I had a 1.5 mV Sonata. The sound was spectacular running into a Wright WPP100C with 60 dB of gain. Unfortunately, Wright is no longer in business. Your .5 mV Sonata needs at least 56 dB of gain. The PH-1 has two settings on the bottom:
L 40 db
H 56 db
If you're using H and still hear hiss, then I recommend looking at a Jolida JD9. It has more than enough gain to address your problem with hiss. It also sounds much better than any other $300 phono stage I've heard. You can buy it direct from Jolida for $295.
L 40 db
H 56 db
If you're using H and still hear hiss, then I recommend looking at a Jolida JD9. It has more than enough gain to address your problem with hiss. It also sounds much better than any other $300 phono stage I've heard. You can buy it direct from Jolida for $295.