Any Herron VTPH-2 Phono Stage Owners out there?


Has anyone recently purchased a VTPH-2? Any thoughts compared to other phono stages costing around the same price of $3,600? That still is a lot of money and a lot of good competition out there. I was also looking at a couple of the Sutherland units (the DUO and the 20/20).

Another concern is that I have a Primaluna Dialogue Premium HP Integrated Amp and was wondering how another tube phono stage would sound with the tube phono stage? Is it better to Mix solid state phono stage with a Tube Amp or keep it all the same (all tubes or all solid state?). My turntable is a VPI Prime with Ortofon Quintet black cartridge. Thanks!
djfst
I ended up purchasing the Zesto Andros 1.2 phono stage over the Herron. I got a demo of the Zesto for $3100 (retails for $4700) which is less than the Herron at $3650. Very pleased with the Zesto - offers more loading options and awesome gain options as well. Tube Rolling is much easier and to me, it looks a lot nicer as well. Tube vs. Solid State phono amps will different, in my opinion, as to their inherent characteristics that cannot be changed. Though the Zesto is a tube, it is really quiet and the sound stage, detail, imaging is quite nice, yet remains a warmer to neutral sound. Not sure how the Herron compares to this. I know Zesto just made some recent updates to the Andros in the past year or two. Seems like the Herron has a been a similar unit for years now (not that this is a bad thing). To me, it came down to value and finding the Zesto at a great price was a no brainer. Don't think you could go wrong with either the Herron or the Zesto. Can't speak for the other manufacturer's you listed though. Others will have to chime in.
Again, really happy owner of a VTPH-2. Compared it to a Whest PS30R which I owned for some time and found the Herron to be as quiet and detailed but MUCH more musically correct. No experience with the Zesto but for the sake of clarity the Herron is a tube unit (Keith does not recommend rolling tubes though some owners have reported on their experiences), has multiple cartridge loading options via resistor plugs which are inserted to the rear panel (Keith favors running the unit "wide open" in most cases--I've never used any loading in either cartridge I've used with the unit finding his "infinite loading" to be quite satisfying) and gain is adjustable at two levels via the use of a different tube compliment. I'm a big Modwright fan so the PH150 intrigues but I doubt anything will tempt me away from my VTPH-2.
I previously owned the first generation Zesto phono, it was a good all around performer and I did like it, ultimately I found it a little soft and lacking dynamics (especially in comparison to the Pass Xono I had at the time), I felt it could use a little more gain also, I ended up selling it. Not sure if the 1.2 has improved these aspects.

The Herron offers infinite loading which appears quite appealing. Based on a few user reviews I have read, it sounds as though this is the preferred loading method. It seems I may need to purchase one to see for myself...
Speaking of the Zesto phono stage (and the Decca cartridge as I did above), at the last Irvine T.H.E. Show I asked George about the 47K/15K resistance switch incorporated in the amp, thinking the choice of 15K could be for only one reason---the Decca/London cartridges (some models specify 22K, the Reference 15K). George confirmed my suspicion, saying he had friends whose favorite cartridge is the Decca/London (as is mine, two of them). In his column in the new Stereophile (December), Art Dudley discovers (about time!) why we Decca lovers prefer it to all others.