Suggestions for Phono Preamp

I know you're not looking for a receiver, but hear me out and ignore my gushing over the receiver features.

This is going to sound weird, but two of the very best-sounding MM/MC phono preamps I've ever heard in my relatively long life are in the ~1990 Nakamichi SR-2A, 3A, or 4A receivers. Incredible-sounding units back when Nakamichi were at the top of their game, and all their best stuff was still being manufactured in Japan, so they're built like tanks to last. I've owned the 2A through the 4A, and the 4A is my favorite receiver of all time. It doesn't get as much attention as the pretty, silver-faceplated Sansui, Marantz, and Pioneer vintage receivers, but due to its Nelson Pass-designed amp circuitry and the phono pre, it bests them, imo.

You can pick up a used 2A for less than $200, 3A for $300, and they're both worth it just for the phono preamp; and then some. A 4A will go for between $300 and $1500. The 3A and 4A have the exact same MC/MM phono pre, the 2A only has the MM version, but if you don't need MC, it's the same, and sounds beautiful.

All the pres sound stunning, with a high frequency extension that is so detailed and airy, but smooth as silk, with zero harshness. SNR is excellent and quiet passages sound like they emanate from a velvety-black void. Dynamics are punchy, and the subsonic filter is very effective without coloring the sound at all. The tone controls are worth mentioning too; they're the best I've heard on any receiver, period. And I love the loudness button on the lower models, but the 4A has a variable loudness control, and it's great when you want to listen at lower volumes with low lows and brilliant highs.

The 4A has a preamp in//out which comes in handy, and the 3A/4A both have useful internal routing, so if you want to use your own receiver, you can still connect your turntable to them just for the phono pre, then use one of a few different stereo outputs to feed into your receiver of choice. I've done it, but I always went back to the 3A or 4A because I think they sound better to me.

I use the Project Tube DS2. It sounds amazing. I would put it on your short list.

I wouldn't really trust anything without dip switches, unless it's implemented as dials but that's way more expensive.

Gold Note. I have the PH-10 and PSU-10. 

@quiddy I know about Nakamichis. I have a Nakamichi TA-4A amp. I've moved to tube amps and my issue are as follows: I bought a used LTA Z40+ integrated with the phono stage and the SUT which I believed was going to be my endgame amp. However, my secondary system has Nola Boxer 3SE speakers which begged for tubes so I thought I would get a tube amp for them. Right now, my TT is in my secondary system as my primary system is in my home office and there is no place for the TT until I retire (which I'm in the process of doing). When I retire, the TT goes to my primary speakers, Spatial Audio Lab X5s. I got the Don Sachs Valhalla amp because of all of the ranting and raving about how good it is and yes it lives up to the hype. So now the Valhalla is with my primary speakers and the LTA is with the TT and the bookshelf Nolas. So now, with the TT to go to the office/man cave area, I'll need the phono preamp for the Valhalla. 

I've done dipswitches before and I'm not afraid of them but they are inconvenient and take time to adjust. Unless the difference in sound is night and day, audio memory doesn't last that long and comparing settings when you have to take 15 minutes to change the settings on something isn't going to give you a really good idea of whether setting changes do anything. 

It's going to be a while before I'm fully retired as I can't do so until I'm completely done with my clients but the workload is smaller and smaller. There have been a few interesting suggestions but I also chuckle at the number of times that there are threads like this where the OP sets parameters and the advice the OP gets completely goes outside of the parameters. However, I do appreciate suggestions and will continue to look at them as there seems to be a lot of makes and models of phono preamps.