In search of quality mc Phono stage

Sutherland 20/20 LPS

Very quiet.  I found it a bit bare with female voice, but spent 8K on used market to get that last bit of musicality.

Phono stages are extremely critical in getting the sound your turntable and cartridge are capable of creating. I definitely recommend tubes to get the full musicality.

You have a very high quality turntable and cartridge so I recommend a phonostage from Audio Research (my favorite), Conrad Johnson, or Presto. However, I would save up. I would invest something on the order of the value of your turntable.

To get most of the capability from your TT I would recommend a used Audio Research PH8. Better would… well be better. But given the really low number you threw out this will get you 90% there.

Solid state vs tube phono preamp is probably a conversation worth having. In my previous life I used a low wattage SE Triode amp and Audible illusion preamp with phono stage. So, the quiet,fast, detailed Sutherland didn’t really sound ‘musical’ to me. I wanted to move to a tube phono stage, but I was told that I would need to spend a good bit more money to go tube and maintain speed/detail. @ghdprentice has the experience to suggest great tube options. I ended up with a solid state phono preamp from Audionet that is very musical with all the detail that made vocals appealing to me.  After reading the post above and based on my limited experience with four plus phono stages, I think that it is a component that benefits greatly when you extend your budget.  

Thank you for the responses. So the concessions seems to be stay with Tube. By the way my Mac gear is a set of Rebuilt MC 30’s and a C22 pre amp.
I will raise my budget. I might look at  AN and ANK Phono stages as well. The local shop is very familiar with AN and the building of ANK gear.

thanks for the info.

Your C22 has a phono stage. Just get a SUT that works with the Koetsu. 

Maybe you should contact Bob's Devices and ask for a recommendation.

https://www.bobsdevices.com/

If you have a Vintage McIntosh preamp you have built in MM phono input with MM RIAA phono eq (perhaps two phono inputs, front selectable). Also many other nice features.

For a low output MC cartridge (like yours 0.6mv output), all you need is to boost the signal (pre-pre boost) up to the level of a MM cartridge, then feed it into your preamps MM phono input.

SUT (step up transformers) do just that. They are passive, they do not change the sound, thus you keep the sound of your MM phono stage, in the case of tube McIntosh Preamp is terrific IMO.

You always want a ’PASS’ setting, so you can simply pass an MM or High Output MC signal thru (bypassing the SUT's internal transformer's windings).

The impedance shown to the phono input is related to the amount of signal boost and the cartridge’s coil impedance. Complicated, but worth learning or asking for advice before buying.

I chose a Vintage Fidelity Research FRT-4 SUT with 4 optional impedance choices (and 3 selectable inputs, most do not need that).

this one has silver faceplate, and little nicks/corrosion

https://www.ebay.com/itm/394503791725?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&campid=5338381866&toolid=10001&customid=a908a282-dc4e-11ed-b84a-326433663330

usually they are gold tone faceplates (this faceplate more dings ....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/155407979749?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&campid=5338381866&toolid=10001&customid=e4c7f11a-dc4e-11ed-b668-326433663330

this entre 100 also has 3 optional loads, (and 3 inputs)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/134511637279?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&campid=5338381866&toolid=10001&customid=36ab9536-dc4f-11ed-8786-326433663330

there are other units with external or internal dip switches, removable resistors, etc that provide even more impedance/signal boost flexibility

btw, your McIntosh preamp probably has trim pots to balance the incoming volume of a few sources, so you don't have to change the preamp's main volume control when changing sources. 

If buying new, anything phono, I suggest buying from a source that accepts returns. Find used accepting returns, great.

I just saw your preamp is C22. You said Vintage, I presume

http://akdatabase.org/AKview/albums/userpics/10004/C22-CE%20Owners%20Manual.pdf

I got momentarily confused, The new one, same model number has built in MM and MC inputs and several loading options. See face plate options here:

owners manual

https://www.mcintoshlabs.com/-/media/Files/mcintoshlabs/DocumentMaster/us/c22d-om01.pdf?rev=1a15df7bb36f4a2a97dacfe5a9f8a622&revision=1a15df7b-b36f-4a2a-97da-cfe5a9f8a622

That's what some external SUT's do, single setting; a few options; lots of optional settings.

I haven’t got through all the information in replies yet, but I will add this. My C 22 is an original C 22. I used to have a Audio AN S2 L step up transformer but I got so tired with grounding issues with the vintage gear that I just sold it And decided to go MC phono stage. I have a digital meridian set up coming soon that I will need a phono-stage for anyways. The Audio Note / Koetsu will end up with the Meridian and my TD 124 with a Grace MM F9 will end up with the C 22 and Mac gear.

I am using a cheap little project phono box with MC to make it work at the moment

Over your price range new, but maybe you can find one used at the right price

https://www.stereophile.com/content/lejonklou-entity-phono-preamplifier

I gave it 2 month, tried 4 different ones, at half your price range. I didn't try the Manley Chinook or Hegel V10 but those would be my end game phono stages. There are lots of options, pros and cons, I wouldn't overthink it, my 2 cents is that they are like good cables, transport the signal and not create it. I read great things about Sutherland, but as a general rule, I wouldn't spend more than a third of the other components' prices on the phono stage.