budget tube preamp dilema


hey guys, i am having a hard time choosing what to buy and will have a lil tax money to buy a budget tube preamp to replace my p.o.s dynaco pat4, my problem is my only source for know is a rega p2 w/shure m97x cartridge i have a nad pp2 phono pre into the dynaco out to a b&k st202 into vandersteen 2c1 via kimber 8tc biamped w audioquest g snake interconnects ,it is sweet but i need to try a tube pre
i would love to get a rogue metis but really cant afford more than $500-600 max, i am thinking about just buying a bellari vp129 for $200 but there is no expandability,there are a lot of three input linelevel tube preamps out there but i would have to use the nad pp2, and eventually i plan on adding a tuner & cd player as money allows but can only buy 1 piece at a time (moneys tight!)
what should i do? are there any other tube preamps w/ a phonostage and 2 line inputs i should consider?
thanks in advance!
analogfreeek

Showing 2 responses by photon46

There's a newly listed Music Reference RM5II that is listed @ $550 here on the 'Gon. You'll not find a sweeter sounding, more reliable, easy to maintain tube amp with a phono section for about $500 than that one. I've had one for over five years and it's an excellent preamp for the small price of admission. The RM5 was in production with minor alterations for over twenty years, a classic if ever there was one.
Don't know about the Cambridge 640 vis a vis the CJ's & Dynaco Elevick mentions. I owned a Cambridge 640 preamp at the same time I owned the Music Reference. The Music Reference RM5 performs at a much higher level of musical competency & fidelity than the Cambridge. Not to dis the Cambridge, it's a fine performer for a modest sum. It's just not playing in the same league as the Music Reference.