Would like some opinions as I am looking to buy one of the following phono preamps. Antique sound lab Mini, Channel Islands VPP, Creek OBH8. I tried the NAD 2 and it did not meet expectations.... I am on a very tight budget. <500....
Try the Gram Slee 2SE for around $200 used. Or a used McCormack phono drive would be even better for a little more money. I had both of these in the past, and for the money was extremely happy.
You may also want to consider the Phonomena (with or without battery pack). I used it for a couple of years and it has many settings available to help with cartridge loading and gain.
I have been very pleased with the performance on my Lehmann Audio Black Cube SE, which can be purchased used on A-gon for around $450. This phono preamp has gotten consistently good reviews, and is included in TAS's "Recommended Components" list. If you decide to audition or purchase this phono preamp, be sure to get the "SE" version which has a much larger power supply than the original model.
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