AZOG V33 Balanced Moving Coil (MC) High-End Phono-Stage [English Review].

AZOG V33 Balanced Moving Coil (MC) High-End Phono-Stage [ by hiendnews.gr e-magazine 2025 ]

Truly «balanced» phono-stage ! 

Article Writer : Thanasis Moraitis (hiendnews.gr)

When I hear people talking about analog sound, they are usually referring to music stored on vinyl. And that makes sense, since vinyl is an extremely popular medium for storing music. However, things aren’t quite that simple. In 99.9% of cases, we should actually be referring to music that has been recorded and stored on magnetic tape. That is the true analog sound—not the almost identical copy found on vinyl (the keyword here being “almost”) where, beyond whatever processing the original signal captured by the microphones has undergone, it has also gone through additional equalization to make it suitable for storage on vinyl. Then comes the mandatory process of cutting the lacquer, pressing the record, and later reading and converting the engraved information via any cartridge (and corresponding turntable), all of which introduce their own distortions into the process. Lastly, we must factor in the signal being driven through a phono stage for further amplification and equalization.

And yet, through this extremely complex (and fairly lossy) process, we manage to hear something that sounds fairly—sometimes remarkably—close (depending on the quality of the equipment used) to the original recording. So much so, that we tend to forget how much effort lies behind this transformation. In the final “rebirth” that occurs through this long process, a large part of the responsibility for “restoring” what is written on the record back to the “original” signal falls on the so-called phono preamplifier. This device is tasked with equalizing and massively amplifying the signal coming from the cartridge so that it can be further boosted by an amplifier and ultimately played through our speakers.

And this is where things get tricky. That’s because the amplification at this stage is truly immense—well over 50 dB if the cartridge is a low-output moving coil (MC), meaning over 316 times the cartridge’s signal. This demands extremely low-noise circuitry (along with specific topologies, as we’ll see below) with very low distortion and, ideally, a completely “invisible” sonic character. It’s a tough challenge. That’s why, in my opinion, truly great phono preamps are rare—and unfortunately for most of us, expensive.

Why am I saying all this? Because this time, a new phono preamplifier arrived in my testing and listening space—the AZOG V33 by Azog-Audio, a dedicated Moving Coil (MC) phono stage with some very interesting features. First of all, it’s the brainchild of a Greek designer, Tasos Zografos (hence the name Azog). Secondly, it features a fully balanced design from beginning to end with virtually no compromises. Third, it contains no capacitors in series with the signal path. And fourth, it is currently available at a very competitive price (for more on that, see the conclusion).

 So, let’s take a look at how and why the V33 not only manages to practically eliminate the gap between the record and the tape on which the recording was originally made, but also serves as a genuine elixir of enjoyment in the overall musical presentation found on vinyl. 

Manufacturer's note…

From inception to execution, the V33 Balanced Phono Preamplifier has been designed with one goal in mind; To bring true listener engagement whilst challenging the existing phono preamplifier value status quo. To achieve this, thousands of hours have been put into its development, harvesting the benefits of advanced and innovative engineering alongside multiple sounding cycles on a number of state-of-the-art audio systems.

 Fully Balanced Throughout

The typical domestic electrical environment is far from noise-free. There is noise in the earthing system and mains supply, and there is radiated noise from transformers, intentional radiators etc. Audio engineers know very well that there is no better way to transport and process delicate audio signals, such as those produced by a cartridge, in such an environment than a balanced interconnection and circuitry. This is because a balanced interface offers significant extraneous noise canceling. Note that an unbalanced interface offers none. Not only is the input interface of V33 balanced, it also utilizes a fully balanced circuit architecture throughout. Although this requires almost twice the electronics, it offers two extra advantages: reduced distortion and twice the overload margin of an equivalent unbalanced implementation.

 Signal Path Purity

It is simply technically impossible to design extreme versatility and configurability into a phono preamplifier without compromising sound quality and increasing cost. In light of this, only those configuration settings, with their inevitable switching elements and added circuitry that were deemed essential have been incorporated into the design of V33. You will not find multiple inputs, multiple EQ de-emphasis curves or a remote control; Instead, you can rest assured that the cost budget has been steered towards using the highest quality components and an uncompromising circuit architecture. No expenses have been spared in the choice of the 770 or so electronic components that go into building V33, with several resistors and capacitors costing orders of magnitude more than those found in many other similarly priced units. These components were carefully selected for their sonic attributes in countless sounding tests. The V33 Balanced Phono Preamplifier is DC-coupled throughout. There are no DC blocking capacitors to impose their sonic signature on the sound.

Cartridge type support

Moving coil cartridges are inherently low impedance transducers, and as such require low input current noise from the preamplifier to achieve the lowest noise possible. Unfortunately, this is in conflict with the requirements of a moving magnet type cartridge. To support both cartridge types, most phono preamplifier designs are forced to compromise on this front. By eschewing support for MM cartridges, the V33 Balanced Phono Preamplifier was designed from the ground up to offer uncompromising electrical and sonic characteristics with the preferred moving coil type cartridge. All these attributes go a long way towards assuring that there is little to touch the V33 Balanced Phono Preamplifier within its price range and well beyond that.

