The Audio Note (UK) M2 RIAA phono stage is a high-end audio component that is designed to provide exceptional sonic performance. Like other Audio Note (UK) products, it prioritizes sonic performance over technical specifications, and is built to meet the company’s Level 2 criteria.

The design features of the M2 RIAA phono stage are intended to ensure the highest possible sonic performance, with minimal distortion and noise. By minimizing transient distortion, the M2 RIAA can preserve the dynamic range and impact of the music playback.

The phono stage does not use negative feedback to correct errors in the signal. This helps to preserve the natural tonality and harmonic balance of the music, without introducing phase shift or other artifacts.

The M2 RIAA is a pure Class A, Single Ended, phono stage to ensures that it will operate in a linear fashion, with low distortion and noise, providing a very natural, organic sound.

The M2 RIAA phono stage  also features an ECC83 (also known as 12AX7) and a 6DJ8 (also known as ECC88) in its Moving Magnet phono stage. The ECC83 is a dual triode vacuum tube commonly used in preamp and amplifier circuits, while the 6DJ8 is a high-quality small-signal tube with low noise and distortion.

In addition, the phono stage includes a valve rectified power supply that uses a 6X5 rectifier tube and an ECL82 (also known as 6BM8) as a voltage regulator. The 6X5 is a full-wave rectifier tube that converts AC power to DC power, while the ECL82 is a triode-pentode tube that can provide stable and reliable voltage regulation. This can provide a smoother and more musical power supply, compared to solid-state rectification.