Phonostage Advice

I certainly hope so, or I've wasted a bunch of money.  I don't think I ever tried the phono stage in my LS100.  I have a Manley Chinook and Musical Surroundings Nova Phonomena that I use with my LS100.  Both offer a lot more loading and gain options and don't require opening up the LS 100 to make changes, although you do have to open the Chinook to make gain changes.  Someone has a Nova Phonomena listed for $450 here on Audiogon.  It's very quiet and very neutral and detailed.  You can find used Chinooks for around your budget from time to time if you prefer the tube sound.  The Phonomena will have a lower noise floor and is a bargain used.

wow looks to be unanimous. I do have a buddy locally with a JC3 and an EAR to compare to mine. Thank you so much for your recommendations.
Interesting I have a M&K Realtime LP and when I play it, it appears to be clipping. I thought the singer was over driving the Mic. Could it be my Pre??

Let us know how the comparison goes.  

I had a JC3+ and it didn't impress me YMMV 

Interesting I have a M&K Realtime LP and when I play it, it appears to be clipping. I thought the singer was over driving the Mic. Could it be my Pre??

I had a friend over one time swore Holly Cole was overdriving the mic. Or tape. Whatever. Point is he wouldn't believe me when I told him no way. In order for that to be the case the recording engineer, and mastering engineer, and producer, would all have to be incompetent, and on top of that using crap equipment. Not to mention the performer, who most certainly heard it too. And they all let it pass? Not likely. Being honest I told him its almost certainly some combination of room resonance and equipment I haven't got dialed in just yet. 

Fast forward several months, bunch of room tuning, few different components, and tweaks, play the same track and its gone. Just totally gone.

I have no idea what you're hearing, but it ain't the mic.