“Classic” phono stages 2007-20013?

OP- If you're in the market for a new phono stage, I would look for an oldie that has a pedigree, negotiate the best price and bring it straight to a modifier that has a great reputation. Then, you can get great satisfaction by beating the system. The final mod on my EAR834P was by a true genius- and I don't use that word lightly. His work makes the item surpass the specs and aural quality of the original factory product. He even modifies cartridges with a pair of surgeon's magnifying binoculars.
  My friend reps a company whose phono stages are in the 16-19K range  and are absolutely worth it. One day maybe, but until then... 

The Michell iso was a pretty early one in the UK, if not the first, some time around 1990 I think. I knew its designer, Tom Evans, at the time and have an early example of the production circuitboard in a generic box. I used it until around ten years ago when I replaced it with a Naim superline. 

I recall Allen Wright’s JLTi and Carlos Candeias Aqvox 2Ci. Both very good pieces punching well above their admission prices.

Overall the time span probably isn’t that tight. Perhaps the better way to phrase the question would have been “older phono stages”. My analog gear is from that era, and it might be cool to find a top notch piece from that time... see how it matches up. Unfortunately, many of the ARC pieces don’t have enough gain for a low MC. So my choices are find a cool piece MM/MC or MM with a SUT. That just adds another cable set etc. in an already challenging ground situation, another set of cables is something I would prefer to avoid. Currently I’m running a Moon 5.3 SS. Not at all unhappy with it. But then, I really haven’t heard many phono stages at this point. Never heard a tube stage though, and I’m thinking about giving one a shot. Thus the question... 

Mid 1980s. Croft Micro. £150.