What's A Good Upgrade From A Manley Steelhead?

Interesting case @rooze : you are looking to improve what is already a v. good system, and within a specific budget limitation!

Given your reticence in modding the Steelhead (I wouldn't either), the Moon that Raul rmentioned seems like one of the best choices out there.

Phasemation makes excellent phonos, as does FM Acoustics and CH precision - but they are all much more expensive...

The Manley Steelhead is $12k. I think an upgrade should be 50-100% more in price, otherwise you’re just looking at different. At the price range you’re talking about, you might not get much of an upgrade, but maybe I’m wrong.

I used to own a Steelhead, and upgraded to a current based phono stage, the CH Precision P1, which is a significant upgrade in every aspect.

I’ll second @rauliruegas’s recommendation for the Moon 610LP. I have the Moon 310LP/320S combination and it is absolutely brilliant; I heard the 610LP recently and it is a very significant step up in SQ.

Lampizator’s phono is about $8000 ish and very very good

Why not forget about loading and go 

with a Sutherland Phono  Loco current/transimpedence phono stage?

At $8200 it’s right at your budget

i personally went through several voltage type phono stages

until I personally went with the Little Loco

This change was the single largest improvement I have ver experienced in gear changes /upgrades   To my vinyl front end playback.No longer do I need to worry a loading and this unit gives me the most accurate reproduction of the grooves that I have ever experienced. Also forget about hum because this design is dead quiet.

Good luck Willy-T