high output phono preamp for use with passive pre

Your question speaks for itself: Sell Audiable Illusions and get ARC PH3 or SE version whenever you hit the good used deal. This is a superbly designed phonostage with tube 6922 driver and MOSFET output. This phono-stage will give you approximately 1.5...1.7V on the output wich will be probably a-little less than from your DAC. You can also check the input sencitivity of VT100 for the rated output.

Pass Aleph Ono has even more gain but more pricewise.

In general the phonostage in Mod 3A is terrible.

Tswhistel,
If you wonder, I indeed listen in average to a few thousands of records and CDs per year. I even have a small Stax ear system in my office:^) Before I took PH3 I've listened to 6 phonos(Modulus 3A including) and 4 of them in my own setup since I did not want to spend more than $600 for the phono stage but seing no option to PH3 I stretched my budget. If I will ever upgrade PH3 I would probably go for AudioSynthesis or Pass X ono.

As to diffences in opinions I listened to this phono only once with Benz Glider HO and I wasn't impressed. If the phono-stage cannot handle 2.5mV cartridges than I realy bypass it. It definitely stays lower than Phonomena, Black Cube. To your comparison try to hook up the integrated Plinius 8200(that costs $1.5k used) and Modulus 3A in analogue setup.