+1 on tablejockey's comments. Give it the best you've got, and the ART9 won't disappoint (as long as it's in good shape). SUT vs SS gain stage seems to come down to personal preference a lot, or implementation in a particular product, so you'll need to experiment. I used a Clearaudio Nano for a while, and I agree it's a good unit for the price point. However I've found things get a lot better as you move up the spectrum. Which leads to another point...
Lately I've been switching around between a few different cartridges - the ART9, Dyna XX2, 'modded' 103r, and Zyx Universe. Each one has its own character but I'd venture to say that the differences between them are not as great (even with the mighty Zyx) as the improvement I experienced when moving up to a high end phono stage. I was surprised by the degree of difference to be honest, but that's what I've experienced. So now that you've got the TT and cartridge squared away, you might think about pushing the envelope with the first gain stage. enjoy it.
Lately I've been switching around between a few different cartridges - the ART9, Dyna XX2, 'modded' 103r, and Zyx Universe. Each one has its own character but I'd venture to say that the differences between them are not as great (even with the mighty Zyx) as the improvement I experienced when moving up to a high end phono stage. I was surprised by the degree of difference to be honest, but that's what I've experienced. So now that you've got the TT and cartridge squared away, you might think about pushing the envelope with the first gain stage. enjoy it.