Phono amp comparison Gram AMP 2 SE vs Bellari VP-130

gfong

First off I would like to give a huge thank you to user name 'voltz' (yes I do know his first name but was unsure to post it here).
Quick story... I was looking for a phono amp, made a few posts, trying to find out what would work and not work and he pm'd me offering to send me one of his to compare to what I was using (he paid shipping to me). What stands out is that he did not know me from Adam and I am also in another Country, be it beside one another but still! I am glad that there are people like 'voltz' on this forum that go above and beyond what someone would would think to do for another enthusiast online. so thank you very much, so appreciated of it.

Okay my table is a REGA RP-6 with REGA Exact cartridge, I'm using a brand new NAD C 356BEE stereo integrated amp and pushing the power through to Klipsch La Scala speakers.

Current phono amp: Bellari VP-130 with stock Ruby tube.
Pros: Analog warm sound, easy of use, tube rolling, separate head phone amp with output, stylish looking.
Cons: headphone amp not near loud enough so renders it almost useless, noise from tubes with high efficient speakers, possible ground loop hum, not a true tube phono amp, narrow sound stage

The VP-130 has served me well for the last 3 years or so, I liked how it sounded and others did report that they had issues with power supply noise and grounding but I did not get any of that. Used the stock tube up until 3 weeks ago. Stock tube has a nice warm sound to it but lacks in the mids and can be a little shrill sounding on the top end. Has a tough time with cymbals and piano. Overall I was happy.
I first used the VP-130 with a PRO-Ject RPM 1.3 table which worked great together. I updated my table to the REGA and then started looking at other options to see what was out there.

Before trying any other stages out I bought two inexpensive tubes a Tungsol 12AX7 as well as a Sovtek 12AX7LPS to try in the VP-130. $15.00 each.

Impression of the Tungsol: Right out of the box the output is a little louder and the noise floor is a little lower at the same output dial level. Highs are more detailed and controlled which the Ruby lacked. Bass is very close to the Ruby but lower bass seems to roll off faster. Tube is a little to forward for me and has less bottom end. Very ho hum sound but you knew it was lacking something but could not put finger on. For $15.00 I would recommend this as an upgrade if other tubes were not available at same price point but probably would pass if you had other options.

Impression of the Sovtek: Users of the VP-129 and 130 say this is the budget tube to get for this unit so I tried it. Again $15.00 and away I went. As mentioned in another thread the Sovtek impressed me right out of the box, it had a little lower noise floor then the Tungsol, clearer more pronounced vocals, lower bass was back like in the Ruby and the mids came back that were lost with the Tungsol. Highs were strong but not forced with an all around better sound.
Seems to have cleaned up some of the tist tist that this record has after some of the vocals. Very clear, detailed, mids are there without being too forward.

I have not mentioned the sound stage as it was never a factor going from the Ruby to the Tungsol but it did get a bit wider with the Sovtek. One complaint I do have with the 130 was that no matter the room, speakers or toe-in the sound stage was right inline with the speakers, it never got beyond. Imaging and stereo location was also good as it was dead center vocals.

As you can read the upgraded Sovtek tube fit the bill as far as a budget upgrade to an already nice budget phono stage. I listened to a few albums and ran the VP-130 again for about 5 days with lots of LP listening. I got use to the sound and I liked it.

Package arrives from 'voltz' and I'm excited to try out his GRAHAM SLEE - GRAM AMP 2 SE (Special Edition) PHONO PREAMP (MM ONLY)

I read that it likes to be on all the time so I plugged it in to the wall for a few days and let it sit there. (I got really sick/ill and had to take 8 days off so I thought I would have ample listening time, wrong as I had no interest in critical listening or testing out anything.)

Finally got to plugging the AMP 2 SE in to my system and right off the bat I liked the sound. Clear concise and not too bright. I only listened for a few hours then went back the the VP-130 for a few more days.

