best phono preamp for Art Audio Symphony II?

If that is your budget. Go passive preamp or use the built in Volume control. I would go for the optional higher grade volume that Art offers. you must spend more on a pre-amp than that to be as good as passive. I used to have a placette passive ($1000) and it was a toss up of which was better comparing it to my Hovland HP-100 ($5000)for line stage. I sold the Hovland. That was three years ago now and things have changed, many more dollars spent.

Spend your whole budget on the best phono you can get. Yes I have heard the Art is a good choise for the money.
Steve.

I have have the gram Slee Era Gold mkV -> S&B TVC -> Art Audio PX-25, it is a pretty amazing setup. Dynamic as all get-out.

But, I have also been wavering about switching to an Art Audio Vinyl One. The PX-25 and their other amps are so good, I'd expect the synergy with the Vinyl One would be incredible.

Of course, a more fair comparison would be the new $1,800 GS Reflex and Vinyl One.

George Wright makes incredible tubed gear. All his stuff is designed to work with 100+dB horns, so they are incredibly quite. You really can't go wrong with your choices, but I'd go for a used AA Vinyl One if it was me.

I have the Art Audio Vinyl One into Naim 552 then AA Concerto.
It sounds so good I have sold my Naim 500.

You can drop the 552 if you have a volume control.

The AA V1 is highly recommended.

Charles

I use Sonic Frontiers SFP-1 phono stage with Denon 103R with my Art Symphony II with volume control. The music sounds natural and relax. When I like better sound stage and focus, I used my Sonic Frontiers SFL-2 preamp with the amp.