Linn Uphorik Phono Stage

The Uphorik is Linn's external standalone phono stage — a dedicated, precision-engineered unit for moving magnet and moving coil cartridges that sits outside the LP12 and connects between turntable and preamplifier in the conventional manner. At £2,635, it occupies a deliberate and considered position in the Linn electronics range: the phono stage of choice for LP12 owners who want Linn-quality signal processing external to the turntable — whether because their LP12 is not Radikal-powered and therefore cannot accept an internal Urika, or because they prefer the flexibility and accessibility of an outboard unit — and for anyone running a non-Linn turntable in a high-quality system who wants a phono stage whose engineering is commensurate with the source it serves.

Where the Urika and Urika II are internal phono stages designed exclusively for LP12 installations at Radikal power supply level, the Uphorik is a universal solution — one that works across the full range of LP12 configurations and beyond it, without requiring professional installation inside the plinth or commitment to a single turntable platform. It is the correct answer when the question is Linn-quality phono amplification without the constraints of an internal installation.

Dedicated MM and MC Circuit Paths — Not a Switched Compromise

The Uphorik's most fundamental engineering decision is its refusal to share a circuit between moving magnet and moving coil inputs. Many phono stages at this price point use a single circuit topology switched between MM and MC modes — a practical compromise that inevitably means neither path is optimised for the cartridge type it serves. The Uphorik uses entirely separate, dedicated circuits for MM and MC — each optimised independently for the gain, loading, and RIAA equalisation requirements of its cartridge type, without any contamination from the other path's topology or component values.

The architecture is dual mono throughout — left and right channels follow completely independent signal paths from input to output, with comprehensive internal shielding between channels to suppress crosstalk to levels that would otherwise require significantly more expensive engineering to achieve. At the signal levels a moving coil cartridge produces — typically 0.35–0.5mV at the Uphorik's input — crosstalk suppression and noise floor management are not secondary considerations. They are the engineering discipline around which a phono stage at this level is built, and the Uphorik's dual mono, dedicated-path architecture addresses both with an uncompromising rigour that defines its performance.

Fully Screened Differential Inputs — Rejecting Interference at the Source

The Uphorik's inputs are fully screened differential circuits — designed to reject common-mode noise before it reaches the gain stage. Common-mode noise is interference picked up equally on both signal conductors of a balanced or quasi-balanced input: interference from radio frequency sources, mains-borne noise, and the electromagnetic environment of any listening room. A differential input cancels this interference by taking the difference between the two conductors — signal that is identical on both is rejected; signal that differs between them — the musical signal — is amplified. The practical importance of this at phono stage level is significant: tonearm cables carry signals of extraordinary delicacy over distances that expose them to the full electromagnetic environment of the listening room. The Uphorik's differential input design eliminates what that environment imposes before the gain stage amplifies it.

Configurable Gain and Loading — One Phono Stage for Any Cartridge

Gain and impedance loading are configurable via front-panel switches — a provision that allows the Uphorik to be correctly matched to a wide range of cartridges without internal modification, and which means the unit remains relevant as cartridges change. When a new cartridge is installed, the switches are adjusted. The Uphorik grows with the system rather than constraining it.

Both balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA outputs are provided — accommodating preamplifiers and integrated amplifiers across a wide range of output configurations, and allowing the Uphorik to be correctly integrated into any system architecture from a single unbalanced input to a fully balanced differential chain.

Dynamik Power Supply — Clean Power as a Performance Prerequisite

The Uphorik uses Linn's Dynamik Switch Mode Power Supply — the same power supply technology deployed across Linn's electronics range, from the Majik integrated amplifier to the Klimax series. The Dynamik SMPS delivers clean, tightly regulated power with low radiated interference across a wide range of mains voltage variations — operating without the susceptibility to mains noise and voltage fluctuation that conventional transformer-based supplies exhibit. At phono stage level, power supply quality is directly audible: noise on the supply rail appears as noise on the output, and the Dynamik's ability to maintain a clean, consistent supply under all mains conditions contributes directly to the Uphorik's noise floor performance and its ability to retrieve low-level detail from moving coil sources.

Uphorik vs Urika — Choosing the Correct Solution

The question of Uphorik versus Urika is one of system architecture rather than performance hierarchy. If an LP12 is running Radikal power and the preference is the shortest possible signal path within the LP12 platform itself — with the genuine acoustic advantage that the internal installation provides — the Urika (analogue) or Urika II (digital/Exakt) is the correct choice. If the requirement is a phono stage that is external, accessible, and capable of serving any combination of MM and MC cartridges on any turntable without professional plinth installation, the Uphorik is the answer. They serve fundamentally different purposes. The Uphorik is not a lesser alternative to the Urika — it is the correct product for the configuration it serves.

For LP12 owners at Lingo or lower power supply level, the Uphorik is the natural Linn phono stage solution — the Urika is not compatible without Radikal, and the Uphorik delivers Linn-quality phono amplification at any LP12 specification level without constraint.

Technical Specifications

Specific gain figures and impedance loading ranges are not published by Linn in marketing materials. Confirm exact values with Linn documentation or at point of purchase.

Who Is It For?

The Uphorik is the right choice for LP12 owners who want high-quality external phono amplification without internal LP12 fitting — for example, on a Lingo-equipped LP12 where Radikal power is not available, or where the preference is to keep the phono stage external and accessible. It is equally the correct phono stage for a non-Linn turntable in a high-quality system, or for anyone running both MM and MC cartridges who wants a single, properly engineered unit capable of serving both correctly. The Uphorik pairs naturally with the Linn Klimax System Hub and any LP12 in the current range — from the Linn LP12 Majik Turntable upwards — and its configurable gain and loading mean it will serve any cartridge correctly from the Adikt through to the Kandid and beyond.

Buying from Martins Hi-Fi

Martins Hi-Fi has been in Norwich since 1968. Elizabeth Gould runs the business today, and we stock only brands we have heard properly and stand behind.

The Uphorik is a standalone unit — no specialist installation is required — though we are always happy to advise on the correct gain and loading configuration for your specific cartridge, and to ensure the Uphorik is correctly integrated into your system. For LP12 owners, we also carry the full range of LP12 upgrade components — from the Linn Karousel Bearing Kit through to the Linn Ekos SE Tonearm — and if a phono stage upgrade is part of a broader system development, that conversation is one we are very well placed to have.

When you get in touch, you'll be speaking with Dave, Chris and Tim — experienced specialists who can advise on this product and your whole system.

Contact us at info@martinshifi.co.uk, call 01603 627010, or WhatsApp on 07554 687137. You can read more about how we work on our Why Martins Hi-Fi page. We are at 85–91 Ber Street, Norwich, NR1 3EY.