What is the best phono preamp you have heard?

I haven't heard a lot of different phono stages, but IMO, the Herron VTPH-2 seems to be the most uncolored unit. It is also very detailed and has excellent timing / transient coherence. Nice and natural dynamic snap. No stridency. I can find nothing wrong with it.

For the money, the Linn Uphorik MM/MC phone pre-amp.

It's extremely flexible & quiet and I'm using one in a non-Linn system with the EMT TSD15 SFL MC cart mounted on a Brinkmann Bardo / Origin Live Encounter anal;og setup.

I agree with Fremer, the BMC MCCI ($3890) is the best at any price. You ought to hear it with the HFC power cords.

Tbg, 5-15-14: "The Robert Koda K 10 is now the best I have ever heard"

Tbg, 5-16-14: "I agree with Fremer, the BMC MCCI ($3890) is the best at any price"

Ok, so in one day the "best" got bested. And I need to pay $13k for a power cord to truly appreciate this phono stage? Now that's pretty sad.

Jafox, the Koda is a line stage and the MCCI is a phono stage. I have always thought the BMC MCCI was their best piece. It may have been a coincidence that the Koda blosomed just when I put the HFC URR on it, but I'm not taking it off to check this out.