Features
Supplied to Britain and Europe direct for £360/€440, the SPARTAN 16 fully reworks the double-stage topology of the successful SPARTAN 10, 15, and 15 MKII using standard surface-mount components and updated amplifiers. It retains the same excellent RIAA accuracy, low noise and distortion, and ample headroom of its predecessors, with improved output drive and subsonic noise filtering for even better practical performance.
First production units, November 2025
Replacing almost all of the internal components with smaller surface-mount types has yielded a much greater density, further minimising parasitic elements associated with surface area and loop effects. It also left plenty of space to double up critical components in tolerance-averaging networks. The parts rise from 105 to 133, but the refined flatness, channel balance, and unit-to-unit variation make the cost and complexity well worthwhile.
SPARTAN 16 and 15 boards, left to right
With the NJM2068 amplifiers of the SPARTAN 15 reaching the end of production, a new set of ICs had to be chosen for the input and output stages. After testing quite a few revered devices in-situ with uninspiring results, the Burr-Brown OPA1642 was selected for the front end. Although it has slightly higher voltage noise, the JFET-input’s absence of current noise maintains the excellent SNR of 78dB with a real high-impedance moving magnet cartridge. Its rail-to-rail output also delivers a little extra pre-filter headroom.
In the RIAA network, parallel combinations of high-stability, 1% tolerance ceramic capacitors replace the film types used by the SPARTAN 15. Parallel 1% thin-film resistors help to bring the margin of error even further away from the conservative ±0.1dB specified figure, rendering any colouration at the curve’s turnover points effective inaudible.
Third-order subsonic filter response
Parallel pairs of 2% tolerance ceramic capacitors replace the group-selected film versions of the SPARTAN 15 in the subsonic filter. This allows a reduction in the cut-off frequency to a solid 20.8Hz, holding the response flat to 0.1dB all the way down to 37Hz while tenfold attenuating the troublesome 10Hz region. The low-frequency cross-feed function is retained and can be bridged across the subsonic filter at either 100 or 200Hz. It diminishes vertical rumble by factors of 2.8 or 5 times at 40Hz depending on listener preference.
The output stage picks up the final 6dB of gain, excluding subsonic surface disturbances in the front end from the final overall headroom. Gain between the two stages is shared enough to keep distortion under well below 0.002% at full output across the audio band. The NJM5532C amplifiers drive line loads as low as 1kΩ to over 10V RMS without any increase in distortion, through updated low-impedance line-output networks, including filters to stop ambient radio-frequency hash from even reaching in through the output.
2D rendering of front and rear panels, showing connections
The revised ±17V power supply uses precise reference diodes and includes over-voltage protection against incorrect adapters. Keeping the linear transformer outside of the small enclosure prevents its magnetic fields from affecting the audio circuitry. The split-rail design prevents non-linear amplifier power currents from flowing into the zero-Volt reference path where they can induce distortion. This arrangement also allows the circuitry to reach its optimal operating point within seconds of powering up. A telecoms-grade output muting relay ensures that any power-up and down transients stay inside the unit.
Specification
| Parameter | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Gain at 1kHz, 10kΩ line load | 40.7dB, 108x |
| RIAA accuracy | ±0.1dB, 37Hz to 25kHz |
| Channel balance | ±0.1dB, at 1kHz |
| Crosstalk | <72dB, 20Hz to 22kHz |
| SNR, ref 5mV, cartridge load | 78dB, 220Hz to 22kHz |
| Overload margin, ref 5mV | 25.7dB, 19.2x |
| Maximum input at 1kHz | 96mV RMS |
| Maximum input at 10kHz | 460mV RMS |
| Maximum output, 3kΩ line load | 10.5V RMS, 18Hz to 60kHz |
| THD, +20dB ref 5mV input | <0.001%, 20Hz to 22kHz |
| THD, at 10.5V RMS output | <0.002%, 20Hz to 22KHz |
| Input capacitance | 90pF |
| Input resistance | 50kΩ, ±1% |
| Output impedance | 90Ω |
| Minimum line load impedance | 1kΩ |
| Subsonic filter | 20.8Hz, 3rd order, -21dB at 10Hz |
| Low-frequency cross-feed | 100Hz or 200Hz, 9 or 13.8db at 40Hz |
| Power supply | Split linear ±14.5V |
| Power consumption | 3W at full output, 0.2W powered off |
| Dimensions (W*H*D) | 172*60*110mm |
The use of surface-mount components reduces parasitic effects, so input capacitance is lowered from 120pF to 90pF; a load acceptable to all sensible HiFi MM cartridges when combined with 50-100pF of tonearm and RCA cable capacitance. Should the user wish to modify the input capacitance, the company recommends their immediate withdrawal into pursuits of a solitary and unmentionable character. A slightly higher input resistance of 50kΩ permits an extension of the frequency response when using shorter cables out of the turntable.
