best phono stage under 10k

My demo Audiospecials Phonolab 1.0 is in Texas right now for a demo. Wanna hear it? What cart(s) are you using?

Since I have a commercial bias I will refrain from subjective comment. If you don't mind using a translator you can find a very thorough german magazine review including measurements on the manufacturer website...

Tubes are no more susceptible to RFI than solid state.  In fact, to the degree that SS components may operate across a very wide bandwidth, up into the hundreds of thousands of Hz, some SS devices might be worse than a similar tube device.  Immunity to RFI depends upon how and of what material the chassis is constructed, internal layout of parts, length of wires connecting up the circuit inside, and deliberate shielding of any other kind. 

lewn- totally agree with you, I bought a phono pream balanced audio technology and it was a headache for me, I could never remove the noise, I had zesto, ayre, parasound jc3, cary, I just want to buy something better, and keep it for a long time.
what phono preamp do you recommend?

That's why I said call Keith Herron. The Herron does have tubes but its not tubes that are the problem, the problem is RFI, most of which gets in somewhere along between the cartridge and the end where the phono leads connect to the phono stage. Somewhere along in there, more often than not.
I don't know that I'd say the Herron is particularly warm, but mine sure sounds awfully good. Don't discount it just for being so cheap either. If you can have $10k performance for $3k what's not to like?

Sax, go with a reputable company that has been around for a while. You like warm? Go for an Audio Research PH 9. You will never look back and will never need another phono amp.