With six Zesto creations under my reviewing belt, I believe I have a good idea what each do well, and how each ranks in the high-end audiophile pantheon. I rarely keep gear, but the Zesto Allasso became a welcome addition to my vinyl playback earlier this year. That said, I was bowled over by the Bia 120 Amplifier and stunned by the Tessera (colossal) Phono Stage. That said, though I have overused the term "World-Class" a bit, I cannot conjure up any more worthy gear to carry that moniker than the Andros Deluxe reviewed here.
George and Carolyn Counnas of Zesto Audio at Munich, 2018 (photograph by David W. Robinson)
George Counnas, President and Chief Designer, has let his passion for music be his exclusive guide to the creation of the Deluxe. Carolyn Counnas has designed an elegant, curvaceous chassis, staying wonderfully consistent with previous Zesto themes embodying music and love. Then comes the genius of technology. Utilizing the high-end Jensen transformers of the Tessera, George streamlined the circuit to accommodate just an MM and MC input, simultaneously. Controls are placed on the panel on the back face to eliminate two circuit boards and a ton of relays. Added to the Andros Deluxe was balanced in as well as single-ended in and out. The famous adjustable grounds on both channels is maintained.
Now for the main event! George discovered a tube, currently in production at EH and JJ (Zesto uses JJ), with plenty of NOS stock to roll if you wish. I reviewed the Deluxe as delivered. This tube is half 12AX7 and half 12AU7! It eliminates the need for an extra pair of 12AU7s. It means you need only 4 tubes on board compared to 6 on his other phono stages and similar tube needs on other brands. It is the 12DW7 and it is a blockbuster, game-changing addition to this circuit.
It has been around for 50 years, but used principally within expensive tube guitar amps, tube technical gear, and the like. Everyone has manufactured it around the world, but JJ's new production is a faithful musical copy of the U.S. version. Their only tweak is gold pins. Life expectancy is similar to all top 12-volt tubes. It is the economy of scale, this less-is-more circuitry within the tube, that I hear with my own ears, adding refinement and bringing me closer to what is real. As a result of its use, one enjoys enhanced musicality and blacker backgrounds. Consequently, only one pair of 12AX7s and one pair of same-sized 12DW7s are used.
Key Features
- The high quality built in MC step-up transformers are designed for better phase linearity. They are also large enough to accommodate all the extra windings and the Mu-metal shielding that reduces noise. This translates to better stereo imaging.
- Independent ground switches affect both the MC-XLR and the MC-RCA inputs and reduce or eliminate hum by breaking those pesky ground loops.
- Balanced transformers reduce noise in two ways, by providing a true differential signal and allowing the ground to float, making the noise level very low.
- The MM-RCA connectors are always grounded to reduce noise from your cartridge.
- The dedicated output transformers are driven by the 12DW7 output tubes providing an accurate balanced signal to your preamp.
- The output RCA connectors have a floating ground and the XLR are grounded to reduce ground loops.
- The tube compliment is a pair of gold pin, high gain, low noise 12AX7s and a pair of gold pin, high current, low noise 12DW7s.
- Dual-mono circuit, which creates better stereo separation.
- A low noise level of -80dBv below maximum output allows the quietest passages of you music to be heard.
- 10 position MC load: 1000, 800, 700, 600, 500, 400, 300, 200, 100, 50 Ohms, so you can dial in the best match for your cartridge.
- Easily adjustable MC "Load on the fly" without clicks or pops, so you can hear the change.
- The gain switch applies to both MC and MM inputs, to better match your cartridges.
- 100% Analog tube circuitry without any solid state devices in the signal path, because tubes are inherently more musical.
- All the RCA and XLR connectors are gold-plated for better conductance and lower corrosion.
- Recessed RCA connectors are durable and will hold up to the typical audiophile who loves to change their configuration.
- All switches and knobs are easily accessible, nothing hidden inside to adjust.
- Each unit is hand-built "Made in the USA"
- 50-hour factory burn in on all circuits and vacuum tubes
- Elegantly designed 16 gauge steel enclosure to help isolate the electronic "chatter" from nearby equipment
Specifications
Inputs
- Two inputs, one MM and one MC
- MM single-ended RCA input
- MM impedance 47K Ohms
- MM capacitance 220pf
- MC transformer-balanced XLR input
- MC transformer single-ended RCA input. Only one MC input can be used at a time
- 2 independent MC ground lift switches
- All input connectors are gold plated
- 10 position MC load impedance:1000, 800, 700, 600, 500, 400, 300, 200, 100, 50 Ohms
- 2 Superior quality MC Internal step up transformers
- 2 position gain switch for High & Low output cartridges
- One ground binding post
Outputs per channel
- High quality output transformers driven by dedicated 12DW7/ECC832 output tubes
- True floating ground, transformer-balanced XLR gold-plated outputs
- Single-ended gold-plated RCA output, with isolated ground
- Impedance 150 Ohms
- +7 V max output level
Active Components
- Two (2) Gold pin JJ ECC83S/12AX7 vacuum tubes with high quality gold pin ceramic sockets
- Two (2) Gold pin JJ ECC832/12DW7 vacuum tubes with high quality gold pin ceramic sockets
Power
- 2 internal linear regulated power supplies, 1 high voltage 250V and 1 low voltage 12V
- Power on red LED
- ON/OFF switch on left side of unit
- Power consumption: 28 Watts
- Standard 3 pin 15A IEC power connector
- Voltage 110/120V AC 60Hz
- Optional factory installed 220V or 230/240V AC 50/60Hz
Detailed Specifications
- 2 position Gain switch
- Gain MC input: 63dB and 68dB
- Gain MM input: 45dB and 50dB
- Noise: 80dB below max output level
- Frequency response complies with the original RIAA curve within +or- 0.5dB
- RIAA curve is achieved using a passive filter
- No negative feedback
- 1% metal film resistors throughout
- Polypropylene capacitors throughout the audio path
- All-analog tube circuitry with no solid state devices in the signal path
Other Features
- Controls on the rear
- "Made in the USA" using US and imported parts
- Each unit is built by hand
- 50 hour factory burn in on all circuits and vacuum tubes
- Dimensions main chassis 17" W x 12" D x 5" H (43cm x 30.4cm x 12.7cm)
- Weight 21lbs (9.53Kg)
- Shipping weight 24lbs (10.89 Kg), box 21" x 21" x 11" (53cm x 53cm x 28cm)
- 16 gauge zinc plated steel enclosure
- Two-year limited warranty
- Six months warranty on Vacuum Tubes
The Music
The Tessera may have award-winning sound and features, but the Andros Deluxe only gives up features, period. Actually, it maintains a lot of features for $6900, many unique. Utilizing 4 turntables and 5 cartridges in my listening room, MM and MC, the Deluxe was consistently bulletproof and luxuriously musical. Once you position the unique cool ground switches, the blackest background enhances the delicacy of the textural details. The music pops into the room and captures your involvement convincingly. Extremely mellifluous right out of the box, it just gets better as you play it.
