Does phono stage noise drive you crazy too?

After using high output moving magnet cartridges for many years, I recently purchased a .5mv output Grado Master 1. I thought that it would be a decent match with my Acoustech Ph-1p phono stage. Reviewers all claim to have used this phono stage with lower output cartridges and had no noise issues that bothered them. I'm just wondering if I'm unduly sensitive to electronic circuit noise, as I find the pairing to be obnoxiously noisy. There's no hum issue, just a "white noise" kind of circuit noise. When I have system volume set to normal highest level listening, I can hear the preamp hiss from the listening seat nine feet away from the speakers. It's not louder than lead-in groove noise, but it contributes to an electronic haze that obscures low level micro-dynamics. I've got the preamp set to 61db. of gain (53db. A weighted noise it turns out.) The Master sounds lifeless and anemic at the lower 52db. gain setting.
Is this state of affairs common? Do many of you just learn to listen through this low level noise haze? At present, it seems that I either need a cartridge with .8-1.0 mv. output to be able to use less noisy gain if I stick with the Acoustech, or I need a phono stage with a better S/N ratio. It surprised me when I started looking for A-weighted phono stage specs, not too many manufacturers seem to want to list that spec.