FIDELITY RESEARCH STEP-UP TRANSFORMERS


Dear All
Like many before me I am moving down the multi tonearm route. Amongst the arms and cartridges I have are a Fidelity Research FR 64S and denon DL103. I was thinking about trying out one of the Fidelity research step-up transformers - preferably an FRT 4, or FRT 5 - I hope to get an FR7 cartridge at some point.

I was wondering if someone could:
1. shed light on the hierarchy of the transformers ie was the 4 or 5 the better model
2. would they work well plugged into any MM phono stage
3. what is the general hierarchy of the step-ups
4. Do they work well with modern cartridges - ie my shelter 501, transfiguration temper v, Benz LPS

I am hoping that someone will be able to help me

thanks



lohanimal
Dear chakster, May I conclude that you don't own an phono-pre
which can drive outputs of, say, above 0,15 mV? I need my
Denon transformer only for  my Ortofon MC 2000 with 0,05 mV 
output.  However lew(m) also mentioned an ''current injection'' 
type for his Ortofon MC 2000. I asked what this ''current driven
thing '' means but was not ''honored'' with an answer. 
Dear @lohanimal  : "   commended it's unique design. "

Yes, unique design means cartridge motor/inside the cartridge but  he told the same for the Sony XL88 internal motor design and these has nothing to do with " stupiod " monolitic cartridge headshell where exist no way to make the rigth low distortion track and tracking error because as the Glanz integrated no one just can't do it.

Who cares what other audiophiles posted about when this is only COMMON SENSE and knowledge level of what any cartridge needs for can shows it at its best ! ! ! 

At least Audio Technica in its integrated headshell models not only you can modified the azymuth or overhang as the cartridge set up ask with the best geometry alignment for but even they use in the headshell a self damped magnesium material and  ( if I remember ) with damping rubber too. AT knows the cartridge needs when FR just dis not or does not want it to do it, this is a FR problem that they gives to us " ignorant/stupid " people that " do not know nothing of the cartridge/ tonearm best set up ", go figure ! ! ! 
Like many other audiophiles I bougth at least 3 diferent models of those terrible FR cartridges and I bougth it because in those times my ignorance/stupidity levels were really high, differences with other gentlemans is that I learned in the whole cartridge/tonearm set up at its best.

As I told you it's your money and that could be the level of distortions you deserve. Is up to you, I don't care. I'm only given you a common sense and knowledge opinion and nothing more than an opinion. Go a head.

R.
Dear @edgewear : "  you get none of the alignment or set up problems "

Really, please let us where are the foundations for your " common sense " statement?

How can you change the azymuth cartridge set up that always you need to make changes on it, let us know how?

Let us how you can set up the overhang and offset angle through Löfgren A or B. Not with the STUPID Stevenson alignment?

Your statement unfortunatelly only shows you really low knowledge levels on these specific and critical subjects to achieve the best quality performance levels for any cartridge/tonearm/TT combination.

Waiting for your answers for we can have new ligth in those regards, please don't dead silence and let us to learn because each day is a learning day.

And please tell me where and why I'm totally wrong with my advises.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.
Dear chakster, May I conclude that you don’t own an phono-pre
which can drive outputs of, say, above 0,15 mV? I need my
Denon transformer only for my Ortofon MC 2000 with 0,05 mV
output. However lew(m) also mentioned an ’’current injection’’
type for his Ortofon MC 2000. I asked what this ’’current driven
thing ’’ means but was not ’’honored’’ with an answer.

Nikola @nandric i think i tried all possible types:

SUT, Headamp, High Gain Phono Stage, Phono premps with built-in SUTs ...

0.15 mV is not a problem at all with my phono stages (i have 4 different)

Even 0.05mV is not a problem with Gold Note PH-10 i’ve been using with my MC2000

1) What is new for me is Current-Injection type of the phono stage, various manufacturers made them. You can read about one of them here. MCCI is MC (Moving Coil) CI (Current Injection).

here is more about principle:

"The basic difference between the Phono MCCI and virtually all other phono preamps is its current-injection input, which takes advantage of an MC cartridge’s very low impedance, its inherent current-generating capabilities, and its balanced, floating-ground architecture.Instead of a traditional voltage-gain stage, the Phono MCCI’s input stage is a current-to-voltage converter. According to the Candeias, the cartridge directly injects its current into a system of "balanced DC currents," creating an amplified output voltage. The resulting amplified voltage is claimed be made "directly of the original cartridge’s current" with virtually no loss, and certainly less loss than is claimed for any voltage-gain circuit."


2) My current-injection phono stage is 47 Labs originally designed for MIYABI cartridges! Read here about it.


3) If you want to go further i’l tell you that power amps can also be current source, like this Nelson Pass design i am using.

Nelson Pass about this principle:

" A given input voltage results in a particular output current. Ordinary amplifiers are voltage amplifiers – an input voltage translates into an output voltage. This is not that kind of amplifier, and as of this writing, the F1 and now the F2 are the only such amplifiers available for audio use. Being current sources, these amps operate differently with a loudspeaker. A regular audio amplifier supplies an arbitrary output voltage, and the speaker draws current according to its complex characteristic. As such, the current through the loudspeaker is not exactly proportional to the voltage in either amplitude or time. A current source amplifier delivers a precise current to the voice coil of the loudspeaker driver, ignoring the series impedance elements in the circuit, including the wire, connectors, the inductance of the voice coil, the resistance of the voice coil versus temperature – all that stuff. This is potentially valuable in that the current passing through the magnetic field of the loudspeaker produces the force and acceleration on the voice coil and cone, and this translates directly into sound pressure. A current source is simply the most direct way of controlling the acceleration of the voice coil. In the linear range of a loudspeaker, the acceleration is directly proportional to the current, and in mass-controlled loudspeaker drivers the sound is proportional to the acceleration. Since most loudspeaker systems are designed around a voltage source, there is only a subset of products that can take advantage of this effect. In general, these are high-efficiency drivers (ones that produce more than 90 dB per watt). Of greatest interest is the performance offered to high efficiency full-range drivers, where not only is the loudspeaker very efficient, but also covers a wide or full range of the audio spectrum through a single radiating surface. Often this translates to delicate single cone drivers such as the products from Lowther or Fostex, with big motor assemblies coupled to light fragile paper cones. These are the speakers that often don’t sound good with “high quality” solid-state amplifiers, most often because the two are mismatched in impedance and wattage. This is an unusual amplifier that will not give its best performance with most of the loudspeakers on the market. It requires careful attention to loudspeaker loading to get the best performance. The accompanying white paper “Current Source Amplifiers and Full-Range High-Efficiency Drivers” is required reading. This is a tinkerer’s amplifier. "

manual here.


Dear chakster, the saying is ''nobody is to old to learn''.
I am probably older than old. But Lewm is to blame because
he deed not answer my question about this ''current -injection''.
I thought an new P&R invention. You should add the price (grin).