Description

The V33 consists of two chassis: a full-sized main unit that houses the sensitive preamplifier circuits, and a significantly smaller unit that contains the standby circuitry and the device’s power transformers. The latter, made from aluminum profile, includes the main power switch, an IEC socket for the power cable, a fuseholder, and finally a high-spec shielded cable assembly utilizing connectors from German manufacturer Lumberg, used to transfer the DC voltages to the main chassis.

The main chassis, also made of aluminum, features a thick front panel of excellent finish and appealing design. Its lid is engraved with the company logo, and the overall finish is of very high standards. The thick front panel includes two rotary switches, one for selecting load impedance and one for gain adjustment, accompanied by LED indicators for each setting. On the front, there's also another LED that lights up red when the device is powered on and turns green after about one minute —once all internal voltages have stabilized—indicating that the preamp is ready for operation.

On the back panel, there’s a connector for the low-voltage power supply cable coming from the external PSU, a ground terminal, two female XLR inputs for fully balanced arm connections, two male XLR outputs, and finally, two RCA outputs intended solely for users without an XLR-equipped preamplifier or integrated amplifier. As you might expect, the manufacturer strongly recommends using the fully balanced connections.

Inside the unit, we find four impressively populated PCBs—primarily with discrete components of very good to excellent quality—one for each audio channel, and a larger one that handles power distribution and control circuits for both channels. The build quality and component selection are outstanding and on par with top-tier international designs. Load and gain selection are both implemented via relays, ensuring signal integrity. Overall, this is an exceptionally well-executed design.

Sound and More…

The V33 was connected to my system both through transformers (Lundahl) at the output and directly—either via single-ended or balanced connection—to my own custom-designed and built preamplifier. I tested it with three cartridges: the vdHul The Frog Gold, the Dynavector DV20X2 L, and the Audio Technica ART7. All tonearm wiring was truly balanced, using Litz cables. The turntables included a Merrill (AR-XB mod) with a modified Rega RB900 arm, a DIY unit of mine with a direct-drive JVC motor and an Origin Live Silver arm (with upgraded counterweight), and finally a CJ Walker paired with an Alphason Xenon arm. The V33 was placed on Italian “I-Sol” Coupling anti-vibration pads by Esseci Design, which indeed provide a noticeable sonic improvement right away.

The V33 delivers an exceptionally quiet, crystal-clear, impressively dynamic, and remarkably detailed sound. Thanks to its immense transparency—both in terms of how it reflects the unique character of each turntable/cartridge combination and in how it conveys musical information from the lowest to the highest levels—it manages to bring out the full potential of both the source and the recording itself. In other words, it's extremely hard to find anything equal (let alone superior) in its class—or even in higher ones—that can audibly outperform the AZOG. The striking sense of realism, the consistent impression that this is the absolute best your source can deliver, remains intact over time. This is something I’ve seen fade in other gear far more often than I’d like to admit. But the V33 sounds fresh and genuine—at every hour, in every listening session.

To be more specific, there are several key characteristics that, in my opinion, place it among the very best options available—regardless of price. These include its outstanding low-frequency performance (control, extension, and texture), the superb rendering of the upper midrange and presence region (in fact, it’s the best reproduction of sibilants I’ve ever heard from a "conventional" phono stage), and its excellent dynamic range and stereo imaging. Not that the other aspects are lacking—they’re all excellent—but in these specific areas, the V33 truly stands out with remarkable authority.

Drawbacks?
None that stem from its design or practical implementation. On the other hand, how do you convince a prospective buyer that the V33 isn't here to "beautify" the sound, but rather to perform the extraordinarily difficult task of amplifying the signal coming from the turntable without adding or taking anything away? I would personally love to hear what a design of this caliber could achieve if adapted for Moving Magnet cartridges as well, though I understand the technical challenges that this would involve. Perhaps then it would be slightly more accessible to those who can’t afford an MC cartridge or such a high-end phono stage—but maybe not; only the designer can answer that. We shouldn’t forget that phono stages offering this level of sonic quality are typically much more expensive. As it stands, the asking price of the V33 can genuinely be considered reasonable—perhaps even “affordable” in the context of what it delivers.

Final Word:

With outstanding coherence, top-tier transparency, exceptionally low noise, virtually no sonic coloration, and an impressively three-dimensional stereo image, the Greek-made V33 stands out as one of the finest choices for the amplification and equalization of Moving Coil cartridge signals—regardless of cost. The fact that I thoroughly enjoyed every moment with it, I believe, comes through clearly in the text above: Highly recommended—without reservation !

       The retail price of the AZOG Moving Coil Balanced Phono-Stage by Heaven Audio,
       available through our store, is €4,990 (reduced from €7,499).