Best SUT For Van Den Hul Crimson Stradivarius cartridge

a few months ago I knew absolutely nothing about MC, but I learned a lot here and hopping about

In round numbers, signal strength boost, I think this is correct:

+12 db = x factor 4.0
+14db = x factor 5.0
+16db = x factor 6.0
+18db = x factor 8.0
+22db = x factor 12.0

this is extremely versatile with 4 low gain settings

https://www.zestoaudio.com/andros-allasso-step-up-transformer-mc-to-mm-extremely-versatile/

they show it for $3,300.

https://upscaleaudio.com/products/zesto-audio-andros-allasso-step-up-transformer

they make several, some low gain, some +14db x factor 5.0

https://mfaudio.co.uk/mc-step-up-transformers/

ortofon, single setting, ST-M25, +12db xf 4.0

https://www.ortofon.com/media/150592/ortofon_mc_transformers_brochure.pdf

Rothwell’s have too much gain for that cartridge, but some good reading

http://www.rothwellaudioproducts.co.uk/html/mc_step-up_transformers_explai.html

Facts, Charts, and Calculators

http://www.mh-audio.nl/Calculators/StepUpTransformer.html

I'm having fun on eBay, sort price high to low

like silver wire?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/KONDO-AUDIO-NOTE-AN-S7P-MC-STEP-UP-TRANSFORMER-JAPAN/123923446228?hash=item...

verify, I think +10db x faxtor 3.15x

https://www.ebay.com/itm/SAEC-MST-100-MC-Step-Up-Transformer/254276301694?hash=item3b340c737e:g:ArMA...

Kanchi, I am trying to figure out what you're getting from what you already own.  According to the Ypsilon website, "MC26L" sounds like the designation for one of their SUTs.  And VPS100 denotes their phono stage.  Since Ypsilon seems to use the db gain factor in naming their SUTs, I assume your SUT provides 26db of gain.  (I hate that they use the term "amplification factor", by the way.  It adds nothing, because what one needs to know is the turns ratio which indicates the voltage gain.)  26db of gain converts to voltage gain of about 20X, which means that the output of your 0.95mV cartridge would be seen by the inputs of the VPS100 as ~20mV.  I can well imagine that this much voltage (and much higher signal voltages in actual practice) might overdrive the phono stage and cause the distortion I guess you are hearing.  On the other hand, the VPS100 by itself provides 39db of gain or about an 89X voltage gain.  This begs the question: are you using an active linestage downstream from the Ypsilon phono stage?  If you do have an active linestage, take note of its intrinsic gain.  If it is at least 10-12 db, you may have enough total gain just in the YPS100 plus the active linestage to drive your amplifier to adequate output.  This depends also upon the input sensitivity of your amplifiers and on the efficiency of the speakers. In other words, you may not need any SUT.