Care to recommend a preamp?

I can't offer much as my pre is a Lamm LL2, wonderful but without phono section. At the time I was shopping for a preamp, though, I was considering McIntosh C220, and I thought the Lamm outperformed it by a wide margin soundwise even with a Mc tube amp (I own). Mc is higher in the list regarding ergonomics, but lower on sound quality, I think.

The situation might be similar with some other recommendations you are getting. CAT, Atmasphere, Joule, Hovland likely focus on sound more than ergonomics. My final 2 were the Lamm and First Sound Presence, but that one doesn't have a phono section either.

Doge 8 Clarity. Make sure it's the Clarity version.
Has remote, great sound, great phono section. Must replace tubes with good NOS stuff to get best sound.
This preamp easily bettered all of my previous tube preamps - VTL 2.5, Bill Baker modded Ming Da, TAD 150 Signature, Audibile Illusions Modulus 3. Really hard to exceed this performance for the price. The Clarity version has a true tube phono section and accommodates MC carts or MM carts.

When I replaced my VK 31SE with the MP 3 the veil was lifted. My Soundlabs A 3's opened up. I had a pair of VK 55's paired with the atma-sphere. I suppose, synergy comes into play ..... Once again, many updates have been instituted since the 31 was introduced. The MP 3 remains an Editors Choice.

I am selling a deHavilland Ultraverve 3. Should crush the competition.

Tube Audio Design 150 Sig well below your budget but you would never know it.