if you did buy the new schiit sol.......

There is an ADC XLMIII for sale right now on Audiogon that is slightly used for $90.00 that might prove to be a great fit. This is a cartridge of old that still will bring a lot to the TABLE and is a moving magnet design so you won't need a moving coil preamp and should pair well with the SOL. Enjoy the music

What phone stage were you contemplating?

It screams for a London/Decca but they’re not inexpensive. I heard it at AXPONA with a Nagaoka MP11 and their set up video uses a Grado Black(?). What I heard was a somewhat clear but mellow sound. With the Grado, which can be even more laid back, they may prefer that type of voicing. I prefer a lot more clarity and detail. At $400, you might look at the Audio Technica VM750SH. Quite bright before run-in of around 10 or 20 hours. Then it’s pretty awesome with 3D soundstage.