Vintage preamps with stellar phono section.....

With some luck on pricing, an older Audible Illusions preamp.

add conrad johnson pf1 and pf2 solid staters to the list. I have seen pf1s in that price range. The pf2 also came in just a line stage only so finding a phono unit may be hard and I am not sure about price used.

I still have a pf1 in use using phono in the lower level. When I got back into vinyl a few years ago it uas paired with a Hagerman step-up (quality unit) for a low output ZYX - .24mv. It was an ear-openinng experience.

TD

i have not listened in a while but if you mean vintage in the way i do, you may want to try a fisher 400C or C2X, i recall a real nice and fuzzy phono on them.

I cant verify but my pilot 216a also had a nice phono section.

The AI modulus has been reccomended for as long as ive been an audiophile. That says alot