Audiolab PPA7 Phono Amp
Audiolab has introduced the PPA7, a new standalone phono preamplifier that combines conventional MM/MC cartridge support with a dedicated headphone amplifier, Bluetooth transmission and USB recording for digitising vinyl.
Priced at £499 in the UK, $699 in the U.S. and A$1,099 in Australia, the PPA7 is scheduled to go on sale in late October 2026. It is Audiolab’s first standalone phono stage in roughly two decades.
MM and MC Cartridge Support
The PPA7 provides separate RCA inputs for moving-magnet and moving-coil cartridges.
The MM input is fixed at 47k ohms, with selectable capacitance settings of 100pF or 220pF. The MC input offers selectable loading of 100 ohms or 330 ohms.
Maximum gain is rated at 52dB for MM and 66dB for MC, with an additional ±6dB of gain adjustment in 1dB steps.
The RCA output can be configured as either fixed or variable, allowing the PPA7 to feed a conventional integrated amplifier or preamplifier, or connect directly to a power amplifier or active loudspeakers.
Wired and Wireless Headphone Listening
Audiolab also includes a dedicated 6.35mm headphone output.
The headphone amplifier uses a current-feedback design and delivers up to 600mW, making it possible to build a compact vinyl listening setup around only a turntable, the PPA7 and a pair of wired headphones.
The more unusual feature is Bluetooth 5.3 transmission.
The PPA7 does not receive music from a phone. Instead, it converts the turntable signal and sends it wirelessly to compatible Bluetooth headphones or speakers, with aptX HD supported for higher-quality transmission.
That gives users the option of listening to vinyl wirelessly without changing the basic analogue source setup.
Vinyl Recording Up to 24-bit/192kHz
The USB-C connection is used as a recording output, rather than as a digital audio input.
An internal ADC allows vinyl playback to be sent to a PC or Mac and captured at resolutions up to 24-bit/192kHz.
Supported recording rates range from 44.1kHz to 192kHz, with both 16-bit and 24-bit options available. Recording level can be adjusted from -12dB to +3dB, helping users avoid clipping when digitising records with different output levels.
This feature may be especially useful for archiving rare records, alternate masterings or albums that are unavailable on streaming services.
Recording at 24-bit/192kHz, however, should not be interpreted as meaning that the original vinyl source contains equivalent digital resolution. The figure describes the capability of the PPA7’s analogue-to-digital conversion stage.
Analogue Playback with Modern Convenience
The PPA7 is designed to preserve the role of a conventional phono preamplifier while adding optional digital functions around it.
Users can keep the signal path simple through the RCA output, listen privately through wired headphones, send records wirelessly via Bluetooth, or archive them through USB-C.
Audiolab has styled the PPA7 to match the company’s recent D7 DAC, using a compact 208mm-wide aluminium chassis with a 33mm OLED display. Black and silver finishes will be available.
The broader idea is to bridge two types of vinyl user: listeners who want a traditional phono stage, and those who also want to integrate headphones, wireless playback and digital archiving into the same system.
Key Specifications
- Type: MM/MC phono preamplifier
- MM input impedance: 47k ohms
- MM capacitance: 100pF / 220pF
- MC load impedance: 100 ohms / 330 ohms
- Maximum gain: MM 52dB / MC 66dB
- Additional gain adjustment: ±6dB in 1dB steps
- Analogue output: RCA, fixed / variable
- Headphone output: 6.35mm
- Maximum headphone output: 600mW
- Bluetooth: 5.3 transmitter
- Bluetooth codec: aptX HD
- USB: USB-C recording output
- Maximum recording resolution: 24-bit/192kHz
- Recording level adjustment: -12dB to +3dB
- Display: 33mm OLED
- Dimensions: 208 × 56 × 180mm
- Weight: approx. 1.4kg
- Finishes: Black / Silver
- UK price: £499
- U.S. price: $699
- Australian price: A$1,099
- Availability: Late October 2026
Source : Audiolab https://www.audiolab.co.uk/products/ppa7