The new Backes & Müller ICE 525 Phono is designed for use in combination with the German manufacturer’s active loudspeakers.
If you want to integrate a turntable into a Backes & Müller active speaker setup, the ICE 525 Phono is an essential component. It functions as an A/D converter with digital signal processing, enabling highly accurate RIAA equalization and optimal handling of the extremely low-level signals coming from a phono cartridge.
In terms of connectivity, the unit offers a wide range of inputs, including XLR and RCA, as well as digital inputs such as Toslink, S/PDIF and AES/EBU. This effectively makes it a universal preamplifier. Signal transmission between the ICE 525 Phono and the active speakers is fully digital and therefore lossless. Volume control is transmitted as a control signal and only applied within the amplifier stage inside the speakers themselves. This approach prevents dynamic loss and avoids potential jitter-related issues.
The analog phono input supports both MM and MC cartridges and features its own A/D converter. Input impedance can be set to 100 ohms for MC cartridges or 47 kOhm for MM and MI cartridges. As mentioned, all further signal processing is handled digitally. Users can even create and store different configuration profiles for various cartridges on a memory card via a computer.
The Backes & Müller ICE 525 Phono is priced at €8,899. It is compatible with all active speakers from the brand featuring BM Easylink technology, produced from May 2024 onward. At the time of writing, the product has not yet appeared on the manufacturer’s website, though that is expected to change soon.