help me pick a phono preamp.

I'm hardly 'mr experience' on phono stages, but I went thru this same process recently and ended up with the EAR 834p and really dig it. And rolling tubes is a lot of fun if you like to fine tune the sound you get. Should have plenty of gain for the grado...

Breeno, to ask a dumb question, rolling tube means...?

"Rolling tubes" is to swap the tubes that came with the unit from the manufacturer with other tubes of different make or vintage (but that are still electrically equivalent). Swapping the tubes will change the sound; the obvious goal is to gain an improvement.
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Graham Slee Era Gold MK V

gspaudio.com

I'd never heard of Graham Slee either, until I did some research. Try a search on Audioasylum, the Vinyl following is bigger over there. I found one used here on the 'goN, and it sounds incredible. Here's a review:

http://www.tnt-audio.com/ampli/elevator_e.html

Also, Class A is stereophile (whoop-t-do, I know) but it is by far the cheapest Class A phono stage in their listings.

Anyway, good luck

Well, I did as Rushton suggested and emailed Grado Labs. Their response to the fact that the gain on the phono in through the Statement Sonata/PH1 is disproportionately low compared to any other input was "That is normal with this cartridge. Please enjoy." Somehow less than satisfying. Based on that, I'd say 56 dB is not enough gain.

hrmph.