I would recomment 60dB and more.
( I use a system with 0.2 output without any problems )
There are a few factors when choosing a phono stage depending how serious you are using your system.
An excellent phono stage is the secret for this kind of reproduction and there are some more things which are important too:
-Gain alone is not the secret
There are some units out there with high gain sounding dead and lifeless
- Important is:
the more you can adjust the better !
Gain, Impedances,Resistance
the newer cartridges with higher output ( Benz ...) were not made because they sound better ( nonsense ) they were made because most phono stages are inferior with low output MC's and the customer is more willing to change a cartridge than the phono stage.
To find interesting Phono Stages is no big secret, there are only a few manufacturers who are intelligent enough to build an outstanding one
( Vendetta, Klyne, Rowland, Pass ...).
But this is another story.
