Phono preamp advice

EAR 834P.

Ear has been standard choice for a while sounds great and can gotten with a volume or without for a slightly better sound.One with Mitch Singerman mods is best.My buddy likes his PS Audio GCPH which allows for latter swapping carts (though EAR has fixed MM and MC points) but has phase,mono,and volume to help a really LO MC or drive straight into amp (like volume controlled EAR) if you think you might want to do that.Can be modded by a few outfits.Other than tube EAR and GCPH a used Whest 2.0.Might be a bit more but like Battery opperated Sutherland it might be your cup of tea as SS units.Tube EAR or a cheap $450 Jolida or a and Eastern Minimax get's good reviews.PS for flexibility and then tubes or SS you like.
Cheers
Chazz

Thanks for the responses. I am inclilned toward tube pre,so this quick pair of recommend's make the EAR is very strong candidate. Flexibility is also desirable, as I am thinking about geting an additional tt next year.
G