What separate tube phono stage do you use ?

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.

Did anyone compare directly the phono stage of Atma-Sphere MP3 preamp with some of the mentioned or other separate phonos ? Who else makes tube preamps with excellent phono that could compete with Ralph's design ?

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.

Conrad johnson EV1 changed my set up and added such detail. 

McIntosh MP1100. For when you’re ready to stop messing around!