Your initial list is admirable, and your budget is realistic. It would be nice if you'd publish your system so we could see what else is involved. But, so far so good ;~) You've left a very special contender off of your list, not surprising, but I'll get to what and why in a moment. First some basic principles:
1.) Tubes. The sonic benefit(s) ascribed to tubes over solid state when used in audio devices (basically, tubes' superior ability to preserve the most subtle aspects of the audio signal) are realized primarily when tubes are used to amplify the signal. In a home audio system, this occurs in 2 places, maybe 3, and (longshot) maybe 4 ;~) They are: power amplifier, phono amplifier, microphone amplifier, and tape recorder electronics. All four amplify the signal. In any other (audio) applications such as: preamplifiers, electronic crossover networks, equalizer/processors, tuners (up to the audio output stage), and in all digital gear, tubes won't perform any better than well-designed (meaning quiet!) solid state electronics; and on the downside, tubes can possibly add thermionic 'hiss' to the signal.
2.) MC cartridges: Are basically balanced output devices. So if you can amplify them using an amplifier with balanced inputs, you gain several advantages: Better bandwidth, much less susceptibility (of the connecting cables) to external noise, less susceptable to cartridge loading. Further, in balanced mode, an MC cartridge has a higher effective output (because in balanced mode it becomes a current device rather than a voltage device) so you can usually get away without the use of (sluggish) step-up transformers, or (quiet but harsh sounding) solid-state FET first stages in the phonoamp.
OK. Assuming you accept these basic premises (as I do, but I don't mean to twist anyone's arm) then my dream phono amplifier would have (at a minimum) these two attributes:
1.) All tube, from input to output.
2.) (True) balanced inputs
In addition, it would be *nice* if it also had:
3.) Class A amplification
4.) Fully balanced (differential) circuitry.
5.) Balanced outputs
6.) Tube rectified power supply
The one unit (which you didn't include) that satisfies the all-important (for me) first two requirements is/are the Atma-Sphere preamps with tube phonostage (when it's part of the preamp, it's a 'phonostage'; when it's free-standing, it's a phonoamp.) And the funny thing is that no one I've asked can seem to think of anyone else who makes a unit, built-in or freestanding, that satisfies the first two requirements. The MP-3 satifies 1 - 5, and the MP-1 satisfies all six. Because Atma-Sphere is best known for their great OTL amplifiers, few people seem to know much about the great preamps Ralph Karsten also makes. I found out accidentally. And to be honest, I wasn't in the market for a tube preamplifier; only a tube phono amplifier. But Atma-Sphere doesn't make a standalone phonoamp, so I 'accepted' the tube preamplifier in order to have my dream phonoamp (phonostage, actually.) And I wasn't disappointed! The preamp (linestage) is a dream also -- and extremely quiet as tube preamps go. Both the MP-3, and the (two box) MP-1 are balanced from inputs to outputs (except for a couple of tape loops). There are three pairs of 12AT7's in the phonostage, which provide plenty of gain for all but the tiniest output MC cartridges (like under .2mV) and for HO MC or MM cartridges, you actually need to remove a pair of tubes. The base price for the preamps (including phonostage) for the MP-3 is ~ $5600, and ~ $15,000 for the MP-1 Of course, you can add up to $8k+ of extras to either one if you like ;~) Best to go to the website: http://www.atma-sphere.com
BTW, I'm now planning to sell my Levinson 26s (preamp) and 25s (phonoamp), in case anyone is interested ;~)
.
1.) Tubes. The sonic benefit(s) ascribed to tubes over solid state when used in audio devices (basically, tubes' superior ability to preserve the most subtle aspects of the audio signal) are realized primarily when tubes are used to amplify the signal. In a home audio system, this occurs in 2 places, maybe 3, and (longshot) maybe 4 ;~) They are: power amplifier, phono amplifier, microphone amplifier, and tape recorder electronics. All four amplify the signal. In any other (audio) applications such as: preamplifiers, electronic crossover networks, equalizer/processors, tuners (up to the audio output stage), and in all digital gear, tubes won't perform any better than well-designed (meaning quiet!) solid state electronics; and on the downside, tubes can possibly add thermionic 'hiss' to the signal.
2.) MC cartridges: Are basically balanced output devices. So if you can amplify them using an amplifier with balanced inputs, you gain several advantages: Better bandwidth, much less susceptibility (of the connecting cables) to external noise, less susceptable to cartridge loading. Further, in balanced mode, an MC cartridge has a higher effective output (because in balanced mode it becomes a current device rather than a voltage device) so you can usually get away without the use of (sluggish) step-up transformers, or (quiet but harsh sounding) solid-state FET first stages in the phonoamp.
OK. Assuming you accept these basic premises (as I do, but I don't mean to twist anyone's arm) then my dream phono amplifier would have (at a minimum) these two attributes:
1.) All tube, from input to output.
2.) (True) balanced inputs
In addition, it would be *nice* if it also had:
3.) Class A amplification
4.) Fully balanced (differential) circuitry.
5.) Balanced outputs
6.) Tube rectified power supply
The one unit (which you didn't include) that satisfies the all-important (for me) first two requirements is/are the Atma-Sphere preamps with tube phonostage (when it's part of the preamp, it's a 'phonostage'; when it's free-standing, it's a phonoamp.) And the funny thing is that no one I've asked can seem to think of anyone else who makes a unit, built-in or freestanding, that satisfies the first two requirements. The MP-3 satifies 1 - 5, and the MP-1 satisfies all six. Because Atma-Sphere is best known for their great OTL amplifiers, few people seem to know much about the great preamps Ralph Karsten also makes. I found out accidentally. And to be honest, I wasn't in the market for a tube preamplifier; only a tube phono amplifier. But Atma-Sphere doesn't make a standalone phonoamp, so I 'accepted' the tube preamplifier in order to have my dream phonoamp (phonostage, actually.) And I wasn't disappointed! The preamp (linestage) is a dream also -- and extremely quiet as tube preamps go. Both the MP-3, and the (two box) MP-1 are balanced from inputs to outputs (except for a couple of tape loops). There are three pairs of 12AT7's in the phonostage, which provide plenty of gain for all but the tiniest output MC cartridges (like under .2mV) and for HO MC or MM cartridges, you actually need to remove a pair of tubes. The base price for the preamps (including phonostage) for the MP-3 is ~ $5600, and ~ $15,000 for the MP-1 Of course, you can add up to $8k+ of extras to either one if you like ;~) Best to go to the website: http://www.atma-sphere.com
BTW, I'm now planning to sell my Levinson 26s (preamp) and 25s (phonoamp), in case anyone is interested ;~)
.