phono preamp with volume?

I have been using my Blue Circle 707 with an Audio Synthesis passive preamp and it works fine. Line stages have their pluses and minuses but you will get a higher level of performance cheaper with passive IF THE REST OF YOUR SYSTEM IS COMPATIBLE WITH IT. It helps to have an amp with reasonably high sensitivity and check the impedance of the units and keep the cables short. The Creek 22 passive is about $500 and it will compete with active preamps 10x the price in a system compatible with it.

great advise from everyone. learned about some interesting products i didn't know were out there. i think trying a passive pre might be the way to go since a phono pre with volume probably just adds one of them. not limited in my premap choice if using a good passive. might just have to buy one one a listen for myself! thanks....

Another passive option
http://www.placetteaudio.com/passive_line.htm

I would go with a real preamp. WIth tubes and with gain.. Adds a lot to the music.

Our preamps were designed as stand-alone phono reproducers. The line stage provides that last bit of gain to drive an amplifier to full output, but the big deal is that it is also designed to be able to control the interconnect, which (IMO) is an essential function.

By 'control the interconnect', I mean that when the interconnect is controlled, you will no longer hear differences between cables!