$1000-1500 range for phono preamp... what to buy?

for just $100 more (I'm sure you can get some discount from their dealers) you should go for Gold Note PH-10 phonostage....plenty of reviews out there

Used Manley Chinook

I called Keith Herron to inquire about the discontinued VTPH-1mm (mm for moving magnet), and he happened to have one in Mint condition to sell (a trade-in, perhaps). Keith optimized the phono amp for my cartridges (lowest possible gain for my very high output London's, capacitance and resistance), installed new tubes (and sent along a couple of extras for an additional 2dB of gain), and performed a few upgrades (the majority of the VTPH-1 to VTPH-2 improvements were to the mc version, the VTPH-1mm and VTPH-2mm being very similar). Keith sold it to me at a great price (right in the center of your budget, Justin), and sent it to me in a new shipping carton, with a full warrantee. I couldn't be more satisfied!

Try to find a used Herron Audio VTPH-1.  You will NOT find anything close for less than $3000 used except a used Herron VTPH-2, if you can find one.

Awesome suggestions thank you. If I can find one a used chinook is pretty appealing. Second option would be a new Croft Phono stage.

Croft is great sounding gear, absolutely lousy support in USA for product needing repair...I have a rare 7 tube one chassis RS w challenges....

Musical Surroundings battery powered NOVA II is fantastic SS

+1 on Chinook and JC3

In that range I only have 2 brands on my list:  Manley and AR

This Croft Acoustics  tube phono would be a nice match with that HO DV 20X2!
https://store.acousticsounds.com/d/88039/Croft_Acoustics-Croft_RIAA_Phono_Preamp-Phono_Pre_Amps

Parasound JC3 JR awesome for the price better if you buy the one I have for 1K

I'm running a Heed Quasar with a Dynavector xx2.  New it comes in a bit under your budget at $1200.

There's a Parasound JC-3 available on this site for $1495. A real good deal!

hagerman Cornet III