Solid State Preamp w/ PHono and with tube sound

Well, I can highly recommend the Ayre K-1XE preamp.
It has very good (albeit optional) phono boards, and an optional remote as well. (The remote will control the volume and muting only.) The used price is around $4,000-4,500 used. New it is $8,600.

While I don't think I would say it is tube sounding, I will say it is not really solid state sounding either. It is very, very neutral, not really having any sonic effect on the sound at all. It is a very musical preamp, (great soundstage and imaging), and if you check all the reviews, you will see that it is highly respected as one of the very best solid state preamps available.
(I too grew old of the tube preamp problems, (tube noise, tube replacement, etc.) which is why I went with the Ayre. I have absolutely no regrets, and have no plans on upgrading.)

My two cents worth.
Good Luck in your search

any full feature mac pre

Dartzeel

I second the Ayre K1x reccomendation. This preamp is the best piece of gear I have ever purchased. Totally transfromed the sound of my system and I was comming from a CJ Premier 17 tube preamp. I've never heard the phono section, as I use an outboard unit for that, but it supposed to be really good for a built in unit.

there are no solid state preamps that do what tube preamps do as far as tone goes. Ayre is the closest to the tube sound as far as musicality goes that I know of.

Check out the Rowland Concerto. Very compact. Very beautiful. Phono is an onboard option. Remote operates, volume, balance, mute and input selection. Sells on Audiogon around $3K.
I'll leave the sound up to you but Rowland has always been warm and smooth.