Depends upon how much gain available in the phono stage.
Is SUT needed for a low output cartridge with a Gryphon Pandora & Legato phono module?
I recently upgraded my cartridge from a high output Sumiko Blue Point Special EVO III to a low output Dynavector DV-20X2L cartridge. I changed the impedance settings on the Gryphon Legato phono module from 47k to 80 ohms and the results are very good. The Dynavector cartridge is noticeably better than the Sumiko. . Some have suggested that a step-up transformer may produce even better SQ results.
I'm hoping that someone with a Gryphon Pandora preamp with the Legato phono module may have already experienced using a low output MC cartridge and can chime in whether a step-up transformer improves the SQ.
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Thanks @dover and @jasonbourne52 for your replies. According to the Gryphon Legato user manual, below are the specs including the available gain that @jasonbourne52 asked about. Technical Specifications (Balanced operation) Signal to Noise ratio: MM 86 dB Unweighted Ref. 10 mV MM 90 dB A weighted Ref. 10 mV MC 68 dB Unweighted Ref. 0.5 mV MC 72 dB A weighted Ref. 0.5 mV Gain MC: 68 dB Gain MM: 38 dB RIAA tracking: +/- 0.1 dB 20 - 20 kHz THD: 0.01% Output impedance: 50 Ohms Input overload margin: MC 30 mV pp MM 700 mV pp RIAA out: voltage sving 60 V pp
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68db is plenty of gain for your Dynavector which has 0.3mv output. The Gryphon phono, particularly your version, which is the latest, is superb. No need to look to complicate matters. Gryphon's most famous product, their first, was a superb moving coil head amp. Their latest phono stages are considerably better again. |
With 68 db of gain, you certainly don't need a SUT. I would personally recommend just sticking with using the high gain MC input of the Gryphon. But, I would not make the blanket statement that this will always be superior to using a SUT and the MM input of your phono setup. A SUT will add coloration and so it is, in theory, the less accurate way to go, but, that does not necessarily mean that everyone should prefer not using a SUT. This is really a matter of personal preference. Many of the very best phono setups I've heard utilized a SUT, whether added by the purchaser (e.g., Audio Note phono stages, which requires an out board SUT for MC), or built into the phono stage by the manufacturer (e.g., Zanden, or Viva). Adding an outboard SUT to your setup would mean not only the considerable expense of the transformer, but also the expense of a high quality interconnect. It also means the risk of hum intruding into the system. That is why I don't recommend this approach unless you are willing to experiment and accept that it might not be the right choice. |
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