[Kokatha man]

Thanks for everyone's input fellas - I'd already made my mind up before I logged on this evening: and the winner was.......Vixen LVW 17mm!

My rationale was ultimately summed up by Astro78's comment (to an oldie like me your nickname sounds like some sort of fusion between really old vinyls with new-age tech there Trav!) but JB's posts weren't at variance with this view - he was just making an in-depth assessment/appraisal factoring price relativity into the equation.

But seeing that I'm only in the market to purchase 1 ep, and being the compulsive-obsessive I am, I've chosen the Vixen: this with the Nagler 11mm and TV 2x will give me what I consider a good "spread" of powers through(approx) 70x - 110x - 140/150x - 220x with both scopes: I'll use the GSO 2" 26mm wide view for any initial slewing around/"scoping out." Being able to "plug" the Vixen into the 2" socket as the next mag up before going to the inch & a 1/4 adaptor for the Nagler and the barlowed powers also fits with my ob/comp disorder! (though the Baader most probably has this feature too.....)

Meaning I'll have a few chinese plossls to "retire." (you know, the *** ones; or should I re-phrase that for an upcoming trader ad!!!)

Thanks once again for all the input, cheers, Darryl.