Valve phono stage

The issue is balanced outputs.  There are some spectacular performing phono stages that are single ended.  My personal experienced opinion is that the Herron Audio VTPH-2a cannot be bettered at any price, but it has only single-ended outputs.  It fits your price target.  It fits your desire to use tubes.  It works very nicely with Lyra carts.  It is very flexible.  It comes with Keith Herron's unmatched customer service.

But you need balanced outputs.  

@lewm Have you ever had any dealings with Keith Herron?  Ever owned Herron Audio equipment?  Just curious.

@lewm Take a very close look at phono cart signal generators. Doesn’t matter if the cart is MI, MM or MC. They are NOT balanced, they are single-ended with a + and - pole. One strand of wire that runs from the hot side of the connector to the ground side. No neutral.

@atmasphere - Facts contradict your salemanship approach on balanced connections.  However, we agree that tubes can better solid state.  It's ALL in the design of the electronic components.