I've heard Audio Note phono stages are excellent. Have you compared with some of the seperate units just out of interest?

Do you notice much of a change as the pre warms up?

 

far from it WM. I am using the word to describe a certain characteristic that I find exists in products such as Harbeth, Spendor, Proac, Shunyata, VDH, Meridian, Audio Aero and many more.

I think you would agree that none of the above push your buttons so to speak - so therefore the statement is I feel valid (unless of course you are having a rethink!)