Herron Audio VTPH-2A - Modwright PH 9.0X - Icon audio ps1 mkii

Wait for a VTPH-2A if you can.  I have no experience with Icon Audio, so won't comment on that.

I have compared the VTPH-2A to the Manley Chinook and the Pass Labs XP-15 phono stages, both very nice units.  The Herron has more drive, dynamics, and detail and is incredibly quiet.  It easily outclassed both of these units.

Like @islandmandan I went from a Modwright preamp (LS100) to the Herron VTSP-360 and it was also a nice improvement.  The LS100 had a phono stage, but I never tried it and don't know how it compares to the PH9.0.  I thought the LS100 might be a "forever" piece for a long time, but after hearing the VTPH-2A, I decided to try the VTSP-360.  

I owned a couple of Musical Surroundings Nova Phonomena stages.  I'm not sure how they compare to the Nova III, but the Nova Phonomena was a higher model than the Nova at the time.  It was great from a functionality standpoint with lots of loading and gain options, but was not as good as either the XP-15 or the Chinook,  It was more "flat" sounding with less drive and dynamics and not even close to the VTPH-2A.  

My comments are in no way a put down of Modwright, Pass Labs, or Manley's products, they are all very good, it's just that the VTPH-2A is better. 

I've got a Herron VTSP-360-Ref preamp and a Herron VTPH-2A phono preamp, and they are both magic. Keith puts some serious mojo into his gear. I'm glad I was able to get this stuff while he was still making them. I like tube gear that looks like tube gear with big tubes sticking out on top, but I also like tube gear like Keith's that you wouldn't guess was tube by looking at it or listening to it - just great, neutral sound that he happened to create using tubes. At least that's how it seems to me. I wish him well in retirement.... But used ones will become even more scarce, as I'd guess most people selling or trading their Herron gear are just moving further up the line to one of his newer models. 

I haven’t heard the Herron, but I do own the Modwright 9.0X. With the right tubes    (Bel/India in my case and are the same as Philips SQ in my case), I’d put it up against any phono pre at twice its price.  

Brother in law has the Nova III w LPS, very quiet and linear. He has a Ortofon Bronze on a mofi deck, very nice sound but not in the grade of sound of what is being mentioned this thread…

I just posted this on another forum, but I have heard both and think the PH9.0 and 9.0X kick the living daylights out of the Herron. The Herron is very polite in comparison, with the PH9.0 much more soulful, vibrant and holographic in comparison. The 9.0X even more so at a quieter noise level.