Whats on your turntable tonight?

@grey9hound I don’t have as much experience with equipment as the rest of the members here, but I can tell you I absolutely love my Phono Stage.  It’s an EAR 834p.  It has an impeccable pedigree. It’s a tube-based circuit with a beautiful liquid and golden sound.  It’s in your price range and I know you love tubes, so....    you can read a lot about it around the inter webs.   I got one because it was used by a music friend who I very much respect and who has owned quarter million dollar systems in the past but became more focused on music and value.   I’m extremely pleased with it.  

Butterworth
A Shropshire Lad

Fleetwood Mac - Rumours, 45 RPM 

@grey9hound no hijack, we keep things mostly focused on music and discuss everything but always returning to our mutual love of music....no worries from my perspective....i also am of a fan of EAR as James and Eric run them, i agree glorious warm tube tone color without being syrup overdone. I have a Herron which is $3 k new but can be found a version back right at your price point. it ( so far for me and many others ) does not reward nos tube rolling. I stop short of calling it a giant killer but it is competitive into the $6 k range. it is no Lamm or ARC ref. It is taunt, lyrical and uncolored. image depth is quite good. My other tube phono is really 2 a Music Reference RM-4 head amp paired w single chassis Croft RIAA-RS, bit warmer presentation, more tube glow and does reward tube rolling, running 1960 rca clear tops , Mullards, and in the RM-4 some cryo Russian rockets.
how much gain do ya need ?enjoy the journey.
jim

Train - Drops of Jupiter ( server )