thanks Justin.. and also!! my pico order! don't forget to add me to the list!

Stax.. so many to choose from.. vintage / modern.. I'll go take a look at the SRM-313

Also, the SRM-310.

Personally I preferred the transformers to the 313s. I had two versions of 313, a P/P and a P/N and found they were soft sounding for my tastes. I like things a little more dynamic, edgy and slightly rough around the edges. One reason I've been a little wary of the 007. I hear it described as maybe smoother and more refined than I might like. I've never heard them so it's conjecture based on what has been written but it's the best I've got to go on at this point.

However, the 313 or similar would do as a stopgap until you can afford better and they are reasonably easy to resell.