Is this genuine or a crude knock-off?

[Phil Lawton]

Perusing the pages of eBay in search of a Graham Slee Era V phono stage when I happened across this:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Graham-Slee-Era-Gold-V-MM-Phono-Stage-with-PSU-1/143291989489?hash=item215cde3df1:g:eCUAAOSwpmZdAOH 0

I honestly expected it to be located in China, but no, it's in Ireland.

Compare the finish/lettering, if you will, to this one, which is definitely the real deal:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Graham-Slee-Era-Gold-V-MM-Phono-Stage-PSU1-Power-Supply/302624203217?hash=item4675cee1d1:g:P0cAAOSwjytaczH s&frcectupt=true

Should I report this to eBay as a fake or does anyone know if the Irish model is differently presented compared to every other version on the market?

[Shovel_Knight]

I saw some other Graham Slee products with similar lettering in the past. No idea if they were genuine or not though :-)

[Phil Lawton]

I saw some other Graham Slee products with similar lettering in the past. No idea if they were genuine or not though :-)

My suspicions are also raised by the price...the PSU1 that it's being sold with can sell for between £150 and £200 on its own.

And free postage...I think I'll give it a wide berth.

[mikmas]

This review from 2002 features units with the same graphics as the eBay item:

https://www.tnt-audio.com/ampli/elevator_e.html

https://www.tnt-audio.com/jpeg/eragold.jpg

Could be a scam - but a very elaborate one for the asking price ...

[Shovel_Knight]

Seems it's just an older style that Graham Slee used all those years ago.

[Stratmangler]

The Irish one looks legit.
There have been a number of different cases that Graham has used, and that's one of them.
The graphics on the PSU1 are nothing like the current versions either.

You could confirm things over on the GSP forum https://www.hifisystemcomponents.com/forum/forums.html

[thingfish]

Turn it over and if it says 24 v 230-240 HZ begohra.

It might be dodgy.

[dwhistance]

I have a Graham Slee Jazz Club I bought in 2003/4 that looks very similar (same case, same font for lettering) and has an identical PSU1 so I think it is genuine, just an older version of that model. My Jazz Club looks very different to the current one with different switches although it has exactly the same functionality.

If you want a definitive answer then best ask on the Graham Slee forum.

David Whistance

[Phil Lawton]

Thanks, everyone.

I think I'll pass on the item in question, though...it would always be at the back of my mind that I'd bought a pup.

[Stratmangler]

Seller has been on Ebay since 2003, sold 346 items, and has 100% positive feedback.
It doesn't get much better than that.

As far as the Era Gold is concerned, Michael Fremer has one and uses it often.
Here's a pic of his, along with a few other phono preamps he was comparing.

https://www.analogplanet.com/images/styles/600_wide/public/0517Phonoprestack_0.jpg