Is a Doge 8 Clarity preamp noisy with an 0.4 mc?


I would like to go to a Shelter 501 II cartridge from a nice mm cartridge (Virtuoso Wood or Music Maker III)to get more of the live, airy, and dynamic sound of LO Mcs I once had (Supex sd-900e super and Fidelity Research FR-III). The original Doge 8 has great reviews except for the noise of MCs--is the Clarity much better in this regard? Or would I be better off buying a SUT from Bob's Devices and keeping my Audible Illusions 2C?
dorkwad
They say that the key issue is the voltage output of your MC cartridge. From what I hear, it has to be 0.25 MV or greater to be "acceptable". I have a Benz Micro RUBY 3, and it is rated at 0.34 MV. So, this "should" be OK.

I also have a DENON 103R, but it is too low compliance for my tonearm, and old SME III series arm.

I just purchased a Dodge 8 clarity and it is due to arrive end of this month (probably soonest!). I'll be glade to report on the noise issue as this is different from the tubes per say. Yes, some tubes are quieter than others, but the cartridge output is reported to be the elephant in the room.

I can also compare it to my DEAD QUIET SimAudi MOON LP-5.3 head amp.
Thanks Pdspec1. Does anyone else have some experience that wouldn't mind sharing the info?
Hello,
My friend, currently away on vacation, recently acquired a Clarity preamp. He's using a Denon 103 cartridge. I'm not sure on the specs of this MC cart though. He's extremely happy with the preamp overall, including the phono section with this cart. He replaced the line stage tubes with Radio Techniques and noticed an improvement from the tubes that came with the unit. He'll replace the phono stage tubes soon.
Best wishes!!!