SUT Advice - Which Ones Are The Best?

My Hashimoto HM-3 has recently been on loan to the HiFi Group I am a member off.
I missed a very recent meeting, where the HM-3 SUT was used in a demonstration with a Bespoke Built Head Amp.
The differences in the performances were reported on as a follow up in an email chain.
The Hashimoto has been claimed to have been mellow, relaxed and having a refined detail retrieval. 
I can concur using recollections of my experiences about the refined detail retrieval, I have noticed this myself when the SUT is in use.

The Head Amp has been claimed to have forward projection and airiness and incisive detail retrieval.
I can concur using recollections of my experiences, that when I have used a Head Amp in my system, the projection and clarity/lucidity of the presentation is noticeable and differs from a SUT in this area.
 
My experience with SUT vs Head Amp demonstration in my system will show a SUT to have a hint of Richness when compared to a Head Amp.
Are Mellow, Relaxed, Richness the same thing when different comments from different individuals are being offered about a SUT? 
Are Airiness and Incisive Detail Retrieval quite similar to clarity/lucidity when different comments from different individuals are being offered about a Head Amp ? 
Bear in mind another SUT 'might close the Gap' on the Airiness, but my experience is that SUT's add a hint of Richness, so the clarity/lucidity will be a harder gap to close in on. 
These are my thoughts on the matter based on my limited experiences.

If it is a must to get the presentation to meet the preferences of the end user and to be a satisfying long term experience, it is worthwhile experiencing each of the Designs (SUT vs Head Amp) to see how one is making an impact within a System.
 
    

@no_regrets 

Couldn't agree more with this!

I do not understand how anyone would be able to categorically deny the worthiness of a component that they may have never even heard in their own system, simply because of a certain capacitor, wire, passive/active device, etc... that is being employed. I’ve always believed that the worthiness of a component is a combination of the entire circuit design and the sum of all the parts working together seamlessly vs just one sole aspect of the component in question... not to mention the importance of system synergy.

Me too

Dear @edgewear : "  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...""

Like you I did and do the same SUT vs active cartridge quality comparisons where both phono stages ( MC and MM ) has the same quality level performance.

I own and owned several SUTs and by coincidence two of them that I still have came by Entré, I own too the AT 1000T that is dedicated for the AT MC1000 cartridge that you own, I own too 2 modified by me Denon SUTs the 340 and the AU1000. I'm using this last for the latest comparisons. Here its unique characteristics:

http://20cheaddatebase.web.fc2.com/needie/NDdenon/AU-1000.html


Look its wide frequency range and its heavy weigth.

Well, any vintage and today cartridge performs really really good with the AU-1000 but overall can't even the high gain active stages quality performance levels in my phonolinepreamp. Yes, near but not match it.

Btw, if you can and due that you have not preference on these alternatives try to get the AU-1000.

As a fact I can live easily with the SUT in my system but the high gain active alternative is the ultimate way to go.

Of course that everything is dependent of the whole design quality levels of any active high gain unit.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

@rauliruegas thanks for sharing. Both these units are highest quality and probably a 'step up' from the Ortofon T-3000 I'm using right now. But the Denon has only 21dB gain and not suitable for low impedance cartridges, so for me that's a no-no.
The AT-1000T gained my interest after I acquired the AT-1000MC, while the added feature of accomodating both low impedance (3 ohm) and high impedance (20/40dB) MC's simultanuously is also  interesting. Only 1000 made, so probably not easy to find at a reasonable price......