Cartridge or Pre Amp

Get a Herron Audio VTPH-2a and never have to worry about phono stage performance.  It is as good as it gets and can handle high-output and low-output cartridges with equal aginity.  And the price for such a stellar performer is competitive with even mediocre performers.

@chakster And the upgrade cycle will be never-ending.  Spending a bit more up front will end future money spend on continuing the mediocre performance of cheap electronics.  Using a Herron VTPH-2a will certainly make the AT150MLX sing up to its potential rather than limiting it with the cheap #%*@ you suggest.

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I listen to Herron Audio equipment and wonder why they are not priced in the $30,000+ range.

@almarg Agreed.  The Herron would be better matched to a preamp with a higher input impedance.  Keith Herron would be a good source to determine whether changing tubes in a VTPH-2a would overcome a lower input impedance pre.  

BTW, I find bi-polar transistors acceptable as long as they are medicated.

@geoffkait 

You forgot the law about recycling tube vacuum.

No mention about cleaning the vacuum.

My personal taste leans toward the use of natural vacuum instead of synthetic vacuum.  (I own a tanker car filled with liquified vacuum on a rail siding just outside Biose, ID.)

Cryogenic treatment of vacuum is essential.

Vacuum must be matched.  After all, mismatching tube vacuum just....   (wait for it....)  sucks.

My suggestion for creating natural vacuum is simple.  Just get your hands on a source of pure Hydrogen and remove the protons and electrons.  Neutrons will settle out at the bottom. 

It's possible to create even more vacuum by increasing the size of the vacuum storage vessel containing the vacuum.  The benefit of this is the increased purity of vacuum (see cleaning vacuum) and overcome the need to buy a vacuum cleaner.