SUT Advice - Which Ones Are The Best?


I am currently in research mode.  I want to add a SUT to my set-up but I am finding that there is not a lot of information from my local audio shop resources.  It seems that SUTs are outliers in the high end audio world.  
That said, I have read several articles in magazines and the web touting their merits.
Of all the brands out there I am most familiar with Bob's Devices.  Art Dudley wrote many good things about his experiences with Bob's SUTs, and I happen to trust Art (God rest his soul), but I'm wondering if there are others I should consider as well.  Please post your recommendations if you have experience with any SUTs, regardless of brand.
As for my set-up, I have a SME 20/2 turntable, Tri-Planer tone arm, Lyra Kleos cartridge, and KTE LCR Mk5 Phono preamp.  I do not know if I will always use a Kleos cartridge but I do think I will always buy low output MC carts.  I hope to buy something that will work with low output MCs but have some adjustability just in case.
I'd love to hear your recommendations.
Thanks!
Peter
128x128snackeyp
Dear @antigrunge2 : I’m with you because it’s what you are listening but with all respect to ZYX and obviously to you if the Artisan+SUT outperforms the Artisan MC stage then what you need is not a SUT but a better phono stage design.

The Artisan has to many gain stages ( 4 ), not very good RIAA deviation with a 0.4db swing: to high, input resistor wound by hand by ZYX: sorry again those resistors can’t compare its quality levels to Vishay or Caddok that are non-inductive like the ZYX ones.

I can’t argue against what you like and only point out some " high-ligths " that came from its design.

Take a look to the KTE MK1 ( the OP owns the MK5 that’s way better yet. ) that is the Valav LCR 1 in this shoot-out:

http://www.troelsgravesen.dk/LCR-RIAA-shootout.htm

a picture of the MK5:

https://www.kitsunehifi.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/LCR1-MK5-3-scaled.jpg

Engineering design level, parts selection design, circuit boards design and excecution quality of that design makes a difference in active high gain phono stages. Not all are almost the same.

R.



+++ for the Clayton products mentioned above when going the SUT route to bliss
My own experience seems to suggest that things are not as simple as an active device being better than a passive one or vice versa. The interaction with the cartridge strongly determines the outcome.

This comes from extensive comparisons made with a Boulder 1008 phono amp. It has two inputs, so for this purpose one input was switched to MC and the other to MM, adding a SUT in the signal path. So basically I was comparing the MC gain stage of the 1008 with a SUT, all else equal. While the 1008 is not the best available, it's a competent solid state design without too many corners cut.

For me the outcome was undecided and simply depends on the cartridge. I've compared dozens of low impedance MC's with mixed results, but generally speaking Ortofon SPU, FR 7, Ikeda 9 and Miyabi seem to prefer a SUT in the signal path (with some preferring silver wire over copper wire and vice versa), while Ortofon A95, MC Anna and Transfiguration Proteus sounded much better with active amplification. Others were much less pronounced in their preference.

So what does this tell you? It all depends and you have to listen. That really helps, doesn't it?


"you have to listen"
. Halleluja! :-)

parts quality and construction matter (paraphrased)
halleluja!

beyond that, i have repeated said here that things like power supplies, coupling strategies, smart parts selection (don't get me going on boutique parts),layout etc. make a bigger difference than he basic device selection or circuit topology which get all the hype. I'm always amazed when i can do a tube and FET device, or an R2R vs PWM DAC, and can hardly tell them apart, if at all.
Seldom mentioned is the Jensen SUT. The mc-2rr-L @about $600 is a very good one. This version is a 1/10 ratio with an impedance of 430 ohms, which is what the cartridge will see. It is a great SUT for both the Hana el/sl or the denon 103. It is made in the USA. It is available in a 1/20 ratio as well.
https://www.jensen-transformers.com/product/mc-2rr-l/


https://positive-feedback.com/reviews/hardware-reviews/jensen-mc-2rr-iso-max-moving-coil-phono-cartr...