MC cart, can I use MM phono preamp?

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...

So I have decided to add a SUT to my MM phono stage and see what happens. Will report back once all is up and running.

Crazy-before you buy either an LOMC or an SUT, do some (I mean a LOT) reading on cart/sut matching. Its more than just the getting the right gain ratio. The loading has to be dead on and it matters whether you are loading teh primary side or the secondary side. Due to the step-up ratio, small changes in loading can make a big difference in sound and also "magnify" the effect of the cabling.

Wise advice from Swampwalker. Using an LOMC+SUT well is not simple, using them badly is.

Also agree with Stanwal's advice to upgrade your cartridge last. Table, arm and phono stage must be good or you just won't hear what a costly LOMC can offer. As he also noted, a cartridge has a limited life span. It isn't prudent to upgrade if the rest of your front end won't reach an appropriate level before it wears out. Tables, arms and phono stages are forever, so they're a sounder investment.

Further, an entry level cartridge can sound amazing with a good table, arm and phono stage.

Extreme example: I'm currently demoing a $125 MM, temporarily setting aside my $8K (retail) LOMC. My table, arm and phono stage retail for ~$19,000, a rather silly 152 times more than this MM cartridge.

How does it sound? Damned impressive, quite the equal of any $1,500 LOMC that I've heard.

OTOH, when I play my fancy LOMC with lesser TT's, tonearms or phono stages the best I can hope for is that it'll sound pretty good, which isn't much for the price. Sometimes it sounds boring. Most often it reveals the weaker component's flaws and the net result is unsatisfactory. Now when everything's right the LOMC is utterly glorious, light years beyond the $125 MM. But everything else must be right - first.