SUT into MM input section of Solid State Phono Stage


Hello,

I was wondering if any of you have experimented with using your Step Up Transformer into the moving magnet section of your solid state phono stage?

If so...

what was the step up ratio you used?
what was the mV output of the cartridge you used?
which solid state phono stage did you use?
did you find that the SUT into the MM section sounded better than just using the moving coil input without an SUT?

I ask because I just experimented with using my Tango SUT into the MM section of my solid state Forte FP-1 and have found that I prefer that over just using the MC section of the Forte.

Best Wishes,
Don
no_regrets
Hello and thank you for all of the replies thus far.
Unfortunately I think I may not have been  clear in my original post and I’m truly sorry for the confusion.
My Hirata Tango at 1:8 step up ratio is a great match for my Zebra Wood Benz Ruby ZH that has a .7 mV output and 38 ohm internal impedance. That should give me about 18 dB and present a load of roughly 738 ohms if I remember correctly,  which sounds great!
I was just curious if any of you had tried doing this into a solid state phono and if it sounded better than using the mc section which in solid state phono’s often use an active gain of fet/bipolar transitors, etc instead of SUT’s.
Thanks much and best wishes,
Don
If we will look on any classic SUTs we will see impedance range stated in the manual or market near the cartridge input on the SUT. In reality a low impedance MC are very low output. When a SUT says primary 3 Ohms connection it means this SUT designed for LOW IMPEDANCE cartridge only (LOMC with 2 Ohm internal impedance for example). This type of SUT obviously can NOT be used with a LOMC cartridge with 40-70 Ohm impedance.

For a high impedance LOMC cartridges there are specially designed SUT, for example a SUT that can handle 40 Ohm or higher impedance.

There is also something in the middle, for example this Luxman SUT can handle MC cartridges with impedance from 3 to 40 Ohm.

Everything marked right on the SUT, all classic Japanese SUTs from Denon, Audio-Technica are all have that marks (to match a sut and cartridge impedance), this is very user friendly! If modern SUT manufacturers can’t give a buyer this information it’s very strange and NOT user friendly!


@no_regrets  : "  what you are experienced is something that happens to often and depends mainly of the quality level design of the active high gain stage in the phono stages and not because it's better the SUT/MM combination. "

So sometimes sounds better with the SUT sometimes not. Even that your unit was designed by Threshold is an entry level and obviously not the best active high gain design and that's why your frefer the SUT.

R.
Yes, I know that my Forte is not a State of the Art phono stage.  I had bought it to be used just as a backup for my main phono stage.  I never thought of the Forte as being bad, but I was certainly cognizant that there are much better available.

However, when I hooked up my Tango SUT to the moving magnet section, I was simply amazed at how much nicer this combo sounded than simply using the MC section on it's own.  What an incredible difference!  It still doesn't compete with my Tango/Artemis Labs Ph-1 tubed phono combo, but man... I have to say I was shocked.

So this experiment just made me wonder if anyone here has tried it themselves (using your SUT into a solid state phono).... you might be surprised at what you hear.

I think most people probably use their SUT into the moving magnet section of their tubed phono I as do.  Anyhow, was just wondering.

Best Wishes,
Don
@no_regrets Yes , i have used a Entre ET100 SUT wiith a Roksan Reference phono which is solid state op amp based and i prefer it better than through the MC setting in this phono stage.