Best Full-Function Preamplifier

You might be able to find a used Convergent SL-1 in your price range.  Best preamp I know of by a good margin.

For that price I can build you a customer point-to-point wired preamp.  Way better that any suggestions you will get here.

Happy Listening.

Mola Mola Makua and you can get it also with the Tambaqui onboard.

Robert Grodinsky Research RGR 4 ($660 - no longer in production). Particular attention was paid to the design of the phono stage. Back in the day TAS gave it a very positive review! Since I am invested in LP’S I own and use this preamp.

Typically a really high quality preamp will not have a Phonostage. My favorite preamp in your price range is an Audio Research Reference 6SE… at $17K. Their equivalent Phonostage is $17K.

Separating the Phonostage completely from the preamp has the advantage of separating the very low signal amplification of the phono signal from the noisy environment of the preamp. The Audio research products are uniquely musical and detailed, with excellent mid-range bloom. This combination makes them extremely good to center your system around. You get the best of both worlds: musicality and detail.

I would always concentrate on the very best preamp I could get, then the very best Phonostage. So, my strategy given your budget would look for a used Audio Research Reference 5SE preamp and a used Audio Research Reference 3 phonostage (or Ref 2). I would adjust the exact preamp and Phonostage to match your budget. The sequence for rhe Reference products is, for instance Ref 5, Ref 5SE, Ref 6, Ref 6SE. Same for the Phonostage.