MC cart, can I use MM phono preamp?

You can build the " $395" transformers for about a lot less than half of its asking price yourself. The transformers only cost about $100-110 a pair including shipping. If you are in Southern California, you can pick them up at the factory too.

Go to Audio Asylum and type "Cinemag" and you will find wealth of info about them. You want the "Ground Lift" switch that is the same of that employed on the trasnformers being sold for $395? No problem. Just post the question at AA and you will get the answer.

Before you do any of the above, find out how much gain is available from your MM phono stage + linestage. Those data combined with the known output voltage of your chosen MC cartridge, usually stated in terms of millivolts (mV) measured at a frequency of 1kHz and a velocity of 3.54 or 5 cm/sec, will help you decide about a Step-Up Transformer (SUT). I agree with Amandarae, if you feel competent to solder, a SUT set-up is easy to build yourself, and you will end up with better transformers for less money. Jensen, located in SoCal, is a great company that makes excellent SUTs, and their website will tell you how to implement them to get the gain you need.

Just to quickly throw it out there... but CA640p gets very rave reviews from both MM and MC camps... maybe I should just give little box a try? But does it make sense to have a ~$200 phono preamp on a ~$1000 cart???

No. I have a $2200 phono stage and have just bought one the cost $3500 in 2005 and none of my cartridges cost over $400. You can't hear a $1000 cartridge to advantage through a cheap phono stage. Try a Pro Ject Tube Box SE 11 or a Blue Circle basic phono, I am a dealer and I can't remember how to spell them , or something on that level. The table comes first, then the arm, then the phono stage, then the cartridge. Get the first three lined up before buying an expensive cartridge. If you start at the other end your expensive cartridge may be worn out before the rest of your system is at a level to really hear it.

very good answer from Stanwal, and if you want to stay with the Shelter and your MM phono is good, get the Shelter 411...