I used to own a Modulus 3A and found it did not have quite enough gain for my Grado Reference which had 1.5mV output, but my EAR 834P was a nice match with the AI so it was not an issue. I was able to use the Grado without the EAR, but it meant not having quite as much gain as I would have liked and running the AI wide open. It was a bit noisy. I should think 2.5mV or higher would be suitable. In your price range you should also give serious consideration to a high output Grado (4mV) as these are extremely musical. I know this is not a moving coil (it's a moving iron), but you might keep in mind that Joe Grado holds the patent for the moving coil design and yet chooses to manufacture no moving coil cartridges. These are a great value and used you might even find a Reference in your price range (I sold mine for $500 with fairly low hours and the new owner was very pleased with his purchase).You will also want to keep in mind the compliance of the cartridge you purchase to be sure it is a good match with your tonearm. If you end up with the VPI, the Grados, as well as the Benz, will be a good match. The low output Grado Reference I owned was built especially for VPI tables. You may want to call VPI to ask about the high output versions and also to get their recommendations for other cartridge choices. I'm sure Harry has tried just about everything and can offer good advice.
