Hahahaha... I didn't bloody scroll down far enough on page 6 and missed your last bloody post! I'm bloody blind

Well, it depends on which phono stage I settle on, but considering present budget constraints I expect to be looking in the MM playground for now.

Sound wise - clean, detailed (but not too 'in yer face'), tight bass - my speakers can be a bit 'full' sounding thanks to twin quarter wave pipes, so nothing to exacerbate that tendency.
Remind me again of the maximum budget you have available for the cartridge, now that Richard appears to have saved you some money by going down the D.I.Y route for the phono stage. Suitable recommendations will then follow

Marco.