New premium phono stage ditches the mains in favour of 20 batteries

Genesis Advanced Technologies, the USA manufacturer of ultra high-end speakers and amplifiers, has launched a premium phono preamplifier with a difference – it's battery powered.

The new Genesis Simplicity Phono is more affordable than the firm's ultra-premium models but it shares much of the circuitry of Genesis's Platinum Phono and Gold Phono models. But where those preamplifiers were mains powered the Simplicity Phono doesn't have a power supply at all. Instead, it draws its power from 20 standard batteries.

We're used to battery-powered products for mobile use and with portable/desktop headphone amps, but a fully battery-powered component is a relatively rare sight in home hi-fi. But there's a good reason for the use of batteries here.

Rather than try to mitigate interference from an AC power supply, which requires complex and often expensive engineering, the Simplicity Phono eliminates the power supply altogether. That means a very similar device to the Platinum Phono for a third of the price.

Genesis Simplicity Phono: key features and pricing

The Simplicity Phono is designed for both moving magnet and moving coil cartridges and is intended as a plug-and-play system – pop in the batteries and you're good to go. Like its Genesis siblings, the Simplicity is made to deliver accurate sound rather than to colour it – and it's been designed for people to fit it and forget about it.

According to Genesis CEO and chief designer Gary Leonard Koh, the Simplicity was originally a one-off but his dealers and distributors were very keen on the idea of an "entry-level, trickle-down technology" version of Genesis's premium phono stages. Those retail for five figures, making the Simplicity Phono a relative bargain at $7,500 (about £5,590 / €6.395 / AU$11,295). As Koh puts it, "the platinum is a bit better, but a whole lot more money."

The Simplicity Phono will be available worldwide via Genesis and its authorised distributors.