Source: Press Release, Last Accessed: 2018/06/01

With a slight delay over plans, M2Tech recently announced the availability of the Nash MC/MM phono preamplifier, a device with both phono and line inputs and a wide range of adjustable parameters for each cartridge, including gain, input load for both MMs and MCs and capacitance.
The Nash sports 4 inputs: phono MC, phono MM, line 1 and line 2. Each phono input is dedicated to a different kind of pickup. Phono MC input allows for setting MC step-up gain (3dB to 30dB) and input impedance (10 Ohms to 1 kOhms, continuously). Phono MM input allows for choosing input resistance (15 kOhms or 47 kOhms) and capacitance (0pF, 100pF, 220pF and 470pF, plus any combination of the basic values).
Line inputs act as "bypass" to allow two line level sources to take advantage of the same amplifier's input the Nash is hooked to. This is basically conceived for the Young MkIII, which only has one analog input, but it may be useful with every amplifier, especially when the Nash is hooked to a power amplifier with input level control, the company says.
Having two different inputs for MC and MM allows for the first switch on the signal path (a relay) to be positioned after the MC step-up, therefore on a higher signal level. Moreover, the user can connect two cartridges to the Nash at the same time: one MC and one MM or high output MC, or two MC, one of which through an external step-up.
The Nash is designed to deliver 2.5V when driven by a standard 5mV output MM cartridge, but MM gain can be set to 55dB, 60dB or 65dB, to accommodate devices with output voltages between 1mV to 5mV or more. The MC gain can be set from 3dB to 30dB, leading to a total MC gain of 58dB to 95dB.
According to the press release, the Nash noise is generally well beyond the record surface noise and the turntable rumble and the preamplifier is, also, perfectly immune to hum. Moreover, the noise performance can be further improved by using the Van Der Graaf MkII to power it, via its 4-pin XLR power input.
The Nash features a display showing all current settings, plus an IR remote control and includes a Bluetooth BLE module that allows the user to control it thanks to the app M2Tech provides for free, for both Android and iOS devices. The app, not only allows for selecting the source, accessing the configuration menu or toggling standby, it also has a complete cartridge database with automatic setting for each one. Even if the Nash settings are partly manual, the app shows how to set switches and knobs for the selected pickup and at the same time automatically setting the parameters in the menu. The app also allows for manual settings.
The Nash is based on a discrete op amp design in which the open loop gain/phase and the noise performance were optimized for best sound. Six such circuits are used, with slight differences between MC step-up, MM first stage and MM second stage. Multiple paralleled low-noise FET's were used to keep noise at a minimum. The RIAA equalizer is passive. Nash features a very low noise power supply, using premium low-noise integrated regulators for the MM stages and a specially designed ultra-low-noise discrete components dual regulator for the MC step-up. To keep noise low, the OLED display was modified, disabling its on-board boost converter for display polarization.

For more information: https://www.m2tech.biz/

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