Need help w/ Audible Illusions M3A

Trailrunner,
M3a phono section will not suffice for the descent analogue setup.
Much wiser investment will be for AE3 and separate phonostage such as EAR834P. Alltogether you gain performance on both linstage and phonostage sides.

The M3A has an excellent phono section. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Is it the best, no. Is it good enough to build around for an excellent analogue system, darn straight.
Your hiss is the tube in the channel making noise. AI has had some tube issues (all Sovteks are not created equal). I have used these preamps for years and currently use an L-1. I bought a pair of "Rocket" tubes from Upscale Audio for $30 each and they sound excellent and are really dead silent. I also bought a pair of matched Sovteks from AI which are also dead quiet. I went through a bunch of noisy Sovteks a while back with a M3A. Other tube brands will work but be real careful where they come from. AI has a recommended tube list on their web sight. Check it out.
I use the L-1 with 3A Sigs. It provides top notch performance as did the M3A.

Bigtee,
I'm basing on my experience as well that the IMO combo of two AES3 and EAR834P will perform far more superior than one M3A.
Moreover EAR can be fed directly to the amplifier since it has volume control which gives an extra flexibility for the same amount of money.

Nice system. Don't fear tubes. Try switching sides to see if the hum follows. If it does, buy tubes! They are not so expensive-avoid crap (sovtek is crap). Try these sites:
www.tubesandmore.com www.thetubestore.com www.upscaleaudio.com www.jeffssoundvalues.com
Find a local store with a tube tester if you are curious or send them out for testing. All it will cost is shipping.

Marakanetz, Everyone is certainly entitled to there opinion. After dealing with audio for over 35 years, I have found that a lot of components just present a different presentation. Better is in the ears of the listener. The M3A is capable of outstanding phono reproduction as verified in all of the positive reviews over the years by leading mags. My experience concurs. It is extremely neutral for a tube based preamp. It is also a hell of a bargain on the used market.