Help me pick a phono, pre and cart

Sounds good!  The version he recommended, which provides the lower of the two gain alternatives that are offered, is by far the version that is purchased most often.  It should be suitable for all but the lowest output cartridges, certainly for those rated at 0.3 mv and I suspect for cartridges having output ratings significantly less than that.

My guess is that with the 20K load you'll be sacrificing a bit of the deep bass extension the Quatro CT is capable of, but since that would just be on an interim basis the VTPH-2A sounds like a plan!

Best regards,
-- Al

Dear @jetson : It's easy to " spend some money of other person "..


Your Ayre selection is just spot-on because as a phono stage we need not only a very low noise unit for LOMC cartridge but very important is the RIAA eq. deviation where the Ayre really excels:


https://www.ayre.com/p5xe.htm

We have to avoid any single source of bad influence to that LOMC cartridge and that's why is better to sty away from any unit with a single or more tubes. Tubes are not for audio no matter what.

Other advantage is that that Ayre unit you can paired in the short future with another great Ayre item the AX-5 Twenty :

https://www.ayre.com/ax5.htm

and for LOMC cartridges you can do better with these options. Here we have to remember that's the cartridge the one will pick up the recorded LP signal and it's here where we can invest the best we can:

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis9206j-ortofon-mc-a90-cartridges

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis91i48-van-den-hul-colibri-xgp-gold-lw-new-latest-version-cartri...

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis91ic5-sumiko-pearwood-celebration-ii-mc-phono-cartridge-moving-...


Happy hunting.


Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

@rauliruegas HA HA “It’s always easy to spend other people’s money” is one of my most favorite expressions, although it’s usually used when I’m talking about government or business. 

Generalizations on SS vs tube aside, I get your points;  that the P5-xe would match well with the current Ax-7e, and later an AX-5 Twenty, or VX & KX-5 Twenty pair if I were to stay with Ayre.  As well as the point that the cart will make a bigger difference than the pre. 

Thats is why it- the Ayre phono pre - and the Herron are the two on my short list.

Right now, although it would be a bit more initial cost, and despite the obvious synergy with other Ayre products, I’m leaning toward the Herron. This is because primarily because of its adjustability to different amps and carts, and because it’s well received by many here (some with Ayre gear), whose opinions I respect. 
 
 Unfortunately, getting a personal Px-5e to VTPH-2A comparison will be near impossible. Which, actually, is another reason I’m thinking Herron. If I go with Ayre again, because of the frequency that their components are resold, I could get a Px-5e, do a comparison, and if I decide to keep the Herron, resell the Ayre pre for  the same price I just paid. 

Dear @jetson :  Learning time your time, and your call. Good luck.

R.

@rauliruegas Which models of Herron Audio equipment have you heard?  Which carts did you try on those units?