Nagra Channels Its Analogue Legacy into Compact Phono

Vinyl lovers chasing sonic purity now have a new benchmark to consider. Swiss audio artisan Nagra has announced the Compact Phono today, a high-performance moving coil phono stage that pays homage to decades of analogue excellence—distilled into a more minor, sleeker form.

Nagra’s first Hi-Fi product, the PL-P, set the standard for phono stages and drew heavily from the company’s revered microphone preamp in the Nagra IV-S reel-to-reel recorder. Since then, models like the VPS, BPS, Classic Phono and HD Phono have carried the flame, each incorporating refinements while staying true to Nagra’s core design philosophy: sonic accuracy, transformer-based gain, and beautifully engineered simplicity.

The new Compact Phono continues that tradition in a unit that shares its chassis with the Nagra Streamer, offering a vibration-controlled aluminium enclosure machined from a solid billet. Though smaller in size, this is no cut-down compromise. Nagra has instead simplified the signal path and settings to their purest essentials—offering RIAA correction with all-discrete class A topology, selected transistors, and a dual-mono layout.

A 10 dB Nagra-made step-up transformer, also found in the VPS, is on MC input duty. Users can select between 47.5 dB and 62 dB gain depending on system needs. Standard loading is set at 100 Ohms, with additional load values available via authorised Nagra dealers.

To ensure rock-solid performance, the Compact Phono’s internal power stage is bolstered by ultra-high rejection regulators and a dual-stage filtering system. For those seeking even greater refinement, the unit is compatible with Nagra’s external MPS or Classic PSU power supplies via an optional Lemo-to-DC cable. A dedicated Compact VFS vibration control base is also being developed.

While it may be easy to underestimate the Compact Phono based on its size—or its pricing, which Nagra says is “a fraction of the cost of its competitors"—the company insists this is a seriously ambitious unit, engineered to meet the standards set by the Nagra logo etched into its front panel. According to Nagra, the Compact Phono benefits directly from developing its HD Phono and in-house turntable and cartridge systems, which redefined the brand’s analogue reference level.

The Compact Phono costs US$4,950 and is available now. Pricing and availability for other regions will be confirmed shortly.

For more information visit Nagra