Audiolab PPA7 Returns to Standalone Phono Stages After 20 Years With a Headphone Amp and USB-C Archiving

Since Philip Swift and Derek Scotland founded Audiolab in Huntingdon, England, in 1983, the company’s reputation for standalone phono preamplifiers has rested almost entirely on one cult component: the late-1990s 8000PPA. While Jan Ertner’s engineering team has put capable moving-magnet phono boards inside the 6000A, 7000A, and 9000A integrated amplifiers, Audiolab has not sold a dedicated offboard phono stage in nearly two decades. That dry spell ends this month with the $699 (£499 / €599) PPA7—a compact aluminum box that acts as an MM/MC phono stage, a variable-output vinyl preamplifier, a 600 mW headphone amp, a 24-bit/192kHz USB-C vinyl ripper, and an aptX HD Bluetooth transmitter.

Dual MM/MC Inputs With 1 dB Gain Steps and Variable Pre-Out

Sharing the exact 8.2 × 2.2 × 7.1-inch (208 × 56 × 180 mm) desktop footprint and 33 mm (1.3-inch) OLED display of Audiolab’s D7 DAC, the PPA7 converts its external 12V DC supply into symmetrical, separately regulated +8.5V and -8.5V internal analog rails. Around back, separate stereo RCA inputs for Moving Magnet and Moving Coil cartridges let you keep two turntables—or two tonearms on a single deck—plugged in at the same time and switch between them from the front panel or the bundled IR remote.

Instead of limiting users to three or four coarse gain jumps, the Audiolab PPA7 user manual details fine gain trimming in 1 dB steps around each input’s nominal setting: +46 dB nominal (±6 dB, up to 52 dB max) for MM and +60 dB nominal (±6 dB, up to 66 dB max) for MC. Input loading is menu-selectable from the front rotary encoder or remote between 100 pF and 220 pF capacitance on the 47 kΩ MM input, and between 100 Ω and 330 Ω resistance on the MC input. Because the stereo RCA line outputs can be set to either Fixed or Variable level, the PPA7 can also drive a power amplifier or a pair of active monitors directly in a vinyl-only system.

Current-Feedback Headphone Amp, USB-C Archiving, and aptX HD

For late-night record spinning without firing up a full rack, the front-panel 6.35 mm (¼-inch) jack is driven by a dedicated current-feedback headphone amplifier delivering up to 600 mW with a low 2.35 Ω output impedance, rated for headphones from 20 to 600 ohms. On the digital side, a rear USB-C port outputs 16-bit or 24-bit PCM from 44.1 kHz to 192 kHz with adjustable recording gain (-12 dB to +3 dB) for archiving LPs to a Mac or PC, while a Bluetooth 5.3 transmitter with Qualcomm aptX HD beams records to wireless headphones or speakers when cables aren’t practical.

Audiolab PPA7 Specifications

Specification	Details
Inputs	1 × stereo RCA MM phono, 1 × stereo RCA MC phono, chassis ground terminal, 12V Trigger In, USB-A (firmware)
Outputs	1 × stereo RCA line out (Fixed or Variable, 120 Ω), 1 × 6.35mm headphone out, 1 × USB-C recording out, Bluetooth 5.3 transmitter, 12V Trigger Out
Gain Range	MM: +46 dB nominal, adjustable ±6 dB in 1 dB steps (up to 52 dB); MC: +60 dB nominal, adjustable ±6 dB in 1 dB steps (up to 66 dB)
Input Loading	MM: 47 kΩ with selectable 100 pF or 220 pF; MC: selectable 100 Ω or 330 Ω
Input Overload Margin	MM: 88 mV RMS / MC: 5.9 mV RMS (VOL = -20 dB, THD < 0.1%)
THD & SNR (Preamp)	THD < 0.003% (1 kHz, VOL = 0 dB); SNR: 80 dB (MM & MC, A-weighted); RIAA: 20 Hz – 20 kHz (±0.5 dB)
Headphone Amplifier	Current-feedback topology; up to 600 mW output; 2.35 Ω output impedance; supports 20 – 600 Ω loads; THD < 0.01% (1 kHz, 50 mW)
USB-C Recording ADC	16-bit / 24-bit, 44.1 kHz – 192 kHz selectable; recording gain adjustable -12 dB to +3 dB
Wireless Transmission	Bluetooth 5.3 transmitter with Qualcomm aptX HD
Display & Power	33 mm (1.3 in) OLED display + IR remote; external 12V DC adapter with internal ±8.5V regulated rails (<0.5W standby)
Dimensions & Weight	8.2 × 2.2 × 7.1 in (208 × 56 × 180 mm); 3.1 lbs (1.42 kg)
Finishes & Price	Black or Deep Silver; $699 USD / £499 GBP / €599 EUR (shipping late October 2026)