Trigon Vanguar II or what phono stage preamp for £200 used?

[Fulci]

Does anyone have any experience with this phono preamp?

What can I get used for £200?

[Zoidburg]

Does anyone have any experience with this phono preamp?

What can I get used for £200?

No experience of the phono stage you mention but I recently picked up a Lehnamm Black Cube on flea bay for £155 plus postage and I am very happy with what its doing.

Good luck with your seach.

[walpurgis]

£200 will buy a good used Graham Slee Gram Amp 2SE. Nice unit, check the reviews!

[Fulci]

How would a Gram Amp 2 SE compare with a V-LPS II? I can get one for €150 or the GA2SE for a little more, within a couple hours... Looking for musicality, soundstage and speed...

[walpurgis]

Not compared the two, but my money's on the Slee.

I've not heard the V-LPS II, but I have heard the older X series stages and was not overwhelmed. MF seem to go for the same type of sound character or signature if you like, across their product range and it's never quite clicked with me. Bit too bright and breezy. The only product of theirs I had any affection for is the little X-PRE, which still sounds very sweet even today.

Slee products tend to be very neutral and and open, having no solid state character to the sound. You'd find the detail, lack of harshness and soundstage impressive. The weight tends to be good too, some phono stages can sound a bit thin.

I'm probably biased as I've used a Slee ERA V Gold unit for years, but it proved better than the valve EAR 834P I also had. many others would agree, the reviews say it all really.

[hal55]

If your iterested in the 2SE then use the loaner program. The good Mr Slee is prepared to put his product out on home trial and all you cover is the postage (plus maybe a bit extra if your feeling generous) costs. I've just had a 2SE for two weeks and it was most informative having it in my own system.

Hal55

[Fulci]

I just got a Brio-R which has a pretty good phono stage that will do for now but I'm having mixed feelings about the amp. Hope it'll change a little in the next few days... It is a very good amp but there is something there that I can't figure out that is bothering me a little.

[Fulci]

Also, my cart is a budget one so I'll see if improves with the SAE...