Is there a really great MM only solid state Phone Preamp?

Dear @dhcod : There are inside your budget. Here some alternatives, very good ones:

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis9ef0b-pass-labs-xono-phono

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis9c500-spectral-dmc-10-gamma-preamp-with-phono-input-solid-state

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis9ed89-ayre-acoustics-p-5xe-phono-preamp-silver-demo-low-hours-balanced-phono

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis9b158-parasound-jc-3-best-phono-value-phono

and you can look too for Simaudio Moon that is very good .

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

Check out the Liberty Audio B2B-1. Fremer liked it a lot (very dynamic, great bass), and Atkinson raved about it’s measured performance, including the amps’ very accurate RIAA tracking and its’ overload margin, the largest he has ever seen! I’m thinking of getting myself one. Liberty sells it direct-to-consumer for two grand, I believe.

JLTi phono stage is absolutely amazing for MM with optional loading for MM, if you will ask the designer to make custom change (for free) you will be able to use MM/MI not only with 47k Ohm loading, but with 100kOhm loading. 

There is also an MC input which is very nice. Also optional loading.  

It's very simple Solid State device using something that is called Diamond Transistor Theory, rarely used on High-End Audio products. The most simple and linear audio voltage amplification device is a Vacuum Triode which consists of three electrodes only. They are the Grid (input), Cathode (grounding) and Anode (output). On the other hand, the Solid State Transistor is a current device but is nowhere near as linear as the Triode. It consists of Base (input), Emitter (grounding) and Collector (output). The idea behind a Diamond Transistor is actually a composite circuit that emulates the near perfect and linear Transistor as a current device with the same three electrodes in the circuit then becomes the equivalent of the Base, Emitter and Collector followed by a Unity Gain Buffer. The JLTi Phono Stage is at once a very advanced concept and yet also elegant in its simplicity when executed properly. The Power Supply is pure Class A Constant Current “SuperReg” as developed by Vacuum State Electronics and now increasingly been copied in High-End Audio.

The JLTi Phono Stage is easy and straightforward in operation. It does not have any On/Off Switch and designed to be left permanently On. Only when away on holidays, it may be advisable to disconnect from the Mains Supply (same as with other electrical appliances).

https://store.acousticsounds.com/d/63885/Soundsmith-MMP3_Moving_Magnet_Phono_Preamp-Phono_Pre_Amps

Parasound JC3 Junior.

https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/parasound-jc-3-jr-phono-preamplifier/

Take a look at the phono stages by Lejonklou (Osage Audio carries them).  Lejonklou makes phono stages specifically dedicated to MM carts, and they have a very smooth, relaxing sound.  There's a review of their Gaio on Analog Planet.  

If you need adjustable eq curves take a look at graham see designs

Absolutely, like 'parrotbee69' says, the Graham Slee Phono Stages - both MM and MC are worth a serious look! Mr Fremer thought Graham Slee's Phono PreAmps were very natural sounding and with a quality of something much more expensive. I started off with the cheapest MM Model that he also sells as a Kit and it really surprised me how great my analog section really was. [Rega, Rotel amp, JBL spkrs] He also has Headphone Amps and Monoblock Amps that I can't wait to check out as there is also the 'Lending Library' - try before you buy. Well worth you ears! 

DogBox [Steve]