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SUT or phono stage?

I have a new Rega P8 turntable on order complete with the lomc Alpheta 2 cartridge. Right now my main turntable is a restored Thorens TD 124 with an SME arm and an AT Art 9 cartridge. My Thorens is running through my McIntosh MC 47 preamp into the MC section and it sounds really nice. I’m going to have two tables hooked up to my system shortly and would like some advice whether I should get a separate phono pre or use an sut into the MM section of my McIntosh preamp. The phono section of my preamp has really good reviews and I can state the the MC section sounds good. I don’t have any experience with a SUT so it would be nice to have some thoughts from those who do. I do have a Vista Audio preamp that’s not bad also.
128x128gphill
br3098
994 posts
 
I suggest that you find (or make) a friend who has an SUT that will match your cartridge and try it.  I'm an SUT guy - I own several for my favorite cartridges and I prefer the sound of MC and an SUT to a high output phono stage or head amp.  But YMMV.  If possible, try before you buy.

Maybe a local dealer will allow you to borrow an SUT (assuming that if you like it you will purchase it from said dealer).  Many online shops (Needle Doctor, Sweetwater, Audio Advisor) will accept returns with little or no restock fee so you don't have to feel guilty about testing.

larryi
4,019 posts
 
I thought that the two cartridges have comparable outputs, so they can be switched without any need for more gain when using one instead of the other.  Why would you need an additional SUT or amplification stage?


gphill's avatar
gphill OP
130 posts
 
I really don’t want to unplug one table and plug in the other one. Also the Art 9 is .5mv output and the Rega is .35mv. Even though I live in a city of around a million people there are no dealers for higher end audio so no trying a sut. I’m tempted to buy one to see what they are all about.
folkfreak's avatar
folkfreak
1,349 posts
 
Good news is that the specs on your two carts are similar enough (0.35mV/10ohms vs 0.5mV/12ohms) that the same SUT should work for both and therefore you can get one and try whether you like the sound of each cart via the MC or MM inputs best

Like @br3098 I'm a convert to SUTs and like the ones from Music First Audio -- their basic models are very nice and price competitive but there are lots of other sources as well (Bob's for example)
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