Phono gain stages are rather un-glamorous. But that's the point. This one trick pony simply accepts analog audio from your turntable's cartridge and amplifies it to a level that your main preamplifier can understand. What makes the BP-2 MM so special is that it can take such a minuscule signal--2mV or so and amplify it with so little distortion and so little added noise. If it weren't for the characteristic smoothness and organic sound of vinyl, you might swear you were listening to digital.