Equalization for vinyl nirvana

Analog or Digital? Doesn't matter!

Phono preamps definitely sound ok, good, great, and I advise having the option of return for any phono preamp. However, what you are describing/intending is far from normal.

I agree, something else is wrong, additional eq after RIAA phono eq should NOT be needed, especially for all LP's.

RIAA phono equalization 'curve' grew into the standard for the LP recording/playback industry. ALL modern LP's are cut using reduced bass and boosted highs as per the RIAA spec. ALL modern Phono preamps boost the bass and cut the highs as per the RIAA spec. Minor, very minor differences result, by random parts deviation, or by designer's intentions, repeat very minor.

Prior to that, various recording/playback equalization 'curves' existed. Some phono stages, like the Sunvalley you mentioned, offer the RIAA standard, AND optional curves, intended for playing ancient lps recorded with those historically optional eq curves. Yes, you can use them with modern LP's but that is not their intention. This exists for Reel to Reel tapes also, early eq curves until a standard emerged.

LP, ' long playing' records, getting more content on a disk, was made possible by cutting the bass during recording (thus physically smaller width grooves were needed), and, like Dolby later, boosting the highs helped to reduce noise on playback.

Is your cartridge MM or MC?

Perhaps your Phono Eq has internal optional switches, resistors, settings for various cartridges, and current settings are 'bad' for your cartridge.

I would check with the manufacturer, and, go to eBay or Amazon, pick something you can return, try it, all should be well. If not you have problems down the line.

The dominant view in high end audio is “straight wire”, the least amount of electronics for the best sound. Almost no high end audio equipment has any kind of tone controls... because they introduce noice and reduce overall fidelity. I recommend fixing the problem, equalization is a band aid likely to move you further away from good sound.

My rule of thumb is that at any given cost level (mid-FI up) an analog rig will sound better than the digital end. So my Analog end (TT, arm, cartridge, and preamp) cost about $31K... my digital end (streamer plus DAC) cost $41K. The analog end edges out the digital. It would do this (in general for compatible equipment set up correctly) at the $1K component level as well as at the $100K level.
So, having said that. Is the cartridge set up correctly, the phono stage quality is VERY important. What are you comparing it too. What is your other equipment?

I hope you understand the difference between Equalizers and Phono Correction (which sometimes called Phono EQ) ? 

If you're newbie then maybe you need simple tone control (bass and treble), nice integrated amp like this Luxman have it. 

If you're always using tone control in your system then something wrong in your system. 

With matched components you don't need tone controls. 

One advice, before you will buy components:

Look for high efficient speaker (90db or higher), low power amp are perfect for high efficient speakers, and buy yourself a decent phono cartridge (this is where it is all started). 

jasonbourn52. I love this: "Learn to accept reality!"

Kidding aside, we know there is no such thing as perfect recording or reproduction. If by "accepting reality" you mean that the goal of a good hi-fi system should be to accurately reproduce whatever is in the recording to the nth degree... suppose that's one worthy approach. 

But, if say 9/10 listeners appreciate boosting the bass when listening to a bass-deficient recording, then are they all wrong? Do all these listeners just have bad taste in audio and should be more appreciative of transparency no matter what?