Is it extra gain or two matched cables or both that improve the sound ?

Replacing the phono with adjustable gain settings would make sense too, I guess. But this Acoustech is very good, I would have to go significantly higher to improve everything not just gain flexibility. I would think that the least expensive choice would be Sutherland 20/20 or whatever it is called. It's over $2k new, and try to find it used. Or tube phono, even higher cost.

Dear inna: """ So, overall the best sound is achieved when running phono/Colossus/deck/Maximus chain. """

NO, it’s not. It’s only what you think/like but not what it’s really happening.

The cartridge signal is really delicate and if we care about music our main target is to try that that audio signal stay at minimum contaminated by several distortions sources. We have to take care about mantain the integrity of what the cartridge pick up from the LP grooves.

That delicate and sensible cartridge signal is surrounded ( between other sources. ) by degradation signal at each single link all over the audio system chain.

You have to think that even the headshell/tonearm input connectors and the headshell/tonearm it self makes its works degrading the music/audio signal along the tonearm internal wires followed by IC cables between tonearm and phono stage. This IC cable makes a signal degradation at diferent levels/steps: its input connectors, the solder between those inputs connectors and the IC wires, the IC wires it self and again more connectors and solder at its output. Signal degradationj continues inside the phono stage at each single pasive and active parts where the signal must pass along all the switchs using there and through the volumen control too.

So at the ed of the audio chain we are listening a " fake/clown " of the original signal full of everykind of distortions you can or can’t imagine!!

So, what you like are those very high distortions signal degradations and what you don’t like is that more " direct " phono stage connection that comes with a lot of lower degradation/distortions. That " fullest sound " you mentioned are only higher distortions against lower distortions that is what you don't like it in the " direct " connection ".

At the end if that’s what you like stay there because the important subject is that you be happy.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.

Raul, I don't care about your opinion, please do not post in this thread.

Inna: I think one of the coolest things you’ve brought forth here is something that I have supported and concluded for sometime now, that being what we hear is due to system context. The configuration you like best is not surprising to me at all. From personal experience I tried my digital sources directly into my power amps and that was always far less satisfying than through my preamp. Less wire is not necessarily better. Fewer components in the chain is not necessarily better. It is not always about the "predictive" interactivity, and it is not always the "quantitatively definable" that yields the optimum musical result. I think what you’ve demonstrated is yet another example of system integration that supports a favorable outcome. Plus, there’s no need to overthink it, it works, and enjoy😄

@inna : This is a totally free world, like it or not.

Stay calm and have fun.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.