Should I use an external Phono Preamp

I find it interesting that even higher end/higher priced phono stages benefit from a SUT. I’ve also noticed, and this may be a coincidence or it is more users of tube phono stages, that post that they achieved a good improvement with a SUT. 
I recently tried a tubed Lab12 Melto2 phono stage and overall I liked the sound but I couldn’t fully appreciate it due to surface noise that was considerably higher with the tubed phono than I was used to with my solid state unit. I sold the Melto 2 and the gentleman who bought it is using it with a SUT. He loves it. 
I went on to upgrade my solid state phono to a model few steps up the line.
There is even less surface noise now and overall it sounds excellent with my Hana Umami Blue cartridge. 
 

I am not against tubes, and I haven’t tried everything under the sun, but it seems to me that tube phono stages probably benefit from the SUT the most.

I would not consider adding a SUT to my solid state setup - I’m just afraid to compromise the performance. 

I use two SUT's selected after hearing many SUT's both before and after my selections are made. Also I have in the past loaned a few versions of a Head Amp design.

All are used with Phonostages in use prior to the most recently added custom design SS Phon'.

The new SS Phon has been extremely impressive through the MC Input, but curiosity led me to use SUTs on the MM Input. The outcome being the SUT, not expected to be the better of the two, proved itself with no doubt to be the better interface with the SS Phon's MM Input. The SS Phon's MC Input is still the superior end sound, at this stage of early usage.

Time to call out for the loan of the Head Amp designs in their entirety, to satisfy the curiosity once more.   

Maybe a reverse riaa will be used to put a good injection of usage into both of the SS Phon's inputs before any further comparisons. 

As stated on many occasions on the Gon:

Comparing is the Thief of  enjoyment   

The sooner the itch is scratched, the better. 

@pindac that’s why I won’t bother. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. 
 

I’ll be interested to know what the OP will be able to accomplish with the SUT. If there is a substantial improvement, then that built in phono stage isn’t all that special. Hopefully we’ll know the outcome soon. 

@mooks005 

This is what McIntosh says about their preamp;

As quoted by @elliottbnewcombjr -

"two unbalanced phono inputs. The phono inputs are no longer set up as dedicated for Moving Coil or Moving Magnet cartridges; instead, both are configurable as either Moving Coil or Moving Magnet with adjustable Capacitance and Resistance Loading, along with adjustable Gain in 6dB steps from 40dB to 64dB. This provides maximum flexibility for you to configure the C12000 to best fit your turntable(s), cartridge(s), and vinyl record collection."

Additionally from McIntosh's website -

"Regardless if you choose the vacuum tube or solid state output, the phono stage utilizes four 12AX7A vacuum tubes, with two tubes used per channel in a fully balanced configuration that incorporates RIAA equalization."

Stereophile, Apr 29, 2022 -

""Not only is the C12000 a very quiet preamplifier, it also offers very low levels of distortion and very high maximum output levels… With both its line and phono inputs, the McIntosh C12000's measured performance is among the best I have encountered from a preamplifier." - Stereophile"

Any of you think you can actually improve on this? I want to see your credentials!

Audphile, what is a “solid state SUT”?

Bill, you made a categorical statement to the effect that no full function preamplifier can compete with a separate phono stage. That’s what I strongly dispute. Most of the very best vinyl sound I’ve heard is via a phonolinepreamp (Raul’s term), rather than from separates. And there are valid reasons for this. To begin with, using a couple of inches of wire or of a PCB tracing is a superior connection between phono and linestage, compared to physical output and input connectors and cabling. Further, the phono and linestage can sometimes be direct coupled, without a coupling cap and buffer stage. I know we’ve been brainwashed into believing in the inherent superiority of separates, but it ain’t necessarily so.