What separate tube phono stage do you use ?

Good question inna. The phono amp in the EAR-Yoshino 868 is also considered by some to be mighty fine, but there aren't a lot of them around. The English mags use to do "shoot-outs", comparing comparably-priced components. I'm not expecting to see an MP-3 and an 868 compared anytime soon, and I've never found a retailer selling both those brands (they are wont to sell competing pieces at the same price point). And then you wonder how either of their phono stages compares with a good stand alone unit like the Herron, Allnic, etc.

Just as a reminder, there ARE high output cartridges that compete with, if not surpass, low output moving coils, and are fully deserving of a superior RIAA phono amp. Grado and London, both moving iron designs, need only 40dB or so of gain. George Counnas includes a setting in his Zesto Audio Andros phono amp specifically for Londons, as does Mike Moffat in his Schitt Audio Mani.

In addition to a Herron VTPH-1mm, I have an Audible Illusions Modulus 2 that was radically modified (re-engineered, really) by Ric Schultz of EVS, turning it into a RIAA phono-only amp. Ric worked for Art Ferris, and had some ideas for how to improved on the pre's design.