Valve phono or valve linestage?

It may take a while, but the only real way to know for sure is to listen to various combinations in your own system with YOUR source(s), YOUR amps and YOUR speakers.

Couldn't agree more Bp......but seeing most tube units I'm interested in are USA made....and usually 'Made to Order'.....and have no representation in Australia......I defy you to find Atmasphere, Vac or Aesthetix preamps to 'trial' at home?

That may be. I know Keith Herron, Herron Audio, has at least one dealer in Australia. He makes a top drawer tube phono stage that seems to integrate pretty well with either solid state or tube pre-amps. Likewise, he makes an excellent tube pre-amp. They are enormously good together especially with his [solid state] amps.

Maybe you could find his dealer and ask for a home audition.

Disclosure: All of my electronics (including my CD player) are built by Herron Audio. I am a VERY SATISFIED Herron Audio user and customer. I have not heard better.

I am a VERY SATISFIED Herron Audio user and customer

I appreciate that.
My requirements however call for balanced RCA inputs for phono as well as balanced connections between phono/pre and amps.
Very few manufacturers of tube gear provide XLR inputs for phono......but almost all of them at least provide for balanced outputs.
Herron provides neither.

Dear Halcro: +++++ " Halcro DM10 preamp comes the closest to matching the 'magic' of the Kebschull valves " ++++

maybe both are " wrong " even if fulfil your priorities.

Anyway, I think you need to contact directly to Ralph from Atmasphere.

regards and enjoy the music,
R.

Halcro - we have the same issue here in NZ. The last Aesthetix I saw here was sitting in at a workshop awaiting repair, for which Aesthetix wouldn't provide any circuit diagrams even to the official distributor here. So my advice is if you are spending a reasonable sum of money then talk directly to the manufacturer re servicing. If you cant audition why not buy a less expensive or older generation model second hand, run it off a step down transformer and then, if you like the result, then order a new one with correct voltage etc. The Atmasphere has the advantage of a fully balanced design that would interface well with the Halcro power amps.
Some folk here may be sceptical but my modded Marantz 7 has simply blown away my Jadis, Manley and Klyne System 7 preamps in speed and musical timing, so i'm very wary as you are of laying out huge money on a prayer.
You also need to decide if you want a full function preamp including phono or separates. Do you want MC stage stage, and if so, all tube or transformer or fet based.
Personal favourites that I've heard extensively here are the Air Tight ATC2 linestage preamp/ATM3 mono power amps and the EAR 549 200w mono power amps.