The PS3 MkII is a pure, fully valve phono preamplifier with a valve power supply — a design for purists of analogue sound. As Icon Audio declares: „no other preamplifier looks like the PS3, and none sounds as good”. Hi-Fi World magazine granted it „reference standard” status.
The signal section uses four ECC88 valves (gain and low noise) and a 6SN7 output valve, giving enormous headroom — up to 40 V before clipping. The power supply is fully valve: a large transformer, an EZ80 valve rectifier, two large chokes and regulation by EL84 and 12AX7 valves — without a single transistor. It supports MM and MM/MC cartridges (internal transformers).
The whole is hand-assembled, point-to-point, with no printed circuit boards — easy to service and upgrade. A built-in ALPS volume control lets it drive a power amplifier directly. RIAA equalisation is implemented with no feedback; Solen/SCR capacitors (Mundorf option), silver-plated PTFE wiring, gold-plated sockets.
| Valves (preamplifier) | 4× ECC88 + 1× 6SN7 |
| Valves (power supply) | EZ80, ECC83, EL84, 0A2 |
| Cartridge support | MM and MM/MC |
| MM sensitivity | 3 mV (at 1.26 V output) |
| MC sensitivity | 0.3 mV |
| Gain | 53 dB (MM) / 72 dB (MC) |
| Input impedance | 47 kΩ (MM) / 100 Ω (MC) |
| Output impedance | 50 Ω |
| Signal-to-noise ratio (MM) | 88 dB |
| RIAA response | 20 Hz – 20 kHz (±0 to −0.5 dB) |
| Max. output | 40 V before clipping |
| Power supply | 220 / 240 V (117 V version) |
| Preamplifier dimensions (W × D × H) | 155 × 330 × 170 mm |
| Power-supply dimensions (W × D × H) | 155 × 300 × 170 mm |
| Weight | 3.6 kg (preamp) + 6.4 kg (power supply) |
Flagship fully valve phono preamplifier (MM/MC) with a valve power supply — huge headroom, hand-wired assembly, volume control. Hi-Fi World "reference standard".
