Been breaking in my new Eros 2 that I built for my office setup. Pretty stock except the Jupiter Condenser Copper Foil caps for output. Not as transparent as ODAM VCAPs, but I like the tone and how music "feels" through these caps a bit better.
I am really loving my Eros. My only frame of reference for phono stages at this price point are also kits: SunValley SV-EQ1616D and the Tubes4Hifi PH16. I no longer own the PH16, so my impressions are strictly from memory. Also, keep in my that the comparisons are not entirely fair as I use different cartridges for all three.
The SunValley has a sound that immediately leaps at you with it's very vivid and energetic sound. I actually had to work to tame this a bit to suite my tastes, but it is very engaging. The PH16 (as I recall) had a great midrange nice weight/body and a slightly relaxed presentation. The Eros, for me, didn't immediately leap out at me with anything in particular except that I noticed that it had a very quite background. Then, as I started listening more, I started hearing how clear and open the sound was. Instruments moved with grace and ease, the bass was sweet and punchy and vocals were holographically real. The quality of the sound snuck up on me, much like a fine whiskey that I didn't have the pallet to appreciate right away. I find myself wanting stay in the office more just to hear. Not just because I want to hear how "good" it sounds, but because it quickly lets me forget about the phono stage altogether and gets me engaged in my music.
In short, your budget/time/skill permitting, it's totally worth the price of admission.
