Perhaps an ARC gain/matching problem?

I have happily run ARC gear since the mid-eighties. Never anything new, always used. I had a PH-3 running through a LS-16 GNSC pre and a VT-130SE amp with some better caps in it. Table is a VPI Classic 2 with a gimballed VTA plated arm, and a Soundsmith Zephyr MKIII. Everything was fine till I changed from Monitor Audio Gold 300s and installed Scansonic MB6B’s. Suddenly my records didn’t sound so good, but CD’s and Reel to Reel sounded much better. So I got a PH-7. The records sounded amazing compared to the PH-3. Putting the PH-3 back in was like throwing a blanket over my system. Then I found a Huntley modded Reference 1. I bought it of course. Now I get horrible sounds from records. A lot of "cracking" and nasty sounds, especially on transients. I believe the PH-7/Soundsmith combo is now overpowering the phone input on the Reference 1. Too much gain? Why would it be ok with the LS-16, but not with the Reference 1? Anyone know if the gain in the phono stage can be lowered in the Reference 1, or more likely the gain being lowered in the output of the PH-7? Or do I need to dump the Soundsmith and maybe go back to a MC, which I haven’t used since my Monster Cable Alpha 2 and Clear Audio Veritas days? If anyone has ever experienced similar, I would love to hear about it.