Acoustical Systems has introduced the Arkadian, a dual-chassis reference phono stage designed exclusively for optical cartridges. Hand-assembled in Bavaria, Germany, the Arkadian phono stage is the German manufacturer’s answer to a gap it says has existed since optical cartridges made their dramatic return to high-end audio, driven largely by DS Audio founder and CEO Tetsuaki Aoyagi.
Why an Arkadian Phono Stage Now
Optical cartridges read a record groove with a light beam rather than a magnet and coil — a fundamentally different approach from the moving-coil and moving-magnet designs most collectors know, and one that removes several sources of distortion, but only if the phono stage behind it is built to match. Acoustical Systems says it waited deliberately, tracking the development of DS Audio’s cartridges for years before committing to a circuit, rather than rushing out what it calls “just another ‘me too’ product.” The result, concept and design by D.D. Brakemeier and Dr. H. Müller, is a phono stage the company positions as a new reference standard for the category.
Every Arkadian phono stage ships as two chassis, each CNC-machined from two solid blocks of non-magnetic aluminium alloy: a phono stage weighing 25kg and a matching 26.4kg power supply. Inside, Acoustical Systems uses a fully separate double-mono power supply and double-mono phono stage, with individual GaN rectification for plate and heater supply on each channel and a GaN-sourced voltage supply dedicated to the DS Audio cartridge itself.
Inside the Arkadian Phono Stage
The signal path is an all-triode, passive equalization circuit with an SRPP triode output stage, transformer-coupled, built on German-made PCB boards that float individually in a damping gel to isolate them from vibration. Acoustical Systems specifies only German and Dutch new-old-stock triodes from 1960s and 1970s production, CLC filtering with European-made foil capacitors and large Lundahl chokes, all-silver internal wiring, and Swiss and German switches and contacts. Connectors are LEMO (Switzerland) and Furutech Rhodium (Japan).
The Arkadian phono stage offers three individual inputs for DS Audio cartridges of past and present generations, with selectable rear plates, balanced and RCA outputs, switchable output impedance for high-Z and low-Z line stages, and a selectable grounding path (floating, hard-coded, or 100-ohm ground lift). A front-plate-selectable true mono button, true phase inversion, subsonic filter, and four equalization curves — RIAA, Columbia, FFRR (Decca) and Teldec (Telefunken) — round out the feature set for collectors working across different vintage pressings.
Pricing and Availability
Acoustical Systems has not published a retail price for the Arkadian phono stage; interested buyers should contact the company or an authorized dealer directly through acoustical-systems.de for pricing and availability. Total shipping weight is 85kg across two hard cases on a pallet.
Key Specifications
- Dual-chassis design: phono stage (25kg) + power supply (26.4kg), 450 x 320 x 160mm each
- All-triode, passive RIAA/Columbia/FFRR/Teldec equalization, SRPP triode output, transformer-coupled
- 3 inputs for DS Audio optical cartridges, balanced + RCA outputs, selectable Z high/low
- Double-mono power supply and phono stage, individual GaN rectification per channel
- NOS 1960s/1970s German and Dutch triodes; LEMO and Furutech Rhodium connectors
- 100, 110, 120, 220, 230, 240 VAC; non-magnetic CNC aluminium alloy chassis
