Analog Upgrade - Where to start?

I would like to thank everyone for the great advice and input.  It’s been very helpful and further confirms to me that the turntable and tonearm do not need to be changed.  
Some people have mentioned that there is a place to list out system components (perhaps  in my profile).  I will try to figure that out and update it.

@chilli42 thanks for your system info.  Just wanted to make sure your system was transparent enough to hear changes/upgrade to your analog front end which it apparently is.  However, I’m not familiar with Silent Source interconnects so not sure if adequate for your audio chain.

I agree that both cartridge and phono preamp upgrades should be your next sonic upgrade steps. The cartridge change would move you towards the sound you’re looking for while the phono preamp upgrade would increase the quality of the sound and should lower the noise floor.

You highlight " introduce more dynamic sound, detail" ...I would strongly suggest auditioning a Funk Firm Achromat if your TT has the VTA height adjustment to accomodate its 5mm thickness. I recently put one on my platter and realised I could have spent the rest of my life swapping out components, cables, cartridges in a futile search for those qualities and all I would have achieved is better and better amplification of the resonances trapped in the vinyl itself. I was astounded at the difference it made. Cork, Rubber and felt are insulators that keep the energy created by the stylus trapped inside the vinyl. The Achromat absorbs and dissipates it. And it works.

@rauliruegas I agree that every cartridge has its own signature and 'natural color'. That is exactly why it makes sense to have more than one, because no single cartridge can do everything right. There is no 'best' in this game. And I will stand by my remark that in this sense today's 'best' cartridges are not generically 'better' than the 'best' of yesterday.

Changing cartridges has become one of the more enjoyable aspects of my audio life, but it is also good to have a benchmark, a reference you can return to in order to reset your ears. For me that's the Van den Hul Colibri XPW Blackwood, a low output version with platinum coil wires (no longer in production). This does many things better than most, but not everything.

Obviously this is all very much system dependent, so it makes sense to select a phono amp that is as 'neutral' as possible and adds as little of a signature or 'natural color' of its own. I don't know if the Stellar meets up to this, but I agree SS is probably 'best' in handling the extremily low voltage levels generated by MC's.

The rest of the OP's system is also very high level: the speakers are known for their dynamic capabilities, solid class A power amp and a preamp that provides the 'natural color' of tubes which many people value. To be honest I have my reservations about the Stellar's capability to keep up with this quality level. It may be the overachiever some people claim it to be, but that's still no guarantee it is a great match for the ARC pre and Pass power, which are often used together and seem to work very well as a team. So your first priority should be to make sure that the phono amp has good synergy with these, before you start messing around with the 'natural color' of top dollar MC's.

Dear @edgewear : In an analog audio system transducers have the dominant /leader roles for achieve a top quality performance levels and this means: cartridges and speakers.

. Any change, no matters what, in those transducers makes always a difference as in no other system link.
Obviously that all other room/system links are important too but transducers are at the very top of the list.

This is de Vdh model you mentioned but with gold coils and it’s in the low output design ( I like it at around 0.24mv but I think Vdh already choosed for higher output designs. ) and " new " for a very good price and with the advantage that after 300 hours of cartridge playing Vdh will make a check up and fine tune its cartridges and when return to you comes performing better than ever:

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lisaajeb-van-den-hul-colibri-xgw-black-wood-cartridges

If I was @chilli42 and before touch the phono stage I buy that Vdh or other top today cartridge and after the cartridge already broken/sttled up l make the fine tunning and listen to it, I have no doubt that @chilli42 will has differences for the better " even " with the Stellar that all of you diminished because its humble price tag and that does not comes with a name as Boulder, Dartzeel or CH ( we are accustomed to look for the " big " names where no one of them is perfect, all with trade-offs. ) but this does not matters what it matters is its design that’s an excellent one.

Even one reviewer compared against the CH that has a price tag of 50+K where the Stellar ( acording the reviewer. ) makes a good work and something unexpected when the Stellar was under in deep measurements things are that it measures better than the manufacturer specs and this is the very first time that I read something like that because normally all electronics goes a little down of specs in the measurements proccess.

In reality the " ball " is in the OP field and if he decide to go for the phono stage good because that it’s a personal choose where not you, me or any one else can argue against it.

I respect all opinions but opinions with out true/objective reasons/facts just means almost nothing to help any one. Why to change the Stellar? what's wrong with/down there?

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.