Allnic Audio H-5500 Vacuum Tube Phono Preamplifier

Description

The H-5500 replaces the outgoing H1202 with a number of significant improvements. Firstly it sports an all aluminum chassis. Gone is the stubby taller fascia of its predecessor and now we have a wider smarter look, more in keeping with its elder siblings and the new OTL/OCL preamps.

Like all Allnic Audio products, the H5500 uses Permalloy (iron and nickel alloy) for its transformer cores. As per it’s predecessor and indeed the original H1200, it employs four NOS E180CC twin triode tubes from the days of early computing, a staunch and highly robust choice that simply can’t be improved upon and which is much favoured by Kang Su Park.

Like the 1202, this new preamp also uses a 7233 voltage regulator tube and a 5654 for voltage correction in a far superior tube power supply. A pure class A design with no negative feedback it offers 278Ω, 117Ω, 69Ω, and 29Ω loading settings, selectable from the chassis mounted rotational pots, each of which is tied to a specific gain factor. Soft start function, a convenient mute switch and single ended input and output connectivity at the rear complete the specs.

Functionality has also been improved; the H5500 offers users dual MC and dual MC inputs so up to four cartridges can be accommodated at any one time. The fascia has also been adorned with Allnic’s famed power meter, normally reserved for more expensive products. The meter is very useful in indicating and quickly diagnosing tube replacement or failure.

On the sonic side there is of course a host of significant developments over the previous H1202. First of all the power transformer has been upgraded and the unit has also been furnished with the same step up transformers from the H7000 and flagship H8000 !

Build quality and finish is also up to the usual very high standard we have come to expect from Mr. KS Park. Available in silver or black. 2 year warranty on all Allnic Audio Products , 1 year on factory supplied tubes.

The H-5500 uses the same NOS tube set as its predecessor, the H-1202, but in a more feature and value packed chassis.

“First customer review of the new Allnic H5500 Phono just in, comparing back to his old H1202, the model it replaced:

“Hi Richard
Been running for a couple of hours.
Wow! More of everything already. Details. Layers. Silence. Warmth. Heft. Deep, rich bass. Drum hi-hats that I’ve never heard before. My speakers have never come together more. Breath taking, didn’t expect so much more to be honest. Thank you. Graham” – Lotus Hifi

“Yes, the Allnic H-5500 needs a good turntable and cartridge to bring out its best, but that ‘best’ echoes a lot of what many people would consider an ‘ideal’ in the way a good vinyl replay system is supposed to sound. This phono stage is a constant and consistently-enjoyable reminder of just why you got into vinyl in the first place. If you take LP seriously, you owe it to yourself to hear just what it is capable of, and the Allnic H-5500 can do just that.” – Alan Sircom, Hifi+ Jan 2022