Phono Stage Amp

@mulveling For now, One more question; or asking for verification:

TT -> SUT -> MF M1 (MF M1 input from SUT is MM not MC) then lastly, Care in choosing RCA.

Ground from TT to SUT and, if necessary, ground also from SUT to MF M1

Am I understanding?

Yes! Perfect. Usually the SUT should become the grounding point from your turntable. Usually you don't need or want an additional ground run from SUT to Phono Stage. Just use short, shielded, low capacitance cables from the SUT and follow the arrows (shield terminated on the SUT side).

And If I add a higher output Cartridge it would be a bit better as well.

Higher output is easier to work with in general (0.25mV is always at least a bit tricky), but you would not want to use it with a 30x SUT, or maybe even a SUT at all. Depending on its output level it may be fine with the M1's MC mode. In my experience, cartridges of 0.5mV - 0.8mV work well with a 60 dB phono stage. But a 15x SUT will work nicely with those 0.5 - 0.8mV cartridges too, and you can order the Bob's Sky 30x / 15x switchable :)  

Thank you for your help. The more I think about it - this has to be it. I do get great volume from the CD and DAC for rock music. No distortion. Even the loud mayhem type rock like metal. Sometimes I just like to hear the JAZZ a litter louder than it lets me.  

I absolutely love playing heavy metal, loud, on my Tannoy speakers or Stax headphones :) 

@ditusa No the cat eye never has. I eventually turned it off. Figured if I ever sell the unit, it would be good if it worked. Eye candy, but not so much.

I do appreciate your help. Here was my thing: I had enough money but not the experience to think it through and plan my outfit. Instant gratification was more the thing. Plus: I WANT TUBES. Why? Don't those McIntosh look great? But not the right reason to buy gear.   

I do feel stuck. I don't have the money now; at lease disposable. And I am getting old. Already thinking about my daughter having to get rid of my junk.....

If you like the sound with your digital source gear just just replace your current cartridge with one of higher output.

You can get a nice 1.0 mv Grado for $600 as well as gobs of high output MM's

 in the same and even lower price range.

Assume that they (even though less expensive) would sound better than the current mismatch you are dealing with.

If the dealer who originally set you up is local have them install it.

DeKay

     Just my prediction:

     The system will sound much better with an MM cartridge, or SUT, but: still lack his digital's OOMPH, unless the OP uses a juicier (higher voltage output) phono stage.

                                       Happy listening!

cinquepages,

mulveling beat me to it, and blesses you with the gain calculation! I can only add a couple things.

Since the SLP-05 has input level controls, where do you have them set when playing vinyl? If you haven't tried turning up the input levels, it's definitely worth a shot. You'd need to be careful to turn them back down for digital.

And in spite of the review that said the single ended inputs sound better than the balanced, with many pieces using XLRs gives up to a 6db increase, so that's also worth a try.

David