Hi richidoo,
For vinyl, I like solid state amplification myself. Getting noise levels for vinyl down (however that is achieved - quieter bearings, reduction of EM/RF interference, reducing hum, reducing 'joints' and rca connections, mechanical isolation under the table, mains conditioning...egads, vinyl is a very frustrating audiophool product
...but extremely worthwhile when you dial in most of them right, but is paramount to enjoying it successfully.
Solid state boosts signals 40-60db or more with
less noise than any tube preamp can. I also do not like
outboard phono pre's...that's one more joint and
poisonous set of rca jacks you're adding.
You are asking these measly 0.3 - 5mv voltages (the standard output of most CDP's is a robust 2volts.....or a minimum of
40x the level of the most robust phono cartridge) to jump over multiple cartridge clip, solder joint and rca jacks.....you won't have a signal worth boosting before it reaches the phono preamplication section of whatever device you are using.
I want a pre that is a one stop source for all things line and phono related.
As good vinyl reproduction is already more complicated than line level reproduction (all signals must be boosted to a larger degree AND equalized) you want to keep it all a simple and uncomplicated as possible.
Solid state pre-amplication brings control to the oft-flabby low frequency production of vinyl...so that it mimics 'digital' in this important regards.
Dual mono pre and amplification preserves most of the measly stereo separation inherent in vinyl better/best. So, solid state full functioned preamp that is dual mono is ideal. There surely are others, but the old Mitsubishi DA-C series preamps and Superphon Dual Mono's had great phono sections, are solid state, inherently quiet, and dual mono architecture.
I have tube AMPS because I love their flavor, but I dial their gain down and allow the preamp to do most of the heavy lifting of gain in the system to allow for less noise to bleed thru while enjoying tubes.
I know most use SS amps with tube pre's...but it works, for me, better the other way around (with speakers that have benign impedance and have relatively small woofers that require modest damping only)
Pack that Technics with 8-10lbs of Plast-i-Clay and buy a Superphpon of Mitsubishi preamp for under $200 out there...and for less than $250 you'll be enjoying vinyl. You might even find the Shure not so very awful
whew - another dang mouthful from me
John