Inna,
Good luck with your journey! I really liked the LA-150MKII. Joule made an excellent preamp with built in phono, the LAP-150. Have you considered looking for one of these? Signature Sound is a good source for used Joule gear if you decide you still want Joule. If you buy from them, you can feel more comfortable about your purchase since they used to be dealers and still perform repairs.
Good luck with your journey! I really liked the LA-150MKII. Joule made an excellent preamp with built in phono, the LAP-150. Have you considered looking for one of these? Signature Sound is a good source for used Joule gear if you decide you still want Joule. If you buy from them, you can feel more comfortable about your purchase since they used to be dealers and still perform repairs.