Phono preamp advice.

Art, thanks for the response. I have the Goldring Eroica cartridge which is a high output MC (it came with MMF7). How would the SF do with it?
Natalia

I am beginning to see that the "front" is more important (for now) and that maybe the MMF7 is ok but not remarkable. I was a bit afraid when I bought the TT that my craze with LPs would pass when the realities I remembered (from olden days) of cleaning, dealing with less-than-perfect surfaces, and storing would again dampen my enthusiasm. Well...unfortunately...the sound is so bloody good (even with my humble TT and pre) that the PIA quotient doesn't really matter. Maybe my next move is to go to local shops that have analog setups and just listen using some LPs from my collection.
I can't tell all of you how much I appreciate your input and am happy that Audiogon has these various forums to be able to learn from the experience of others.
N.

Wow, Psychicanimal, I fear that the Olympic committee will be comin'-a-'nocking on your door soon. Could you post bicep circumference of tonearm (delicacy prevents me from asking any other intimate details)...am afraid that my dear MMF7 needs a gym membership! Congratulations on the 1200 w/mods.

My PIA reference was more for what Dougdeacon did for his Sunday evening and I do when I have the time. Having discovered A'gon member 4yanx's LP cleaning ritual in one of the threads (I do think it should be required reading), I was delighted to learn that some LPs can be saved and even made to sound better. Although I am not nearly quite as thorough, I did invest in a Nitty Gritty 1.5 and do some prewashing.

Yesterday, as I watched an LP doing laps on the table it came to me that some of the gratification of a record is that you have to "physically deal with it." Well, I could go into a long discourse here about other visual and/or tactile felicities of handling an LP as opposed to a CD but will let the more experienced users among us share their thoughts.

Oh, by the way, I am using HT Pro-Silway IC from TT to pre and also from phonopre to the Pass X1. Is this IC okay? Thank you.

Dougdeacon, thanks for the tip on the cable. Did you mean that the Pro-Silway is not shielded? If not, and you think I should experiment with others (I abstained in connecting the "Wadio Whack-looking" stock cables that came with the MMF7), which rca/rca would you recommend. I have a Wireworld-Equinox III somewhere around here I could also try.
Thanks again to all of you for tolerating my "low-fi" questions and quips until I upgrade and get to play in the BIG sandbox.
N.

Arafel, I am sorry I forgot in my last post to ask...what were the significant differences you noted between the Eroica that came with the MMF7 and your new Benz? Also, did your CJ phonopre work well with the HO of your cartridge? Any noise,etc.?
Thanks, N.

Got it, Dougdeacon, as my husband says, "what matters is what's up-front!" (Can you believe I let him get away with that bs. after 25 years?) Anyway, he's the digital gargoyle in the household (Mr. Papa's-Got-A- Brand-New-Wadia), although he does admit that there is "something" to this LP thingy.
Wadia gonna do? Thanks again.
N.

Dougdeacon, you rascal, you! I guess improving my TTs should definitely be my first objective. ;>)
Have a date with the gargoyle (the one with the big smile on his face) this week to audition "big-girl" turntables, among them your Cocobolo Teres. Will report back.
If purchasing doesn't work out, I'll upgrade the MMF7 with a Glider cartridge, get a CJ or ARC pre... and spend the rest on plastic surgery. (I am glad the only wrinkles that are shown here on Audiogon are the ones on our Nordost cables.)
N.