just wondering how you guys get equipment for review. i'm just a small personal project studio and i'm thinking my only option is to go out and buy each unit i'm thinking about (making sure wherever I buy from has a good return policy) and returning what I don't like. ideally, i'd like to get 2 or 3 mic preamp's for example (for a couple days) and compare them, but i don't have the money to buy 2 or 3 units at once.

what does everyone else do? do you guys have 'contacts' with local distributors, retailers?

- neil