Looking for the best Preamp with a phono circuit built in

+1 croft pre ..... I had one made
with single volume pot .... but no remote just deliscious sound 

rich

Manual volume means the AI has two volume knobs, one for each L&R channel, so they are also the balance control. I used to have one and it quickly became second nature to turn them together.

Maybe, but some AI preamps have three knobs.  One is labeled as volume and the other two are labeled as left and right.  How does that work?

Maybe, but some AI preamps have three knobs. One is labeled as volume and the other two are labeled as left and right. How does that work?

Pretty well.

That's how our preamps are set up. The individual Gain Trim controls are used to set balance and overall gain. The Master control then makes adjusting the volume very easy.

All the AI Modulus preamps that I have owned (2B, 3A and 3B) have had a dual mono configuration, which included 2 separate volumes pots—one for each channel. So channel balance was adjusted by the two separate channel volume pots being at different levels. The other two large knobs on the Modulus 3, 3A and 3B are input selector and source/tape controls. The Modulus 2 handles those input and tape selections by a set of push buttons rather than rotary knob controls.

The simplicity yet pain of a two knob master volume control is adjusting the overall levels of output voltage to the amp(s) will require one to also maintain proper signal balance by adjusting both volume pots to a given level and then making slight micro adjustments to correct the balance if needed for a given environment. As shown below, this is alleviated by having two channel level trim pots under the control of a third “master” level volume control that maintains the relative levels set by the 2 channel trim pots as the overall volume level is increased.

Now the Modulus L1 through L3A units are line stage preamps lacking a phono stage circuit (hence these units have 2 tubes instead of 4 tubes found in the full preamps). These line stage preamps devote 2 knobs to control voltage signal levels to each channel (designated “left” and “right”) that act as a balance control when used in combination. Another knob, labeled “volume” is the master volume control for the outputs to the mains (1 and 2) as well as the headphone amp section built into this unit. I have this setup on my Juicy Music Blueberry Extreme full function preamp (2 channel trim pots and a master volume control pot). The other (4th) large knob on the AI L1-L3A line stage preamps is the input selector. The source/tape switching is handled by a set of push buttons, akin the the AI Modulus 2 series preamps.

(Note added in edit: This is a popular circuit design set up, as Ralph explained above for his preamps.)