18 months ago I bought a Bellari VP129 on ebay for 80 bucks. After swapping the Sovtek 12AX7LPS for a Electro-Harmonix I was totally happy except for some prominent background noise when cranked. Then "Mikey" got a hold of it! Class B rating and price through the roof! I bought mine on Jimmy Hughes'(UK audio critic)recommendation. Then for me, an electronic meltdown, new Walwart and...background noise overload( Bellari: "send it back"...) In the meantime, NO VINYL-AAAARGHHHH! So for $40 I picked up an ART PRO DJII with level controls and other re-settables like loading etc. Expecting very little, I was literally astounded! Apart from the inevitable (but still surprisingly little)lack of warmth and sweetness, in every other respect it trounced the VP129 in terms of sheer dynamics, noise floor, inner detail(heard things on my IIX/RB300/Elys2 I hadn't heard since I sold my LP12/Syrinx PU3/Koetsu Black set-up 20 years ago now!),bass output/articulation and, stereo imaging. It has ghastly over-prominent idiot lights - and the sound gets rather bright if cranked, but otherwise I find myself somewhat stunned(It's only $48MRSP!) and utterly delighted. We audiophiles need to look towards the pro-audio world IMO; as an aside, I also replaced my wrecked MF X10-D with a brace of Bellari MP105 microphone amps for $80+/- and made $110 flogging the MF(new Walwart) on ebay(the VP129 will follow upon it's return & re-audition-just in case!). I find only a lack of refinement to be the only downside comparitively and it actually improves CD/SACD/DVD-Audio playback even more than the MF. In another thread from which I ended up here, one wonders if the reason the Denon DL-110 is studiously ignored by the Audiophile media is it's sensible price and what sounds like it being a steller performer("Giant" killer...??. When it's time to replace my Elys2(RRP $65 higher)...
