Tone control, on top of RIAA re-equalization, is a must for 78’s. I have a Foz SS-Ex (gives bass boost) and a Transcendent Sound Fixer (Tube kit - high and low tone controls) both on a tape loop so they can be bypassed for ‘critical listening’. Not that pre-amps with a tape loop are that common either - but it might be an option to consider.
Any High End Tube Preamps with *gasp tone controls?
After dropping in a vintage Scott 222C into my system while my amp was out for repair I'm really missing the tone controls now that my amplifier is back. It seems sacrilegious but I just can't get the bass where I want it without a bit of boost plus I'm sure my hearing is changing as I get older so why not be flexible... even if it results in me being thrown out of the audiophile club.