Pani ... New ART-9 up and running ...

There are many, many other phono stages (besides the JLTi) that also allow the user to tweak the resistive loading by one method or another.  In my opinion, this is an essential feature of any "high end" phono. If one only wants to convert from a 47K load to 100K for MM cartridges (which I agree mostly do sound best with 100K), then the more purist approach is to de-solder the 47K load resistors where they are mounted and replace them with 100K (nude Vishays, of course). Other very neutral resistors for this purpose are the Caddock TF020 (available from M Percy) and the tantalum types, if you're reluctant to pay for the Vishays.

So what about the ART9? Are you running it also with a 47K or 100K load?  In my fully balanced Atma-sphere MP1, I am finding that MCs can sound excellent with a 47K load. (I am not going to say they sound best this way, because that would be a subjective judgement, but I do think they sound a tad more open at the top end than they do with the more classic 100R to 1000R resistive loads. Like someone else said, the load R is really a load on the phono section, rather than on the cartridge.)

Pani, I am unfamiliar with the guts of the JLTi.  If you have no resistor plugged into the aux phono inputs, is there then no load at all in place? In other words, is it designed such that one MUST plug some resistance into those inputs?

@lewm even I have not heard the JLTI phonostage. I think it is @chakster who has used it and recommended it along with MM carts.

@avanti1960 without knowing your budget I will just suggest the phono stages that I like a lot in the mid-budget range. 

1. Naim Stageline (current model) with Hicap PSU
2. Pro-ject phono box RS with its battery PSU
3. Graham Slee Revelation
4. Plinius Koru

Tube phono stages:
Luxman E200/250
Rogue Audio Ares

Dear Pani, My apologies. I knew full well that it is Chakster using the JLTi.  That was just a bit of brain fade.  Perhaps Chakster will respond to my question: What happens if you don't plug anything into the load jacks on the JLTi?  Does it present no load or some standard value?

Pani, I did wonder what resistive load you are using with the ART9.  Mainly because I have found with my Atma-sphere MP1 that 47K works well with several of my MC cartridges, giving a slightly more open top end, and a "bigger" sound, compared to using the more typical LOMC loads, e.g. 100R to 1000R.  Perhaps the overall tonal balance is better, as well.

@lewm

I am unfamiliar with the guts of the JLTi. If you have no resistor plugged into the aux phono inputs, is there then no load at all in place? In other words, is it designed such that one MUST plug some resistance into those inputs?

By default JLTi phono sage comes with 47k ohms internal resistors for MM and a pair of 100 ohms RCA plug resistors if you want to switch to high gain MC position.

But my custom made JLTi comes with 500k ohms internal resistors (Dlalolum used the same configuration), so i can plug-in whatever resistor using a pair of RCAs for MM or MC cartridges. All i need is just to switch gain for high or low position.

Some people prefers JLTi over Southerland and many other (up to $3500 in price) phono stages. it’s easy to find audiogoner’s comments or Fremer review. Personally i like it so much, now it’s even cheaper (under $800 for Australian made version) than previous luxury Swiss made version ($1795) designed by Allen Wright.

From the manufacturer website:
"The name denotes that this is a Solid State device using something that is called Diamond Transistor Theory, rarely used on High-End Audio products. The most simple and linear audio voltage amplification device is a Vacuum Triode which consists of three electrodes only. They are the Grid (input), Cathode (grounding) and Anode (output). On the other hand, the Solid State Transistor is a current device but is nowhere near as linear as the Triode. It consists of Base (input), Emitter (grounding) and Collector (output). The idea behind a Diamond Transistor is actually a composite circuit that emulates the near perfect and linear Transistor as a current device with the same three electrodes in the circuit then becomes the equivalent of the Base, Emitter and Collector followed by a Unity Gain Buffer.Our Diamond Transistor eschews feedback completely and uses Passive EQ" READ MORE