Phono Preamp

^ precisely; I prefer not to be using tubes in audio gear.  A 2500 watt transmitter is fine with low fidelity SSB or CW signals which are only dealing with a frequency range of 300 to 2000 hz; fidelity really isn't an issue.
Years ago when I had a really nice Fischer receiver which ran all tubes, it was nice to turn it on, wait for the warm up and then listen.  But I just prefer the modern low noise solid state devices today.  

It is precisely devices like preamps, DACs, etc in which small signal tubes are used that have no downside when compared to similar S.S. components. With tube amps things get a bit more complicated. 

Can't make a statement about a phono-pre without knowing the cartridge your using.

2channel8"Can't make a statement about a phono-pre without knowing the cartridge your using"

That is a silly response the best preamps for Music Reproduction Systems are versatile enough to successfully and faithfully accommodate a variety of phono cartridges after all if you thoroughly consider the matter most listenwrs will own they're phono preamp for many years as they're phono cartridges wear out and are replaced with new cartridges yes a phono preamp and cartridge do need to be matched but I would always suggest and recommend that the preamp be purchased first.

For $500, I bought a used EAR 834P a few years ago from someone who didn’t realize that its sub par performance was do to internal problems,which made him sell it. It had been modified by using a separate power supply, which is a good thing but what really made it great was to send the unit to Walt D’Ascenzo, a brilliant audio modifier in Baltimore.
His audio philosophy, of which everyone should remind themselves, is that the holy grail of audio is the "absolute sound", which is live music. That must be the audiophile’s standard, and that requires going out to live musical concerts, whether it’s classical, jazz, rock, Tibetan, or whatever, this attunes your ear to what’s real. It’ll make the search for the perfect system much easier, but ironically harder to achieve.