Best Phono stage under $1200? Audiomat?

Try the Blue Circle BC23. A real neutral pre that has received many great reviews and is right in line with your $$ limit.

I upgraded from a Black Cube to an Audiomat Phono 1. The soundstage is better, and it passes much more low-level information. It's on an entirely different level from the Black Cube, but also very different. It is very detailed (though musical), and not very kind to imperfect or over-affected recordings. It is a solid state unit, but has more of a "tube" sound than the Cube. I'd say that the Audiomat is technically "better" than the cube, but the cube sounds much more immediate and dynamic. I have also had a bit of experience with a stock COunterpoint SA3000 preamp, and the Audiomat has a somewhat similar sound. I'd say a bit more refined sounding (and a bigger soundstage), but a modified SA3000 might be better.

It really comes down to personal preference. The Black Cube is great, but I'd probably recommend the cube for rock, pop, dance music, or anyone looking for a dynamic phono stage (and it costs almost half as much as the Audiomat). Any classical/jazz listeners looking for a phono stage in the $1000 range should consider an Audiomat.

For your information, the Camelot is connected with Mel
Shilling, famed audio dealer and enthusiast at one time
in California. He made a moving coil preamp during the
Seventies, which I still use, and it sounds great. He has
highly recommended the Camelot...available I believe through
a large mail order house...Knowing his ear and his reputation, you can probably rely on the Camelot as an
excellent pre-preamp for moving coils. Just don't use the
lowest output moving coils with it..I don't own one, but
plan to get one soon...

Electrocompaniet ECP-1 $995,MM and MC very musical its not a tweakers phono preamp but probably one of if not the best phono stages under $1200 I've tried McCormick, Audio Researh, Lehmann Black Cube.

At less than $650 new, this one is quite nice.