Do I need a phono pre amp?

NO! If you use another phono pre use it into a line level input; otherwise you will overload your pre and possibly damage it. The 103 is a moving coil cartridge which requires more amplification than a moving magnet cartridge. See if your pre has a MC setting; if it does not you will need a step up transformer or head amp to raise the output of the cartridge or else go to a moving magnet. There is endless lit on here on the differences between them.

Unless there's excessive noise, what's wrong with being at 2-3 o'clock? I'm at 4 o'clock with some carts.

Phono stages/preamps RIAA equalize the signal of your cartridge. If you did use another, going into the phono in of your preamp; your signal would be equalized twice and the results would not sound very good.

I agree with Banquo353. I always like my preamp at the upper range,I think they sound better at full gain. As long as it is not noisy.

Thanks for the input. I've just never had to turn the volume up that high on previous preamps. There isn't any noise at that level so I guess I'll just go with it. Thanks to all