Stand out phono stages

For anything under $5k, don't sneeze at an iFi iPhono. When properly run-in it sounds quite frankly unbelieveable (especially when cost is considered). Mike Fremer did not place this unit in his +$100K system with the MC Anna for nothing, he knows how good this piece sounds. I have it in my system now (along-side my PH77) with the Kuzma 4 Point and MC Anna. You would literally have to hear it to believe it.

Two words: Parasound JC3+.

My Audio Research SP20: $9000 is a full-function, line-plus-phono preamp. And offers a headphone output—the new SP20 is a pure class A and sounds better than any phono preamp I have heard to date.

All preamps are class A FWIW.

It's been some time,but I added a Lightspeed Attenuator and now run the Manley steelhead in fixed mode and just as a phono stage.

Much better, than running it in variable out into the amps.However doing so eliminates operating it in mono.

The phono stage really opens up and is cleaned up getting rid of the built in volume control.
It's a nice feature and I used it as a pre-amp also,but sonically the LSA is the way to go,even if I have to use a set of interconnects from the Manley to the LSA.

One other thing that I've found out about the Steelhead.
Run at 50 ohms for a Clearaudio Talisman v2,I get much better bass and sound than I did running the MC at the extreme other end the loading closest to Clearaudio specs.
I used to think that the often quoted 100 ohm was also better, but even lower really does the trick for me.

Truth told, Manley suggests you play around with the settings,nothing is written in stone.

Also, I did run the Clearaudio MC in the MM input,but prefer it in the MC loaded down to 50.

There's more full bodied sound this way, more to my liking, and no noise issues.

The Steelhead is a good phono/pre as is.
For me it's function is as a phono stage,and I think that's how it should be judged.