If you like a warm tubed phono stage, I prefer $1200 Hagerman Trumpet MC over ~$3K phonos like Rogue Ares Magnum and Herron VTPH-2A (though the Herron will be the better match for a darker system). It's flexible enough to match any MM or MC cartridge. I've run it with $230 Ortofon 2M Blue all the way to Koetsu Coralstone Diamond, and have always been pleasantly surprised at the results. The best I've heard my Benz LPS (still, to this day) is on this cheap little phono stage. It hangs better with the ~ $15K phono stages than it has any right to (mainly ceding in a bit higher noise floor at the highest MC gain, but NEVER any hum thankfully).
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