Step Up Transformer

Dear @edgewear  : " If more people would mention the same combinations as being excellent, this could create some sort of experience based consensus about the ’best’ possible combinations as interacting systems, instead of the generally useless opinions about ’best’ components in isolation. Such a list might be useful to people who need help with their purchase decisions.  "

 

That could be fine but there are a lot of " things " around that scenario that those experiences are really good for only the gentleman that posted and owns that room system.

Things are thaT SAME COMBINATIONS WITH DIFFERENT SPEAKERS OR AMPLIFIERS OR CABLES OR ...OR....perform different too and depends too of the LP choosed tracks and obviously those experienced " ears " or know how of MUSIC level.

 

Look in this thread the OP owns the PS Audio Stellar phono stage and even that it's looking for a SUT ( no sense to me but I respect his " needs " )..Fremer was impresed for the Stellar unit and in his review he posted statements almost imposible to imagine for a so low price phono stage:

 

 " The midrange on this phono preamp is as open, uncongested, transparent, and revealing as that of any phono preamp I've heard at any price.

How's that for a "pull quote"? But it's true, not hyperbole, and I stand by it. In the midrange department, the Stellar Phono is the darTZeel of phono preamplifiers. Considering the price differential, that's saying a lot!  "

 

"" Because of its openness, transparency, and freedom from midband congestion, the Stellar did tell me some things I didn't already know, on many recordings. Small, subtle-though-significant things that surprised me. ""

 

""" 

At RMAF, I played the test pressing of the first movement of the upcoming Bruckner Symphony No.7 recording with Bernard Haitink conducting the Berlin Philharmonic, and the crowd sat through the entire movement, clearly enthralled (despite the noise outside the room) by the recording's insane transparency, three-dimensionality, textural delicacy, and airiness. The string sound is to die for, and the Stellar captured and unleashed all of it.

At home, using the Ortofon Anna Diamond cartridge on the SAT arm, the result was sensational  """

 

"""" I could cite a half-dozen more references to jazz, rock, chamber, and symphonic music I listened to through the Stellar Phono over the weeks I had it in the system, using it with the Continuum Caliburn turntable/SAT CF1-09 tonearm, the HW-40 turntable/Fatboy tonearm, and, at the very end, the Air Force One Premium/Graham Elite combo—all far beyond the Stellar's pay grade. But, rather than go through that list, I'll just reiterate and certify as true what Myers said in his manual note: "(The Stellar is) innately transparent and present(s) the music with a correct display of tonal balance." """   and he used too the Lyra Atlas SL.

 

Even all those and very good Atkinson unit measurements this thread is about SUT  ! ! 

 

R.

 

 

@dover stated "In terms of best, the problem is that there is no best, it so much depends on the cartridge/sut/phono combination."

This is one way to describe a overview based on experiences encountered.

It also is quite aligned to a how a Sales Person addresses a situation with a Customer. It is about Products and then the Best Product.

Another way to describe this, is that in many cases an individual has built a system that is accurately aligned to presenting in a manner that is aligned to their unique preferences for how a sonic is perceived.   

If the individual is to add to their system other ancillaries that can impact on the signal produced, and hence, the sonic produced. There is no best, there is only the item that has proved most satisfactory to suit their needs.

Very Very rarely is it seen that a individual with a obvious passion for audio, has the same equipment as another sharing a similar passion. Never would an individual with this leaning toward audio, build a system solely based on another's preferences. There is always the likelihood ancillaries used by others are able to become a curiosity and something to be experienced.

Dear @dover  : " Much more important than loading in my view is getting the gain structure right so you have the optimum voltage going into the phono.  "

I agree with that statement. My Denon AU-1000 hast a gain ratio 1:11.5 and I used with every kind of LOMC characteristics and works just fine.

Yes, a SUT has its own " colorations " because noting is perfect but the critical issue , other that its gain,  belongs to its really limited frequency range at both frequency ends against an active high gain stage. This objective characteristic speaks by it self of the real quality level in the SUT design. The today manufactures ( not all like Audio Tecchnica ) I think know that critical issue and normally they posted in their site NOTHING about and only the gain ratios but there is a way more critical issue and that's that the customers truly do not cares about and this is a true problem that goes in favor of the SUT manufacturers. I could  think that maybe you already measured the Altec 4629 FR .

 

R.

So I just took delivery of the new Revolver release, the one where AI was used to separate instruments from vocals. The difference between this 2022 release and the original is not subtle. I love it. I also realized after a few day of listening that I don’t need a SUT. my system sounds really fine. 

Thanks for all of your input and the discussions/debates.

😂😂😂😂

ps: I bought that LP recently and don’t care for it. To me it sounds too much like a CD.