[WGH]

I do think that upgrading to the FET Valve preamp will be a nice change from the SS Vision. Especially with some good tubes.

That Hagerman phono pre is nice.  Tavish designs also makes a nice tube phono pre in that price range I believe.   The Pro-ject Tube box DS3 is balanced and a good option as well.  I have considered this one along with the JC3 Jr.

I like the Fet Valve CFR preamp better than the older AVA Insight preamp. Installing a pair of Mullard and Genelax tubes made it even better.
My AVA preamp tube review: https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=180635.msg1898392#msg1898392

The JC3 Jr phono pre looks like a nice unit. One reason I picked the Hagerman phono preamp is because I recently heard the Salk BePure speakers with the AVA DVA Digital preamp. I have mixed feelings about the digital preamp, a little too clean and digital for an all analog system.
My impressions of the Salk BePure speakers with the AVA Digital preamp: https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=189729.msg1984959#msg1984959

An intriguing idea would be to get a phono preamp with a balanced output like the JC3 Jr or Pro-ject Tube box DS3 and swap the AVA digital preamp for a preamp with balanced inputs and outputs (the AVA digital preamp doesn't have balanced inputs). The DXA R2X converter with all the added interconnects would not be needed. I am not familiar with balanced preamps and don't have any affordable suggestions.

[peter4jc]

Here's an update for you all.

After emailing back and forth with Keith at Darlington Labs and reading various forums and reviews, I chose to go with their MP7B phono preamp and SU-7 head amp.  I am also the proud new owner of the FET Valve CFR preamp.  I kind of wish I hadn't mentioned DLabs in my initial post because it always bugs me when people ask for advice and then ignore the advice and do what they want anyway, and I don't want to appear like that. 

The phono stage and step-up arrived before the FET valve, so I had some time to get those set up and running into another input of the Vision SLR, making it easy to play a couple of tracks with the Vision Q+ and then switch to the input w/ the DLabs stuff.  The VisionQ+ phono is no slouch, for sure.  But, overall the DLabs units sounded a notch better to my ears and they won out.  I'm hard-pressed to say just why I preferred them over the AVA phono; all I can offer is they are more life-like and less sterile.  Not so much improvement that I couldn't have been content leaving things alone.

The biggest difference was found after putting the FET valve CFR into the system.  Again, more life-like with great realism.  The music's layers are all there but with more distinction between them, so the imaging is improved.  The instruments are more easily placed and sound more natural.  (that's it for my descriptor lingo  )

Thanks for your input in helping with this adventure! 
Cheers!