Suggestions for Phono Preamp

The Hagerman is one I've thought about. Thanks for the suggestions. I'm taking a close look at each one.  

@quiddy I know about Nakamichis. I have a Nakamichi TA-4A amp. I've moved to tube amps and my issue are as follows: I bought a used LTA Z40+ integrated with the phono stage and the SUT which I believed was going to be my endgame amp. However, my secondary system has Nola Boxer 3SE speakers which begged for tubes so I thought I would get a tube amp for them. Right now, my TT is in my secondary system as my primary system is in my home office and there is no place for the TT until I retire (which I'm in the process of doing). When I retire, the TT goes to my primary speakers, Spatial Audio Lab X5s. I got the Don Sachs Valhalla amp because of all of the ranting and raving about how good it is and yes it lives up to the hype. So now the Valhalla is with my primary speakers and the LTA is with the TT and the bookshelf Nolas. So now, with the TT to go to the office/man cave area, I'll need the phono preamp for the Valhalla. 

I've done dipswitches before and I'm not afraid of them but they are inconvenient and take time to adjust. Unless the difference in sound is night and day, audio memory doesn't last that long and comparing settings when you have to take 15 minutes to change the settings on something isn't going to give you a really good idea of whether setting changes do anything. 

It's going to be a while before I'm fully retired as I can't do so until I'm completely done with my clients but the workload is smaller and smaller. There have been a few interesting suggestions but I also chuckle at the number of times that there are threads like this where the OP sets parameters and the advice the OP gets completely goes outside of the parameters. However, I do appreciate suggestions and will continue to look at them as there seems to be a lot of makes and models of phono preamps.  

@quiddy No apologies necessary. In fact, I may blow up my own parameters on something else but of the ones discussed, the Hagerman seems to fit the bill. I'm now checking out the Goldnote which seems interesting as well. 

@grislybutter Believe me, I’ve looked at both (Hegel and Parasound) but they have downsides too like most everything. The biggest thing is that I obsess about this and spend as much time as I can looking at reviews and forums so it will be worth paying some money to stop the madness.

The more research I do on this, the more I'm confused because everyone has a different idea of what sounds best. It is also a little annoying that you have to buy a preamp for your TT that may be more expensive than your TT and cartridge combined just to amplify the sound. I may have found something though. I don't think it has been mentioned but does anyone have experience with the PS Audio Stellar Phono Preamp? 

@grislybutter Yes, it is a conundrum but I'm also trying to head off upgrade-itis by getting a decent phono preamp. I've had cheap ones, Schiit Mani and the Vista Audio Phono 2. Now I am using a pretty durn good one built into my LTA Z40+ with a SUT which sounds nice.

It is just an unfortunate/fortunate turn of events that I found "another" endgame amp with the Sachs Valhalla which needs a phono preamp if it is going to have the TT down the road. I've been very tempted by a Sachs' phonostage which has a SUT. I may go that direction as well even though it has switches in back but not that hard to reach/adjust.  

'cept I won't know because I won't hear the other ones. Research and faith. Research and faith.

Decision made.

It was between a used Don Sachs Phono Stage, Hagerman Bugle MC, and a PS Audio Stellar Phono Preamp. I chose the latter. 

The Hagerman and the PS Audio were new and the Sachs was used. They were all about the same price. Reviews of all 3 were good and maybe even stellar for the PS Audio. The Sachs was very intriguing especially with the Sachs’ integrated I have. I’ve seen some Audiogon members say that the Hagerman and the Sachs were pretty close. That means that the Hagerman beats out the Sachs since it would be new and it has the dials I wanted in front. The Sachs was set up fairly easy but the plus goes to the Trumpet.

The PS Audio, new, is twice the price of the Sachs and the Hagerman, and yet I was able to get it at about 1/2 price new with warranty. I am assuming it may be a step up or at least it is a quiet well performing phono preamp that is future proof and I won’t be spending money on tubes which I tend to do with all my tube equipment. I’m not as concerned with a tube phono preamp since the amp is tube. The other bonus is that the PS Audio you can use the remote(!) for the loading and gain settings. Even easier than a front dial. No more getting up or moving from the chair! (just being silly -- I know that once the settings are locked in, you don’t really have to mess with them again until you change cartridges). Easy peasy.

Thanks everyone for their input as well as other threads where these phono preamps were discussed. If anyone wants to know where you can get this phono stage at this price (because there are more), throw me a line though we have to talk outside of Audiogon as they have some rules about this.

@bkeske Thanks. The phono stage is still full price on PS Audio's own website and other places. The dealer I am buying from, out of Canada on the Canuck Audio Mart, has offered similar discounts on other PS Audio gear. 

@rooze I am aware of ifi and I use the IDSD pro for my DAC on my main system. I didn't see anyone recommend the model ifi you mention. I've seen earlier models praised for its value at the low price. 

Thanks for the update. Many of the phono preamps mentioned in this thread have received excellent reviews and remarks from their owners. I found that the PS Audio Stellar ticked all the boxes I had laid out with excellent reviews and remarks from owners and given the excellent deal I found, I very much look forward to using this product.