Phono Preamp Tube Rush

It is difficult to build a high-gain phono stage for mc cartridges using tubes. A SUT or a SS head amp (like a Marcof) is the answer (feeding a tube mm stage).

I used a BD's Cinemag 3440-A through my EAR 834 P through the mm stage with a Dyna D3 and had no issues.

I still have the SUT if there's any interest.

hagtech, In explaining that SUTs can be a source of noise, you wrote, "If they use too thin of wire the resistance gets too high and becomes the main source of input noise."  What???  Where does that idea come from? To begin with, the primary of a SUT is seeing the miniscule output voltage of typically a LOMC cartridge, like 0.5mV of AC, or less.

My tube phono ( Quicksilver ) is as quiet as any solid state preamp that I have used!

I use a Herron VTPH-2 (not 2A) in conjunction with an AT-ART9 LOMC cartridge rated at 0.5 mv, with the Herron's stock tubes and no loading plugs. If I turn the volume control in my system to a setting slightly higher than I would ever use (which is quite loud; some classical symphonic recordings I listen to can produce 105 db peaks at my 12 foot listening distance) the hiss produced by the phono stage is only audible within about 1 foot of the speakers.

In saying that, though, I should point out that I believe the Decca London Super Gold cartridge mentioned by the OP is a high output cartridge, and while the moving magnet input stage of the Herron is indeed tube-based its LOMC input stage is FET-based (i.e., solid state).

@lewm I believe what hagtech is referring to is Johnson noise, that would be produced to some (not necessarily audible) degree by any resistance.

Regards,
-- Al