Audio Research PH2

I'm the original owner of this ARC PH2 phono preamp, introduced in 1993 at a price of $2495. It's a fully balanced in to out device and has no RCA in or out jacks. Using RCA to XLR adapters is possible, but the conventional wisdom was/is that the PH2's high level of performance was compromised by this maneuver. With 48dB of fixed gain, the PH2 works well with medium to high output moving coil cartridges—I've had excellent results with a Sumiko Blue Point Special EVO II in recent years. The input impedance is 47K ohms; changing the cartridge loading requires you to be handy with a soldering iron, but this dissuaded very few who love the sound of this unit, not when it was new and not now, in the product's career as a highly sought-after quasi-vintage component.

Serial number 43258006. The case is in excellent shape. The on/off toggle switch is a little askew (which is what gets the unit my "7" condition rating) but it's just a cosmetic peculiarity—it works fine.