello by Beethoven with Mstislav Rostropovich and Sviatoslav Richter. Notice the piano receiving top billing. It’s the same with the Beethoven Violin Sonatas. The piano part, often just an accompaniment, is an equal musical partner to the melodic line of the cello. And the performance, with two artists of equal stature, bears that out. The superior imaging and soundstage of this remastering puts the listener in an expensive stalls seat—my wife and I during late-night listening were enthralled with Rostropovich’s beautiful tone highlighted by the Canor’s ability to replicate natural timbres.

Summary

Even with Lundahl transformers and a nice tube selection, the Canor did not scare my Phasemation EA-350/ IKEDA IST-201 Step-Up Transformer combination, costing around 13K USD all told. About three times the price of the very respectable Canor PH 2.10.

But at USD 4000, the Canor should be on your radar if you want a tube phono at a relatively reasonable price. It only has one input, but the loading choices are generous, it has plenty of gain, and it will suit passionate vinylphiles looking for a quality design under $5000. Recommended.

Further information: Canor Audio