Looking for the best Preamp with a phono circuit built in

Agree with celander.  The Audible Illusions have a very good phono section.  I had a 2D for 18 years and a 3A w/ John Curl MC phono section for 5 years.  23 years of AI enjoyment.  I finally decided to go all out and do the preamp, and separate phono preamp.  It's been very tough to find a phono preamp that could equal my TRL DUDE preamp in sound.  I'm on my 5th try with the phono pre.  The AI's are VERY reliable if you stick with AI's best matched set of tubes.  I only had to change tube sets 2 times in the 18 years and none in the 5 years of the 3A.  The latest Audible Illusions 3B is supposed to even sound better compared to a 3A as the 3A did compared to a 2D.  If you go used, the AI 3B will be around $2500-2700 for MM phono.  Add about $600 for the John Curl phono section.  Not many 3B's are showing up used, maybe one per 6 months.  The 3A's will appear used once a month or so.

Bob

Get an older Counterpoint and upgrade the parts.  Just as good or if not better than anything mentioned above.

Here's the problem with the CAT, to find one in your general price range it will be pretty old.

I owned an Audible Illusions for a couple years before opening a dealership in NYC almost 20 years ago. I just accidentally stumbled on a factory refurbed #A WITH THE JOHN CURL BOARDS in Silver on Galen Carol in Dallas site https://www.gcaudio.com/products/category/amplifier-preamplifier-tube/.

Superior product. The price of the one they have is $1900.  You won't get more for your money in the price range you're looking at and you'll have some money left over.

This way you get a product from a reputable company and a long-in-business and very reputable dealer. They are built very solidly, can do MM or MC--never a MM fan here but you may be and you have your choice here. External power supply as well, an added benefit.

Run, don;'t walk for this one.  The only caveat if it means anything to you is manual volume adjustment.  Much less distortion is the benefit.

And to the guy who said that separate phono pre's are a an insult because you will require an extra cable...just because you are cheap doesn't mean that you know what you're talking about. There can be a massive benefit and few manufactures know how to incorporate well. AI is one of them.

I currently own a McIntosh C220 tube pre amp that I bought for 2,500 used.  It fits my ears and system well.

And you can always get your money back out of it as one side benefit of McIntosh is how most of their gear holds its value over time.

Dobnbav,

How does the manual volume adjustment operate?