I have used both Koetsu Rosewood Signature and Onyx Platinum cartridges with the Lamm. Both were excellent matches, especially the Onyx. There was certainly no gain problem. Although the LP input level into my preamps was lower than the CD/SACD, my last three preamps had adjustable gains for each input separate from the others. I suppose there could be an input to input level issue on preamps whose input levels are not adjustable, but most of the preamps one would use with an LP2 are (possibly not including Lamm's own preamps--I forget, I haven't had one for years). I should also add that the LP2 seems very forgiving on record noise, and I was told by a dealer who seemed to know what he was talking about (not the one I bought the LP2 from) that sometimes a higher output level on a phono amp increases the perception of surface noise. Why that should be is beyond me, but I at least mention it.