Phone Preamp help for VPI Scout w Grado Sonota MM

A remarkably little SS phono box. You just experiment with the user dip swtches to find the right impedance and gain. Ignore the supossedly correct positions they are just wrong but you can find the right combo easily enough. I am using it with an MM at the moment but it has the gain for a moderate MC.
It is a much more musical creature than my Graham Slee Amp 2 SE which I was told was a giant killer. I find it a bit harsh- but yes indeed -it has the cruel real audiophile's brutally sterile and that nUetral sonic.
Absolutely perfectly clean impossibly low noise floor and all that. It is very clean without noise or other obvious faults. I am using it with with my Scout. The cartridge is a ridiculously revealing detail retrieving finder, A Dyna 20X High output MC.
The name of this little miracle musical job I mentioned above is an Australian product by Redgum audio. The only place I know that has it in stock is Quest for Sound. You can find Stephen Monte or the Quest president and wholey owned NAT distributing- as one of the official Audiogon dealers. They are othwise beyond hard to find. The down side is that despite the crazy good sonics it seems like it should cost less than the $4-500 they do. Primarily because it is small.
My personal take on the sumiko project phono stage is that it was made to look like a good pre not sound any good I think they are dull and noisy. Just my 2 cents I am sure I will be toasted for telling the emporor he has no clothes.
If you e-mail me I have a bunch of really good tubes and a legendary phono just hanging about to put themm in.

I had your problem and virtually the same set up. I cured it with an honest tube pre amp -the Cary made AE-3- which may still be available from Upscale Audio.
I now love my phono stage the Graham Slee Gram amp 2 SE. put through the pre. Alsoyou must get Cardas Golden refs or other Cardas "Golden" upper level interconnects between your pre and your amp. If you don't have a tube power amp consider it seriously.
If you just get the pre (roll the 6SN7s if you want I like rolling so I did) and the Cardas cable which will have to be used as Cardas is not making that style of cable, you will be happy and amazed. I guarantee it!!

Well sorry about that, It worked so well for me ...with my Focal Electras.... that I thought it would work for anyone.
The question does remain though have you tried a real tube preamp? It is a critical piece to the puzzle. Tube power amps makes it even better!! I only wanted to share my success after almost a decade of reiiteritave gear and cable swapping. I once had a MF 308 integrated, for instance, and had to sell it as it just didn't work with my gear.
I wish you could hear my set up but I am moving and it is now at my ex's house but will be with me soon. I will have to figure out a way to fit it in a small apt. I hope it still sounds as good but I duobt it.
I am genuinely surprised the Cardas Golden Refs didn't take some edge off. Can you describe how they sounded?