Company History

Six-Thousand Hours of Research and Development

We spent more than four years of intensive R&D (prior to our 2020 launch) developing an entirely new approach to high performance record playback. We believe that we’ve revolutionized the performance level available to the typical music lover or record enthusiast.

Audiophiles with unlimited budgets can experience sound quality that is simply unimaginable to the average person. As a specialist firm, we had the freedom to fundamentally reimagine quality phono reproduction without our upper management or existing dealers complaining about a rigid product introduction cycle.

Darlington Labs designs “go against the grain of conventional thought”. They allow a greater range of people than ever before to enjoy their record collections more than they ever thought possible.

These phono preamps set new standards for true high performance — as well as incredible value — for discerning customers.

For additional background, explore our comprehensive Preamp History.  You will see an analysis of classic products with a focus on phono preamps. We explore various design methodologies that have been used over the years, as well as provide commentary.

Darlington Labs’ history with quality LP playback dates back to the late 1980s, the end of the ‘First Vinyl Era’. In mid-2007, we completed the design of a broadcast-quality phono preamp using the fundamental intellectual property that now underpins our product line.

It is our own version of the well-worn story - first, a unit was built strictly for our own needs, and then, “a few friends heard it and wanted one”.

We assembled a small, tightly knit design team with more than 50 years combined experience. They worked to refine the design and implementation of our unique technology for a larger and musically perceptive audience who were clearly underserved by existing products in the marketplace. We evaluated all relevant technologies and chose Single-Ended Class-A High-Voltage Pure J-FET gain devices as the core.

Our rising expectations kept forcing new research and development. Along the way, small developments led to occasional breakthroughs. Chassis size grew from 5” to 8” to 13” and then finally to 19” rack-mount. Ultimately, we surpassed our performance expectations while maintaining a small, convenient form factor, and launched the MM-6 and MM-5 to the public via our website in the Fall of 2020. The MP-7 joined in May 2021 based on customer demand.

In the Spring of 2022, we launched our Moving Coil Step-Up series with the SU-7. This was the culmination of five years of research into the special needs of LOMC cartridges, which ran in parallel to our main products. The SU-6 and SU-5 soon followed.

In January 2024, we brought out the MP8B, our new top-of-the-line MP series model. This was based on experiences during our four years in business, including the development of our SU series, and incorporated new capabilities from our partners and vendors. In short, it represented an amalgamation of two-thousand additional hours of R&D since January 2020.

This was on top of the original four-thousand hours that allowed us to bring our unique ideas to the marketplace, ideas that proved so compelling that they allowed us to flourish with zero advertising budget.

Our work on that MP8B provided so successful that we immediately set about distilling parts of the key technologies into the rest our line. We then introduced revised MP7B and MM6B models simultaneously with the new MP8B, a nearly unheard-of feat for a manufacturer, but possible because we maintain such tight in-house control of design and layout.

The MM/MP and SU series are designed for mutual compatibility. Significant technology sharing exists between models due to our commitment to continuous improvement. You can purchase an MP series which will work stand-alone with almost any cartridge, or, if you choose, you can pair our MP (or MM) products with third-party Step-Up-Transformers or our own extra-high-end Active Step-Ups to extract the final ounce of performance from even the most expensive or exclusive Low-Output Moving Coil cartridge.

Our in-person public launch was at the Expo Hall of AXPONA in April 2022 west of Chicago, IL.

We currently offer five products — two all-purpose phono preamplifiers (MP8B and MP7B), one Moving-Magnet focused preamp (MM6B), and two Active LOMC Head Amps (SU-7, SU-6)- which are based on our unique and proprietary technology.

We’re leveraging this tech to underpin additional products. Continue to stay tuned.

“This little giant is the result of four years of research and development.” - Ad for Fisher Model TR-1, “America’s First All Transistor Preamplifier-Equalizer”, 1956.