Thoughts on best budget phono pre-amp under $400?

Ray Samuels Audio F-117 Nighthawk Phono Stage. You should be able to find one in your price range used.

http://www.raysamuelsaudio.com/products/f-117.html

I like the idea behind the nighthawk, running off a battery to ensure zero ac line noise.
However$795 is over my budget and Not found any used ones right now.
But thank you as certainly looks like a nice piece.

I use a Jolida JD9 II.

In the lower price arena I have owned the Nighthawk, Parks Audio Budgie, and Vista Audio. 

I prefer the Parks and Vista to the Nighthawk.   More musical, less analytical.  Both are right at your budget, and IMO both perform way beyond their price points.

FWIW, my local audio buddies who also heard all three had the same preferences.

http://parksaudiollc.com/budgiepreamp.html

http://vista-audio.com/products.htm

For rock I don't think you want battery powered phono because you might lose some dynamics, especially inexpensive phono. If you can find Acoustech, that's what I use for different kinds of music including jazzrock, you are very unlikely to do better. If you cannot, I would probably get the best Lehmann I could afford.

You could be adventurous. 
https://bottlehead.com/?product=reduction-phono-preamplifier-kit

Both the Budgie and the Vista models look interesting and both in budget even at new prices.
Undecided if I truly need the ability to tailor load and gain but nice to have the option.
Another one I came across was the iFi.

At present I am using an ultra budget cambridge audio 551p which with my cart and table actually sounds pretty darn good to my ears.

+1 on the AcousTech PH1. After receiving it put in another $7.00, upgrade the opamps and you'll have a preamp that betters most under 2500.

@noromance 
Fortunately I know my solder skills.... Absolutely zero!
Heard good things but assembly when it comes to soldering...quack,quack,oops.

I think if this guy would take $400, it’s a no brainer. Even if you have to stretch your budget a bit, it's worth it.

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/phono-mk3-2017-11-09-preamplifiers

I’ve had a P75 that I use as a back up in a really expensive vinyl front end. When the P75 is in the system, it’s always shocking how good it is.

I know a couple of people locally that are very impressed with the Jolida that was mentioned above. That would probably be the direction I'd go in that price range. There were a couple recently on the US audio mart in your price range. Not sure they are still there though.

You can get a brand new Lehmann Audio Black Cube from an authorized dealer on "that auction site". They accept offers well below the list price.

My friend has a Budgie (very nice). Be aware that your cartridge needs at least 5 mv of output. The gain is on the low side !
http://parksaudiollc.com/budgiepreamp.html

Musical Surroundings Phenomena ll

Lots and lots of great choices for sure, which just leaves me even more confused...lol.
I have to say I am an occasional vinyl listener as main source now is mostly Tidal or ripped music from my Bluesound Vault 2. But when I do listen I want it to be as good as my budget allows.
I am still pretty impressed with the little Azur 551p I am using tbh, and looked up its replacement the Cambridge Audio cp2 which the needledoctor has on sale for 179 free shipping brand new!
Anybody have any experience with that unit at all?

PS Audio III still competitive with present day gear! I owned one years ago and stupidly sold it! But I already had a Precision Fidelity C7 tube phono stage! Which I stupidly later sold! Wish I could learn from my mistakes!

Lots and lots of great choices for sure, which just leaves me even more confused...lol.

Just to add to the confusion :-) your cartridge has a particularly low recommended load capacitance of 100 pf. Since that value represents the sum of the input capacitance of the phono stage and the capacitances of the phono cable and tonearm wiring (as well as the small amounts of capacitance of the connectors that are involved) it can be hard to achieve.

I wouldn’t worry about exceeding that value by say 50 or 100 pf, but for example the AcousTech PH-1 that was suggested has an input capacitance for moving magnet cartridges of 200 pf (220 pf for the PH-1P), which together with the other capacitances I mentioned will most likely result in a total that is more than 3x as much as the recommendation. The result is likely to be an over-emphasis of the mid-treble combined with some degree of rolloff of the upper treble.

I haven’t looked into the other models that have been suggested, and I’m not particularly familiar with phono stages in your price range, but I would suggest looking for a phono stage having an input capacitance in the area of 50 to 100 pf, or even lower if possible. If that parameter is not specified for a particular model, check with the manufacturer.

Good luck. Regards,
-- Al

Thank you Al.!
That info is extremely useful and will make a big difference in my research.
Happy thanksgiving!

Many thanks to all who posted.
I had never heard of the majority of the products mentioned but far wiser now.
Going of your input, subsequent research and Als capacitance note I decided to buy the dynavector p75 mk3 from the ad here on agon that a poster was kind enough to provide.
Now just have to wait until its arrival and start playing with different settings until my ears are happy.
Again thanks to all!

@uberwaltz How is the P75?

@noromance 

I have not been able to try yet as my new table arrived but it had xlr connectors.
So still waiting for a set of xlr to RCA adapters to arrive so I can give it a test drive.
Very frustrating....lol

Hnmm. Why adapters? Why not new leads?  The tonearm uses terminated RCA sockets so you only need RCA phono cable.

Check out the new Mobile Fidelity units.

I have the Parks Budgie, and I think it's nice; brand new, it's in your price range. No MC input, but at this price, that's to be expected. There's a link on Spelly's post that gives the specifications, plus they might allow you to take it for a test drive.

I’ve been using two Grado PH-1 phono preamps, upgraded with Vishay Naked Foil 100k resistors. High and Low gain switch available, so can be used for low output MI or some MC too. They are a bit shy in low register, but for $350 used it can be a very good choise. Retail is US was aboyt $500, i think it’s discontinued series. Looks nice in this mahogany wood boxes.

with vishay resistors on top, amazing for MM cartridges:
https://scontent-ams3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14732345_1419850324699797_8191309061289395889_n.jpg?oh...

upgraded one for a friend in addition to my pair:
https://scontent-ams3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/15940433_1538037842881044_7259495916219819_n.jpg?oh=bc...

Picked up a Lehman audio black cube SE used on flee bay for 450 shipped. Consider it a real good value.