Feeling better now I was ready to do my A/B testing. I picked a couple of records and laugh as you may I listened to one full side 3 times in a row to burn the sound in my head. Of course I used familiar recordings but still needed to listen more than once. I did like the sound from the VP-130 and though no way will there be a big difference using the AMP 2 SE.

Well... there was; my sound stage opened up, floor noise from record was reduced, vocals were more pronounced and the bass, mids and highs were all in there. The highs seemed a little too much for me right at the start but going back and forth made me realize it was the same on both stages.

Graham Slee AMP 2 SE:
Pros: compact, full sounding, precise, accurate, fast, highly recommended and praised by users
Cons: no headphone amp, moving magnet only, with RCA's plugged in sometimes doe not sit flat.

Not many cons and I am nit picking as you can see!

The AMP 2 SE is a definite upgrade over the VP-130. It is more controlled and the sound stage is wide without being all over the room or up the ceiling. Keeps up with the music and does not get taxed as to muddle the music up. On the new and used market cost seems to be very close to one another.

Not much more I can say about the Graham Slee AMP 2 SE but that it is a clear winner in my system. The REGA Exact cart is a high output MM and the Slee is made for those as well.

One other note, I did a side test on my cables from the phono stage to integrated amp and I could really tell the difference between the my ATLAS entry level cables and my high end ATLAS cable. The REGA RP-6 has fixed cables so I could not change them.

I first tried my ATLAS Equator MK II RCA 1m cables (retail $85.00 US) and the sound was nice and warm and straight at you like I am use to from them. All the elements were there and it had nice detail or so I thought.

I switched over to my ATLAS Voyager all Cu RCA 1m interconnects (retail $345.00 US) and the LP came to life more with detail detail and more detail. They brought the cymbals and vocals and any other sounds like wood boxes or moog synths out so much and the faint sounds to the front more. So sorry but I am a cable believer...

I am going to listen and enjoy and will get back to voltz on the next step. I still wanna say how nice it was for a total stranger other than knowing my user name and that I visit here often to lend me this product to try without hesitation. Thanks

Thanks, Greg

Side note: Graham Slee has a UK/ Western Europe/ Australia / USA/Canada free loaner program to try any and all of his products for 2 weeks. You only pay for shipping and insurance both ways. I am in the process of getting to try out the top of the line Reflex and the Era Gold V. I have contacted the Canadian loaner person and he is going to get the shipping price for me. If all goes through I will add to this write up or maybe do a shoot out of the top of the line Reflex and the Era Gold V.

I have absolutely no ownership or interest in the link below and only passing this along as a fellow hi-fi user.

Here are the details from his site: http://www.gspaudio.co.uk/register.htm

voltz

Hey Greg

Glad your enjoying it and thanks for the review, I have to say my only complaint about the Graham Slee is it is so light like you said that cables can pull it off the table, you almost have to weigh it down. but SQ is really high!
tube rolling is fun but can be a pain too I actually offered Doc hardy a shot at listening to the Slee when he was trying out the "Bugle 2" he borrowed for some testing. so when I heard you talking about wanting to try some other preamps and knew this was a good opportunity for you to try another phono amp and give a review to the forum it works out for all of us! I knew you been really sick lately glad your feeling better. seems many like you & Dave & Skip have had a bout of it also but yours was the worst. and always feel free to use my name if you like.
Darryl

[Deleted User]

Thumbs up to Voltz.
I just tossed a telefunken in my Bellari 130 driving the Dynaco A25s.
Listening to Frank Zappa you are what you is. Smooth and deep.

dromunds

nbrowser: I purchased a Parasound zphono for a friend and was shocked at the bang for the buck.

voltz

^^^^
I agree too! was a excellent phono amp just to big for my setup. so i switched to a smaller Graham Slee, then to a Vincent Pho8.

[Deleted User]

breakin' in the telefunken w/ some ZZ top and I'm tellin' you, this don't sound bad. I don't use it as a headphone amp though.

voltz

I used 2 Black Diamond Telefunken with my headphono amp and they sounded excellent!