2. analog
  3. 148720-120426

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
larryi
4,024 posts
 
I generally like most of the SUT I've heard.  Stereophile's Art Dudley once said that he never met a SUT he didn't like, even when the particular model did not quite match the output of the cartridge or the source impedance of the cartridge.  I sort of agree.  Proper matching is not that ultra critical.  

If you get a SUT, you can try it out on both cartridges by using the MM input on the Mac.  No matter what, I think you will have some fun if you get a SUT. 

But, a SUT not built into a phono stage has to be positioned properly to avoid picking up noise.  This might mean experimenting with location and orientation of the SUT.   
flatblackround's avatar
flatblackround
279 posts
 
I run a Miyajami zero low mc mono into a Bob’s device SUT and then into MM phono stage in a MA6900.  Sounds wonderful. Actually I only use half an SUT.   No power cable with a SUT.
Ag insider logo xs@2x
o_holter
975 posts
 
My experience is different. With a good phono preamp like the Aesthetix Io, I prefer a direct connection, no SUT.  Although my testing has been limited. It has involved carts in the .25 - .60 mV output range. With a tube phono preamp there will be some noise, and a SUT may be useful for a low output cart, but so far, I have been better served without it (running a .55 ouptut cart, the tube noise is manageable). The SUT, in my case, gave a more beefy and gratifying performance at first sight, but I soon noticed that the phono preamp on its own had more clarity.
More to discover