Does Everyone Use 2 Phono Cables with SUT

It’s not nearly that severe a mismatch. 7V into phono stage? You mean 7mV, and probably closer to 5mV after losing losses - perfect for an MM phono stage. The loading certainly isn’t optimal, and a couple dB of signal will be lost to that, but it’s far from dooming the combination to bad sound.

@mulveling 

If you look at the cost of the components to have such a mismatch is sad.

If you put 91 in your Ferrari, it will run, but it won't perform.

@mulveling

If you look at the cost of the components to have such a mismatch is sad.

If you put 91 in your Ferrari, it will run, but it won’t perform.

I mean, it’s fair to point out the mismatch. I encourage OP to try other SUTs or MC stages (but keep the T-1 on hand if he gets a lower impedance MC). But audio is audio, not cars, and here it’s as much about personal preference and happy accidents in system matching as it is about absolute performance. I’ve run cartridges with loading ratios close to OP’s. It softens the sound a little, it cedes a couple dBs of level, but it can still sound really really good in the right mix. If OP likes it, then I trust him, and I don’t think he’s a rube for enjoying it. Clearly the BIGGER mismatch he had was with the high capacitance cables! Sometimes the sonic impact comes from areas you wouldn't immediately suspect. 

Keep the IC from SUT to phono stage short - and low capacitance if possible.

PHONO: basic advice: do not use interconnects to avoid potential problems. if so, as short as possible. 

SUT: tonearm phono cable with ground into SUT. Phono cable with ground out of SUT to Phono MM input and a ground somewhere nearby. I have had to extend a few din cable's ground wires, they were too short to reach a poorly placed ground too far from the phono jacks.

Surprisingly/Confusingly: Fidelity Research FRT-3 has no ground attachment fitting. It's captive output cable has a ground wire with spade. Meanwhile, FRT-3G version has added a ground terminal on the back of the SUT. Captive output cable same, has ground wire with spade.

Tonearm ground wire can be separate, bypass the SUT, and go from the arm directly to a ground anywhere if needed. 

Some equipment, phono stage, etc have 'ground lift' to solve 'ground loops'.