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What's the consensus with tube pre-amps?
As airhead said, you need to spend quite a lot on valve gear before it becomes quiet enough to be worthwhile. And even then you've got the ongoing faff of valves failing.
Also valve phono pres generally just do MM levels, and need (or have one builtin) a step up transformer.
I'd stick with the usual rega, project, Nad phono pres. And yeah, stick with mm carts until you're getting the money gun out.
What's the consensus with tube pre-amps?
As in: how much does one need to spend to make it worthwile?
What's good both for the MM catridge I have now, as well as for MC's, some time down the line?
Also are there actually some that come in "full" size (like, to stack them on top of your amp, under the turntable or whatver) - or are they all these little boxy kind of things that you awkwardly have to put on the side and connect a bunch of cables to?