What? You mean that there are still amps NOT built in China?
Seriously, a lot of very good circuits are now in the public domain and it's many of those circuits that the Chinese use. The Shure M65 phono preamp is excellent and will run you about $500 or so on EBay. But you can get a Chinese clone for about $150 fully assembled and less if you're willing to build a kit. Tubes make a HUGE difference in sound, so if you get a cheap Chinese tube amp, plan on trying other tubes.