[Fletcher]

I've found that I like the Earlybird 2.0 a little more than the 2.2... having the additional filter frequencies makes more of a difference to me than having the switchable EQ points... may just be a "personal preference" thing [the 2.2 is also very excellent... I just happen to prefer the 2.0].

The TG-2 is a great pre... gets used on over 1/2 our sessions!!

I don't think you can ever go wrong with a VM-1... Brauner stuff is great.

Now... that said... I have no idea of your music or your goals. My comments are based entirely on my experience which I'm sure will vary greatly from your experiences. You might want to consider getting a bunch of this stuff in your place and decide on which will best suit your sense of aesthetic via actual use as opposed to some random opinions from people you don't know, whose work you've never heard, on some website.

Peace.