A bit of an oddity, this. If like me you were a spotty hi-fi mad teenager in the late 60s or early 70s, one of the staple products you would have lusted after was the Goldring G800, and along side it in every Goldring ad in Hi-Fi news or Hi-Fi Answers would be the Goldring Lenco VV7 phono pre-amp, designed to update the crystal input on your gramophone to accept a more up-market magnetic cartridge. It’s actually designed to fit under the chassis of a Lenco GL75.

I was given this a few years ago but I’ve never tried it, so I’ve no idea what it sounds like, or even if it works. I would suggest that it needs someone who knows how to revive ancient solid-state gear that hasn’t been used for decades! It’s a nice bit of history and there are people out there who believe that germanium transistors have their own special magic!

£20, p&p £5.