Phono Pre?

I 'downgraded' from an Audio Research PH3 SE (nice, but a little sterile and lean for my tastes) to a much-less-expensive AES (Cary) PH-1 phono stage. Not as quiet as the Audio Research, but more lush, vivid and fleshed-out sounding in my opinion.

They don't turn up used that often, but are around $400 when they do. Fun tube rolling the 6SL7 & 12AU7 (and variants) tubes as well to get different 'flavors'. Only about 35db of gain though, but you'll be fine with your stated preference for higher output MMs (I'm using a step up with a MC, for what it's worth).

May not be what you have in mind, but it's another option. Let us know what you end up going with.

Seduction, it has a sweet sound. I have a Wright WPP200c and it has a very tube sound so if your amp is SS it may be an option. Its a bit too tubey for me except for classical where it rocks.

The Pro-Ject Tube Box/se/II may be an option but not with stock tubes. Its good but the Seduction is better no the best

Well, I hate to pile on ... but I just downright love my Seduction.

Even if you're not a DIY kind of person, it's worth every bit of the cost to have Bottlehead build it for you - around $670. If you're a DIY'er then you can buy the kit for $369 but I highly recommend the $75 C4S upgrade.

Awesome phono-stage.

the best from affordable small phono stages I had is the Highphonic I have here for sale....and bonus is that it is battery powered!Silence is beautiful!

So, it seems that so far the Bottlehead Seduction is the phono pre of choice. I'm 60 and have been into this hobby since the early 60's and always have been a SS guy. The tube phone pre intrigues me though. I have several SS integrateds that I listen with, a vintage Yamaha CA 1010 that I love, a vintage Kenwood integrated(also excellent)and a Creek Destiny(excellent). My vinyl rig is an AR ES-1 with a Sumiko Premier MMT arm that I bought new quite a while back and a Shure V15-V-MR? cartridge.