Which Tube Phono Pre Amo?

ZP3, I'm happy it took about 250 hours to settle a bit . I had new tone arm wires, cables and a Soundsmith Carmen Med Compliance cart. MI not MC or MM . No SUT needed.

I'm hearing one thing.. What's on that record. Very little influence from the cart or the phono pre. Transparent is a very good description. Clear bottom, ZERO microphonics and one QUIET phono stage.. I mean dead quiet.. Valves and ZERO noise.. Point to Point.. 

Somebody knew what the heck they were doing AND at a very reasonable price.

Visually it is a bit of a let down. BUT it would be very easy to doll up IF that is your thing... I'm for the most part.. Run what you brung, kind of guy.
BUT bling is cool..

For reference, I'm running TD124s in heavy wood plinth with 3012s and 3009s SMEs.  Not to fancy BUT just about zero rumble. Very sound, quiet units..

Regards

I think that settles it. I’ll get in line for a ZP3 tomorrow.

"I prefer to be engaged with the music and try and not listen to the equipment but do require a certain level of sound reproduction."

For the money, and it's appears to available NOW, this listing is quite good. I speak from a personal perspective of currrently using one and having demoed units equal in MSRP and above.
https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lisabdgc-fosgate-signature-tube-phono-preamplifier-tube

What's unique is it's TRULY an all tube unit-meaning NO step up transformer (for MC gain)no FET's like all the rest, and tube rectified. Very rare to see this topology. 

This is the version to own-2nd(and last) It doesn't have the cheesy blue lights under the tubes as the 1st generation. It just has one annoying blue LED on the front panel(I disconnected mine)

It WILL NOT be whisper quite during quite passages with the volume at 12:00 or higher, if that's your thing. Otherwise, the Foz will do all the things tube phono stages are known to do-organic/believable presentation. 

It seems to respond to changing one tube in particular and a decent power cord(not as much)at least to my ears.

Here's an informative thread from 10 years ago 
https://www.avsforum.com/threads/fosgate-signature-all-tube-phono-preamp.1357153/#post-20881960

Sure an interesting design.. Boy oh boy quit the looker.. The Fosgate.

BUT I gotta have quiet.. I’d like to hear one.. Tube rectified and a good power supply.. plenty of Horse power for a MC cart..

Good price for sure. I wonder if a little better valve selection would net a quieter unit???? Grid picky?

Yea OP you won't be unhappy that I can assure you.. The cool thing. They resale for MORE than new.. no kidding.. IF you can ever find a used one, it will reflect a LONG WAIT, a good breakin, and usually a good tube roll.

That's worth a few quid..

Regards

Dead quiet is what I’m looking for. I’ll just have to wait and be happy with what I have until it gets here.