I recently picked up a Jolida JD 9A phono stage to replace a Cambridge 640P. The Jolida is very adjustable, with three dual banks of DIP switches to control gain, resistance, and capacitance. It even has two different output levels.
I have a Denon DL160 that I put aside after I got my Audio Technica AT150MLX. With the Jolida I trotted it back out and dialed in the Jolida's gain, capacitance, and resistance what I thought was a good match. It sounded much improved over its sound through the Cambridge. It still doesn't extract all the ambience and detail of the AT150MLX, but it's much closer and it had a very detailed and dynamic, yet relaxed sound through the Jolida. If I played with the DIP switch settings a bit it might get even better. The list price on the Jolida is $450 but you can probably get it for a bit less than that.
It can be tuned up to a higher level of performance for very little money--swap in the Mullard 12axy reissues, put on some Herbie's HAL-O's tube dampers, some damping mat'l on the top cover, and some vibration absorbing footers. I was fortunate enough to have some Sylvania NOS 5751's to substitute for the stock 12ax7s. They are insanely quiet and buttery smooth.
I have a Denon DL160 that I put aside after I got my Audio Technica AT150MLX. With the Jolida I trotted it back out and dialed in the Jolida's gain, capacitance, and resistance what I thought was a good match. It sounded much improved over its sound through the Cambridge. It still doesn't extract all the ambience and detail of the AT150MLX, but it's much closer and it had a very detailed and dynamic, yet relaxed sound through the Jolida. If I played with the DIP switch settings a bit it might get even better. The list price on the Jolida is $450 but you can probably get it for a bit less than that.
It can be tuned up to a higher level of performance for very little money--swap in the Mullard 12axy reissues, put on some Herbie's HAL-O's tube dampers, some damping mat'l on the top cover, and some vibration absorbing footers. I was fortunate enough to have some Sylvania NOS 5751's to substitute for the stock 12ax7s. They are insanely quiet and buttery smooth.