Step Up Transformers….Are they Worth the Trouble?

IMO, it’s just silly to pre-judge a cartridge on the basis of the material used to make its cantilever. The idea of ranking cartridges based on the nature of the parts per se was already discussed at length. I know that no one went away with a changed view of the subject, but nevertheless, it’s been done for good or ill. For only one example, I consider the Ortofon MC2000 to be one of the greatest LOMC cartridges ever made, not THE best, but certainly in the top rank. And yet it has a lowly aluminum cantilever. By the same token, many superb cartridges have ruby cantilevers. Fact is, these days most new cartridges are pretty darn good, and a given isolated user on a given day in a given mood might love any of them. Once you’ve spent the money, that alone predisposes you to a certain affection for the thing you bought. By the way, there is such a teeny tiny amount of beryllium in a beryllium cantilever, and since we don't eat them or shred them into our local environments, I find it hard to believe that the toxicity of beryllium is the whole reason we don't have cartridges with beryllium cantilevers any longer offered.

Look after yourself, pindac. Hope all your treatment is successful.

@pindac : very best wishes to you.

“the EQVES line has become a successful example of devices with which you can color your analog system. "

If that " color " is what you want, that’s it

Btw, do you know why Excel did not choosed ruby material in the cantilevers in its own cartridges been the manufacturer of Etsuro and instead used BORON material?. Very simple ruby has not the superlative characteristic as boron or diamond in catilevers and Etsuro choosed ruby, ??? ? ! ! I mentioned these twice in other threads. Good luck with.”

@rauliruegas

I must say, your posts here and elsewhere adds nothing but mass confusion. As evident from many of your posts, you’re quick to criticize other posters choices and manufacturer design philosophy. This kind of behavior is a classic example of a narcissistic personality.

This is a shared learning environment, we should always respect the views of other participants even if you don’t agree with them. Moving forward, If you cannot respect others opinion and choices, all I can ask and hope for some civility in your posts.

As far as your negative comments about Etsuro,

Cartridges manufacturer uses different materials for cantilevers depending on the specific design and intended performance characteristics of the cartridge. The choice between ruby, boron, or diamond as cantilever materials is not solely based on the “superlative” qualities of one material over another but rather on how each material’s properties align with the design goals for the cartridge.

The choice of cantilever material is a balancing act between performance, cost, and the desired sound signature. While boron may offer technical superiority in some aspects, ruby provides a unique character that appeals to certain listeners and aligns with the luxury branding of products like those from Etsuro.

@lalitk 

Back from my two-day trip.  Before doing anything else I tried different ground scheme vs my prior SUT.  Added ground between phono stage and SUT (in addition to tonearm and SUT).  Hum pretty much gone!  (consistent with @mulveling prediction). Sound is remarkable - intuition that Rothwell wasn’t fully showcasing the Koetsu was correct (duh, I know).  Consistent with my first impression, way more dynamic, but still lush, which is cool combo.  

Still in conversation with dealer whether I should change setting to lower ratio - seems like manufacturer is not convinced that’s the right move.  Will see….