This ultra-retro-looking phono preamp is about as close as you can get to an ideal audio component: its sound is quite neutral (it leans ever-so-slightly to the warm side but never, ever sounds overtly "tubey" or otherwise colored); it is quite detailed but never analytical (though lousy-sounding records will be stripped naked); it works flawlessly and silently; it is very flexible; it can be used "straight" (as a full-function preamp) if you?re limited to but one line-level source (and the sonic rewards here are great, as I will touch on in a moment); and?the truest test?it is so musically satisfying that I never longed for something else, and am indeed dreading the day when I have to either return it or bite the bullet and purchase the damn, fishy-named thing.

Includes a review of the Manley Steelhead Phono Preamp and the Goldring DR1 Turntable!