what phono amp for a VPI scout with Lyra Dorian

I am a VPI dealer and was faced with the problem of deciding which phono stages to carry , after agonizing a long time I decided on the Dynavector 75 ($750) and the Blue Circle 709 ($1295). Not trying to sell you either, just two I thought looked good.

I used a Dynavector P75 for a couple of years and loved it. But I used it with a Dynavector 20 XL cart, and believe that the combination of both resulted in the great performance. I have heard from many that they did not get the same satisfaction when using the pre with non Dyna carts.

I am now using an ASR Mini Basis Exclusive that I just picked up used here for less than half what the cost retail. It is really a huge upgrade for me. Not only does it sound amazing, but it offers tons of flexibility for loading and gain, which means I'll be able to use it with any cartridge I have in the future. I would say if you can find one used you should definitely consider it.

Good luck.

I own a Goldmund Studietto with T5 arm and a Lyra Dorian. As phono-pre I use a Sphinx Phono Equalizer. Small, very well built and flexible unit, but perhaps not easy to find outside Holland/Europe. Since the Dorian has a reasonable output there are many phono stages that will work well. Just audition two or three within your budget and pick the one that sounds the best to your ears.

Thank you all for the replies.

Sberger, maybe I am mistaken but I heard the ASR phono amps are a bit coloured in their sound. I sounded a bit dark according to someone I know. Do you have the same experience?

To be honest I have never heard of the JLTI i will look to see if there is a dealer here.

Well, I think you could say that most gear have their own sonic signatures. That said, I don't feel the Mini Basis is dark. Now remember that I am using the MK II Exclusive version with the updated chip. I never heard the basic MKI version. And not knowing your friends system, it would be hard to comment on what he was hearing. But in doing my research before I bought, I never ran across anybody saying it has a dark signature. In fact, I only saw extremely positive reviews.