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Which SUT to match Koetsu Rosewood Standard in my system?

Howdy everyone,

I’m about to move to to my first MC cartridge, and I’d be grateful for your advice in choosing a step-up transformer. First, here’s my current system:

  • Table: Thorens TD-124 (mk I, with a few upgrades from Hanze HiFi)
  • Arm: Ortofon TA-110
  • Cartridge: AT-540ML
  • Amp: Audio Note Soro Phono SE Signature
  • Phono stage: Built-in MC phono preamp in the Audio Note Soro
  • Speakers: Klipsch Forte IV
  • Interconnects: Ortofon 6NX-TSW-1010L (came with the tone arm)
  • Speaker cables: 14 gauge Audio Note bulk wire (planning to upgrade this at some point, but not until I finalize the analog front end)
  • Room: I live in a city townhouse, so my listening room isn’t huge—about 15 feet long by 12 feet wide. It has been sound treated a bit: absorption at the first reflection points, front corners, and on the ceiling slightly in front of the listening position, and diffusion + absorption along the back wall.

It seems to me that the clear mismatch now is the cartridge, and after auditioning several contenders, I’ve settled on the Koetsu Rosewood Standard. At least in my system and to me ears, it gives me the most of what I want: a rich, organic, natural sound. When I auditioned it, the dealer lent me an Audio Note AN-S8 SUT. A fantastic piece of gear, but well above my budget at this stage.

So I need some help choosing an SUT. Here are a few priorities:

  • Maximizing the natural, organic sound of the Koetsu and amplifier, which seems to balance so well with my speakers—retaining the dynamism and drive of high-efficiency horns while taming stridency that sometimes also comes along, especially in my relatively small space.
  • Favor emotional impact over technical accuracy: “good” distortion can be fine with me.
  • That said, minimize noise. I rent a city townhouse, so there’s old wiring that I can do only so much to fix, and a healthy bit of RF noise. My turntable, while about as quiet as an idler wheel can be, isn’t as quiet as the best designs of today. My amp is great, but also not silent. And at 99 db sensitivity, those horns pick up everything. So it’s important that the SUT be well shielded from RF noise and have an effective grounding scheme.
  • Favor an ideal match with cartridge, amp, speakers, etc. rather than future flexibility. I don’t mind swapping the SUT out for something else if I decide to change cartridges sometime in the future. I prefer optimizing it to what I have now, not what I might have
  • A 1:8 step up ratio, if possible. The cartridge is 0.4mv; the amp’s phono input is 3mv. 
  • Budget: $3k or less, ideally 

I really look forward to your thoughts. Please don’t hesitate to ask for any other info that might be helpful. Thank you!

zazu22
zazu22 OP
9 posts
 

I do like the Hegel overall, but it’s almost too “clean” and precise, if that makes sense. It does something to the signal that, at least to my ears, takes away some of the warmth and magic of the 6L6s in the Soro. I suppose I could be imagining that—it’s always so hard to separate physics from psychology in this endeavor.

But the dealer who sold me the amp said that Audio Note designed its phono stage to be used with SUTs, and he thinks it really shines best with a SUT rather than an active phono stage. He actually steered me away from Audio Note SUTs for now, as he thinks there are better bargains to be had at my budget than AN’s mid-tier offerings. So I don’t think that he’s just trying to sell me another Audio Note component. 

pindac's avatar
pindac
2,386 posts
 

When the SUT Route is adopted, the device 'dependent on model' will add a Rich Tone to the presentation, there are models able to impact on the mid's and low frequencies that can have a perception of producing added weight. this can extend, again 'model dependent' to a perception of a Overly Lush Tone where there is a very loose bass and a subdued mid and upper frequencies.

I use two Different Brands Transformers for my SUT's, as each offers a different perception of a Rich Tone, if I want to move away from the influence of the SUT I use a Head Amp or one of the owned Phon's Built in MC Stage.     

Ag insider logo xs@2x
rauliruegas
12,806 posts
 

Dear @zazu22  : "  takes away some of the warmth and magic..."

Well, at that kind of price level AN always is colored because what you like/statement just does not exist in live MUSIC.

Now, your unit does not needs a SUT it does not matters what your dealer said it. It has enough gain to handle the Koetsu, a SUT only can degrade the cartridge signal it can't to enhance because the SUT is an addional stage ( rca connectors, IC cables, solder joints, etc, etc. ) where the truly delicated and sensitive cartridge signal must pass through. Makes no sense that SUT.

 

In the other side you own the Hegel unit that M.Fremer said is " remarkable " and was truly impressed with when in his review he said used two top LOMC cartridges the Umami Red and nothing less that the Ortofon Verissimo and compared against his 45K dollars dedicated phono stage: Dartzeel.

Hegel let to listen what is recorded in those grooves on each LP. That you or any of us like it or not is in reality not the main issue but that what we listen stay truer to the recording.

 

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,

R.

elliottbnewcombjr
5,139 posts
 

Hegel V10 is exactly the kind of unit I thought you would need: independent gain control and independent impedance control.

I have 3 tonearms, but if you have 1 arm and several cartridges, it is nice if they have similar output regarding the positioning of your volume control when you switch them

Me, I would go for anything in a range 1:12 1:14, no higher than 1:16

KR 0.4 x 12 = 4.8mv. That is close or higher than many MM cartridges: mine range from 3.2mv to 5.0mv

Several Grados are 5.0mv

All my Audio Technica’s are 4.0mv including your 540ml

My Shure’s: V15V is 3.2mv

97xe is 4.0mv

Ortofon range is 4.0 to 5.0 to 5.5mv

duckmanst3
52 posts
 

@rauliruegas , even if the Audionote Sorro had enough gain the fixed 47k loading will sound like poop with the Koetsu cartridge. I’m finding it most pleasing in the 50-100 ohm range in my system.

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