Best budget phono preamp?

What's the budget?

Tonyptony

Tha Belari VP-129 got a great write up in the latest issue of Stereophile. Attached is the web site it can be bought from Elusive disc and amusic direct as well.

Chuck

http://rolls.com/bellari/

Dynavector. Wow. Great price and great sound. Versatile as well.

Thanks Chuck. I haven't yet gotten through the issue. I'll be sure to read it carefully.

Not sure of your budget but the Dynavector p-75 ( I think 700) or new PS Audio gain cell (1000) unit are both great.

The Bellari is $199.95 and going to $250 in February. As I understand it a couple of places are already sold out. It is a tubed unit and good for mm as well as high out put mc cartridges. I am not affiliated with the company in any way don't own it and never heard it, just read the review because I was interested. Oh yes it also doubles as a headphone amp.

Chuck

I was hoping to stay below or around $500. I read the Bellari review. It sounds nice but may be a little warm. The ES1 is characteristically sort of a closed sounding table, and I'm not sure how something that's being decsribed primarily as "warm" might work with it.

There is a little known small box phono pre with user adjustable gain from Australia called Redgum superb very musical presentation. A little more than the Bellari and SS, but friends of mine are generally stunned by its quality -for a little box pre. You can find them here at an Agon dealer Quest for Sound. No it doesn't compare to a Supratek but it's really very good for the money. See if you can audition one. No I have no affiliation financial or otherwise with either Redgum or the Dealer. I just stumbled into it.

the grado

K&K Audio, kit version of Art Audio vinyl reference

The Channel Island Audio VPP-1 is a nice little pre that is in your budget range.

Trigon Vanguard II - $495

Solid state. Lots of gain and loading options to "dial in" your cartridge.

I don't have the Volcano II power supply (another $495) and mine still has an extremely low noise floor.

Tried Grado, Monolithic Sound, Rogue, and a few others and this is the one I kept.

Blue Circle BC27 $595.

Radio Shack battery powered $25 the "Little Rat" phono preamp. Buy two and use them as separate dual-mono premaps...

Riffer, what was about the Trigon that got you to keep it? What player, arm, cart do you use it with?

Trigon is clear, Dynamic.

VPI Aries Scout, VPI JWM9, Dynavector 20XH & Benz L2

How about any opionions on a used Black Cube?

I have heard good things about the new Jolida from a friend who bought one. Paid $350 from Walter at Underwood HiFi. Uses 2 x 12AX7 tubes. He has the stock not modified unit.