Phasemation CM-1500 Hybrid Passive Preamplifier

The CM-1500 brings Phasemation's patented “Control Meister” hybrid passive attenuator technology to a more accessible price point, without abandoning the design that made the CM-2200 a Stereo magazine Best Buy Components #1 finisher. A balanced attenuator transformer — wound with the same 0.1mm super-malloy core and PC-TripleC wire as the flagship — carries both the hot and cold legs of a balanced signal on a single winding, generating a full balanced output even from an unbalanced source. Three-step gain switching (–10/0/+6dB) combined with the attenuator's 23-position, 0 to –50dB range gives finer volume control across a wider range of amplifier and speaker pairings than a fixed-gain passive design allows. Winner of the Analog Grand Prix 2025.Key Features: Patented hybrid passive attenuator — same technology as flagship CM-2200 3-step gain switching: –10dB / 0dB / +6dB, plus 23-position attenuator Balanced transformer with 0.1mm super-malloy core, PC-TripleC wire Simultaneous balanced (XLR) and unbalanced (RCA) outputs Gold-plated rotary switches, machined brass RCA terminals #1 Best Buy Components (under 1,200,000 JPY), Stereo magazine, 2024; Analog Grand Prix 2025 Specifications: Type Hybrid Passive Pre-Amplifier Input Impedance 47kΩ+ Channel Separation 100dB+ (20Hz–20kHz) Frequency Response 10Hz–100kHz (+0/–3dB) Output Impedance ≤250Ω Inputs RCA x3, XLR x2 Outputs RCA x2, XLR x2 Dimensions 430x93x362mm Weight 6.5kg