VAC preamps are pricey, no doubt, but excellent. I bought a demo Phi Beta preamp 8 years ago for roughly half of MSRP, which was still a bundle. I thought I was crazy at the time, but I'd heard one at a dealer and loved it, so I jumped. Well, it’s been in service 12 hours a day for almost every day since then, sounding wonderful with any amp I pair with it--and there have been many in that time. The fact that it has a dual LOMC phono, too, that’s among the best I’ve heard is just icing. You pays your money for VAC but you get an heirloom piece that just keeps going. High expense but high value if you buy used or a demo.