Turntables used for this evaluation:
- E.A.R. Disc Master (2 arms)
- EAT Csharp
- EAT Forte S
- Mag-Lev ML1
Cartridges used:
- Van den Hul Crimson Stradivarius: $5500
- Grado Aeon: $6000
- Grado Epoch: $12000
- Grado Epoch Mono: $12000
- Ortofon 2M Black: $775
With the AJ-built van den Hul, magnetically driven on the Disc Master, music pops from the silence of tape-like blackness, except for no hiss. Dvorak's Cello Concerto, just released on DG, 4797725, with Von Karajan and Rostropovich, is emotional and nuanced. The Deluxe plus VDH is miraculous and intense. The in-hall violin sound is just right! No joking around, this is the real thing recreated. No tube rolling, just selected stock JJs, and the addition of a Kubala-Sosna Emotion Power Cord.
The Deluxe is the real deal. It is smooth and exactly neutral—make that "invisible"—a clear conduit for extraordinary, delicious music. Add the powerhouse dynamics and you have a front row seat at the concert of a lifetime! There is a love affair, a "vdH LOVES DELUXE!" romance, pulling this melodious perfection right out of the record grooves.
The Aeon from Grado is naturalness and emotion in a wood body. Smoother than any moving coil I have tried, it represents a challenge to any phono stage with the slightest etch or too much attack. The Deluxe matched the Aeon to perfection, and offered up totally convincing LPs, based on the Aeon's style. It is with my favorite Aeon that I realized the importance of Zesto's breakthrough tube configuration and the overall technical design of the Andros Deluxe. The Deluxe is at least a $10,000 value, maybe more. Its flexibility and sophistication in no way intrude on the music.
Enter the Epoch from the master himself, John Grado. The Epoch has yet to reveal any significant playback flaws or colorations and, in my system, reveals the best bass definition, ever. The MI cartridge continues its winning streak as the Epoch punches out home run after home run utilizing the MM input of the Deluxe. With more definition than the Aeon, the Epoch has even lower colorations, with all of these benefits clearly produced by the Deluxe. I even tried to imagine something to report on that the Deluxe failed to do musically correct with the Epoch – and failed. Oh well!
The Mag-Lev ML1/Ortofon combination is a consistent double, or perhaps triple, in performance. The outstanding silence and precision of this combo floating along on magnetic fields maximize the $750 Ortofon's ability to play in the big leagues. Maybe a little cooler than the more expensive competition, the musical and dynamic low-cost Ortofon 2M Black was a ridiculous showoff with the Deluxe. I set the Deluxe to the lowest gain setting and then just listened. The results are killer good, which clearly shows how important a great phono stage can be.
Maybe you do not always need a $12,000 cartridge, but a flexible, superb, and indispensable phono stage like the Zesto Andros Deluxe is where you smash the piggy bank.
Quibbles
I admit that I got used to the controls being in the front on the Tessera, and grew tired of using a mirror to see what to do next. Such is the life of a lazy reviewer.
Summary
The Andros Deluxe Vacuum Tube Phono Stage from Zesto Audio is one of five, or maybe six, top phono stages I have ever auditioned. With its ultra-black background, excellent flexibility, and suave presentation, it is exactly the kind of phono stage that floats my boat. I am sure it is one of two or three tube phono stages that clearly compete for gain, definition, quietness, and neutrality, compared to the multi-box solid state beasts roaming the planet right now in the mega-buck price range.
George Counnas is as clever as he is a genius. The Andros Deluxe, with its unique tube selection, clearly produces the passion contained in the musical performance itself. The Deluxe belongs at the top of your short shopping list now, and for years to come.
Andros Deluxe Vacuum Tube Phono Stage
Retail: USD $6900
Zesto Audio
International Sales and Marketing
Carolyn Counnas
805.807.1841
Product photographs by Bob Levi; George and Carolyn Counnas portrait by David W. Robinson
