VAC Owners:Outboard Phono Stage?

Jfrech, I would love to do a blind A/B with the EAR and Bob's. At twice the price, I'm really curious about the MC-4.

Again, thank you so much for your original suggestion to try a SUT. I owe you one!
Alón

Al, thanks for the kind words. Yes, my VAC has both MM and LOMC built in. I'm using the low 1:20 ratio setting, which is what Bob recommended for my cartridge. That, I believe, translates to a load impedance of 118. I also use the Ground Lift switch, that in my system makes music emerge from a background so quiet and black that the first notes out of the speakers startles the cat! Bob actually researched my cartridge, and only then made his recommendations... considering the results, it sounds like he nailed it!

As for burn-in, I've experienced improvement over time in every component in my system. I dont think this any different. The delicate silver wires Bob uses in the 1131 took under three hours to show their magic. I think the SUT will get even better in the next 100 hours. I don't have a "cable cooker," so I'll just have to play a lot more vinyl... I know, poor me!

Alonski, I love your description - spot on, "I love that this increased heft can be had without the usual compromises of darkened tonal colors and loss of inner detail. Weight, detail and sparkle coexisting in one system..."

Gang: I have had the Steelhead for 5-6 years, bought it new, never liked it straight in, and with the Lamm Reference line stage, it made pretty good music, using NOS Teles and rolling the 7044 tubes as well. There is a noise in my Lamm Reference, and it has to go back to Vlad (no big deal, i am still in NYC area, so it is a drive, no shipping). But since Vlad is away (Munich, i gather, not the Motherland), I'm down to the Steelhead for a month or so, straight in again, and it sounds too 'high fi' for me. So, I'm looking for something that will give me purity and openness via the Lamm ML2/Avantgarde Duo combo.
Considering, among others, the Allnic stuff, as well as Veloce line stage with ? phono.
I'm vinyl only. And i don't need a bunch of other inputs on the linestage.
Spoke to Israel at Coincident as well-
Frankly, I trust my own ears, in my own system, not the flavor of the month or technical explanations (which are fine as far as they go). My take, living with the Steelhead, it is good, and very flexible, well built, but sounds too electronic (FET's?) for my taste, and without the linestage to buffer it, literally and figuratively, it will be offered for sale soon.
What say you?
TIA.

Alón,
Thanks for posting 1131 impressions - I surely understand your excitement (nothing better than improving a system you already love), and now you've really got me thinking about one! Geez, I guess I should also consider picking up a "beater" MC cart just for burning new phono electronics & tubes in ;)

Mike