Manley Laboratories
Steelhead RC Special Edition Mk II
The Manley Steelhead RC is an all-tube, hybrid phono preamplifier featuring a remote-controlled variable output stage, and the "Special Edition Mk II" designation refers to a collaboration between Manley Labs and retailer Upscale Audio that ships the unit with cryogenically treated, factory-installed Gold Lion 6922 gain tubes plus expanded moving-coil loading options. Two of its three phono inputs use in-house-wound autoformers for both step-up and cartridge loading, a design signature dating back to the original 2001 Steelhead, while a J-FET current source biases the 6922 tubes for high gain and very low noise.
MSRP
$10,899
Used market · Good
$5,600
MSRP to used market
From $10,899 at launch to $5,600 today.
Specifications
- Price
- $10,899 for Steelhead RC (Special Edition Mk II priced the same); original 2001 Steelhead launched at $7,300
- Design
- Hybrid tube/solid-state — six vacuum tubes (2× 6922 gain stage, 4× 7044 or 5687 output buffers) with a J-FET current source; described by Manley as "all-tube" electronics
- Inputs
- 3 phono inputs (2 MC via autoformer, 1 MM via resistive load) plus 1 stereo line-level input; all RCA
- Weight
- Main unit: 15 lbs; outboard power supply: 18 lbs
- Dimensions
- Main unit: 19 in W × 3.5 in H × 15.5 in D; outboard power supply: 13.5 in W × 4.5 in H × 11.375 in D
- Gain settings
- 50 dB, 55 dB, 60 dB, and 65 dB, selectable with automatic muting on change; MC transformer step-up adds ~3–12 dB depending on cartridge impedance
- Published price
- 10899 USD
- Loading MM input
- 100 Ω to 47 kΩ, including 25, 50, 100, 200, 400, 470, 800, 1,000, and 47,000 Ω settings
- Loading MC inputs
- 25 Ω, 50 Ω, 100 Ω, 200 Ω, 400 Ω selectable (Special Edition adds up to 1,000 Ω option)
- Capacitive loading
- Continuously variable 0–1,100 pF in 10 pF increments, adjustable per channel, on all phono inputs
- Loading MM resistive input
- 100 Ω to 47 kΩ, including 25, 50, 100, 200, 400, 470, 800, 1,000, and 47,000 Ω settings
- Special edition mk ii tubes
- Factory-installed Upscale Audio-graded, cryogenically treated Gold Lion 6922 gain tubes (replacing stock Sovtek/EH 6922s); 4× 7044/5687 output tubes
- Loading MC autoformer inputs
- 25 Ω, 50 Ω, 100 Ω, 200 Ω, 400 Ω selectable (Special Edition adds up to 1,000 Ω option)
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