Any good reasons to use transistor phono stage and line level preamp instead of tube ?


Besides lower noise and no need to hunt for particular NOS tubes. 
inna
But at the highest level, what can compete with tubes, Gryphon/FM Acoustics and other Swiss ? Who else ?
I'm in the middle of a amp test drive at the moment. The test is not to choose between tubes or SS. I am a fan of both but tend more to favour tubes. I agree with some of you in here that you today can voice a tube amp to sound as a SS and the other way around.
inna: I have a Kinki Studio EX-M1 integrated for test - this is a SS that compete with several amps priced to cost many many times more. I'm impressed of what this amp deliver or rather do not deliver - because it is pretty hard to define it's signature sound other than neutral. I know that they have a preamp to that use a lot of the same technology and some extra features.......this amp or pre amp could be the answer to your question. Rgs M

I had been using an Audio Research phonoamp and was reasonably happy with the open airy vibrant appeal of tubes. Now I have always used Klipsh Cornwall’s and  have never been left wanting. Until a friend was upgrading his system and he had offered me a loan of his Plinius 14 phono. I was very impressed specially in bass response, needless say I am still using it on a permanent basis. Now I do have a tube pre amp that the Plinius is connected to. The bass region is just great with just as much openness and staging.
I have tube monoblocks and a tube preamp (Conrad Johnson), but went for a solid state phono stage (Pass Labs XP-15).  For me, it strikes the best balance of price/performance and gives me a sound that I really like.  Space is a bit of a consideration, along with limiting the number of tubes I need to stock or worry about getting.  But, I have had my CJ tube gear for a year and a half, and have only had to change a couple of KT120's along the way.  I have found the CJ amps and preamp to be very easy on tubes, and I have at least 500 hours on the gear by now.

Happy searching, matching and listening.