Is great sound possible through an on-board, MM phono stage?

glennewdick

You don’t need a SUT for MM or MI,

Assuming you have only 1 MM Phono Input (preamp or integrated):

IF you have 1 arm with removable headshell, and a few cartridges, one being a MC, then a SUT for the MC with only 1 input will do: IF it has MM PASS, then you can go back and forth with headshells with either MM or MC cartridges. Tonearm > SUT; SUT > MM Phono Input, no need to change wires, just switch the SUT to PASS when it is receiving a MM signal (it bypasses the internal transformer(s).

IF you have more than 1 tonearm, and only 1 MM phono input, you can use a SUT with more than 1 Input and MM PASS (bypass the internal transformer(s). That way it becomes a tonearm switch, you keep using your preferred MM Phono stage for each tonearm.

My case, 3 tonearms: 1st fixed MC Stereo; 2nd fixed MM Mono; 3rd removable headshell (either MM Stereo or MC Stereo),

3rd arm: either one of the SUT’s 4 optional loads for headshell with MC; or switch the SUT to Pass if using a headshell with MM. I use MM Pass for the Mono arm. I use MC selected load for the fixed MC arm.
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"MM Pass" can simply mean take the SUT out of the signal path by connecting the tonearm cables directly to the MM phono inputs.  Every SUT has that level of flexibility.

There are more superfluous ''components'' in our ''collections'' than
an SUT for MM input. 

lewm

You wouldn't have a SUT unless you have a MC cartridge. It's cables go to the rear of the MM Phono you will use for the needed EQ.

To get in the back, and move cables each time you want to play a MM (stereo or mono) cartridge is not good practice, sometimes quite difficult as well.

Thus, get a SUT with PASS, play any MC or MM thru it, never need to change cables.

I’ve got the Mimas with on board DAC but I have it on very good authority that the phono stage is stellar. As an integrated amp the Mimas has few peers. Fully kitted out one could classify this as a super-integrated. An extremely fine amp.