What are best phono preamps under $500 ?

So much for integrity. "Get rid of that empty black box!" I've never heard it, but I understand that many people think it does a good job, sadly, many who purchased theirs from Music Direct. You should know, they arent "audio consultants," but salespeople, and wouldnt be able to tell one of their products from another if you put them to a blind test. Their hatchet job reads as though they were dropped by the manufacturer. Why would a dealer ever drop a product that people want to buy?

I'm afraid to buy anything from them.

Nope. Music Direct sells it. I'm afraid to buy anything they sell.

Back on topic, if I were in the market (and I might be), I think I would buy the Monolithic preamp. It was reviewed head to head in TAS a couple of years ago and the writer liked it better.

Sean, I suppose they will sell the units they take in to a liquidator, so you might watch for someone with a supply of used Lehmans. Or maybe they have a guy in their store who specializes in being the house maverick and will tell prospective used buyers that the Lehmans are really great. Everyone is a role player.