Is there an ideal (ish) cartridge output?


I just got done building the Pearl 2 and I went back and forth with gain and impedance. Using a cart that had .15mv and another at .3mv. I also have a Sony TA-5650 V-FET that has a vfet MM phono stage that I have been curious to try out. In that curiosity, I read the specs on the phono stage and its 70db SNR, which is meh. I then thought about SNR, THD, gain, and output of phono cartridges and stages. I looked at a lot of specs of cartridges and stages over the years, and as the gain of the stage goes up, the SNR goes down, which eventually leads me to this question:

Is the ideal cartridge output 1.5-2mv? Do you then get a medium output that is the best middle ground for SNR and THD? If that could be the case (or if not if you disagree) then why isn't there more cartridges with around that output available? 
enobenetto
There is a quality of sound that I look for when determining what the ideal output of a phono cartridge is that is a little more ephemeral. This observation is based only on my experience with my chosen components over the years and may not apply to anyone else, but I have churned enough cartridges and phono stages over the years to believe there is something to this.

We all know that most preamps sound best with the volume control fairly wide open; iow, as little attenuation of the phono stage’s signal as possible. Obviously, the overall gain structure of a given system dictates what range on the volume “knob” will be of practical use. At the same time, and this has been the key point for me, the cartridge needs to have enough output to properly “energize” the phono stage. To energize is the only way I can describe this and it is not simply a question of resulting total available listening volume. If the phono cartridge does not have enough output for a given phono stage the music will sound lifeless. The music won’t have enough forward motion, PRAT, groove...whatever one wants to call it; even if there is enough total available listening volume and acceptable noise levels.

So, I always look for a cartridge with output that for my typical system listening volume will keep the volume control on my preamp in a generously open (highish) range. Too low usually means that the cartridge output is too high for the overall gain structure of the system. Too high and it usually means that the cartridge output is too low and it is not energizing the phono stage properly even if there is enough listening volume; and the music suffers.
Dear frogmn, You get support from those phono-pres producers 
who build phono-pres with 4 amplification stages. They then recommend the lowest possible amplification for the used cart.
The reason is ''the higher mplification the higher distortions''. I
own two of such pres: Basis Exclusive and Klyne 7PX3.5.
However for my Ortofon MC 2000 I use an SUT. 


Yes: the 5mV output of the London pickups. ;-)

Schitt includes a 30dB gain "Decca Mode" setting on their Mani phono amp.

We all know that most preamps sound best with the volume control fairly wide open.... So, I always look for a cartridge with output that for my typical system listening volume will keep the volume control on my preamp in a generously open (highish) range....


Do you mean an active preamp with gain ?
This problem is irrelevant for passive preamps if the rest of the components in the chain matched well.
@frogman