LCR phono stages we know about

LCR phono stages implement the RIAA equalization using passive components (inductors (L), Capacitors, and Resistors) between the active gain stages, in much the same manner as a loudspeaker crossover, instead of doing the equalization within an active stage. Some preamps use both techniques, one for the bass boost, and another for the treble attenuation.

That's not quite correct or at least possibly confusing as written, Sqlsavior.
LCR vs RC has nothing to do with active vs passive RIAA. Either technique can be implemented in a passive RIAA filter. It's just a matter of how the filter is created, with inductors in series with the signal vs with Rs and Cs in series/parallel.

Not all RC RIAA phono pre's place a large value resistor in series with the signal. I have a fully differential phono pre designed by Kevin Carter of K&K Audio that does not. The large value resistors (and caps for that matter) are all shunt connected, not series. In its first incarnation this was not the case. This will get a little technical here but bear with me. The input stage consists of a pair of vacuum tube/JFET (now MOSFET) cascodes. In the original design the tubes had plate loads and the plates were direct coupled though 33K resistors to the grids of the driver tube (the series connection). With a later redesign the plate load resistors were replaced with Constant Current Sources (cascoded MOSFETs). This required changing the 33K resistors from a series connection to a shunt connection (from the plate to ground) leaving just a 10 Ohm grid stopper in the signal path.

What does all this mean for the sonics? A way more dynamic sound, macro and micro. A much better sense of touch. It brings closer the sense of real music being plaid by real musicians. I heard this change with everything else in my system the same. So I can say without reservation that removing that large series resistor makes for a big difference.

BTW, Kevin's latest generation of his single ended parallel feed phono pre the Maxed Out uses this same arrangement. You don't have to opt for a LCR design to reap these benefits.

John, I am very familiar with your association to K&K. I agree they make very fine products. However, what has any of that got to do with the price of eggs or the topic of this thread? I guess I can be faulted for not having catalogued every possible way of designing an RC RIAA network. For example, you did not mention that it's also possible to use a capacitor as the first element in an RC RIAA, tapped in series off the plate of the input voltage amplifier, instead of a resistor. Nor did I wish to turn this thread into a debate about the relative merits of each type of RIAA filter. I just want to know more about LCR type phono stages that are already out there as commercial products, and how they sound in comparison to other good phono stages.

"I would also like to hear from anyone who has actually listened to any LCR type phono"
I have listened to the Ypsilon (driven by a Lyra, on a Yorke parallel arm, S Yorke 10 TT). Mind you, I just heard it: I never had it at home.

Well, it is very detailed and gives the feeling of not adding or doing anything to the sound. Strange because it has a tube somewhere in the circuit, caps & inductors -- bu that's the impression it conveys. In other words, as if it's not in the system at all.
Sonic result: The details are most noteworthy: there is detail even within what may sound like a dynamic crescendo with another phono (say, the big Pass or the small FM acoustics). Typically, you will listen at high volume, the music is magical. I don;t know if the Y's dynamics are equal to other top phonos (or worse or better) -- I couldn't really tell.

Unfortunately, I'm nowhere near being able to afford $26k for aphono -- or anything else for that matter!