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Step Up Transformers….Are they Worth the Trouble?

Some of you may aware of my Garrard 301 project, it’s now very close to completion. The plinth finally shipped from Hungry after 3 months of long wait.

Given my last experience with Hana Umami Red, I would like to take things to the next level. Which brings me to mating low output cart with a SUT. Every review I’ve read so far suggests when the SUT-MC match is right, the end result is heavenly. The bass is right, the midrange is clear, and most importantly, the highs are relaxed and extended—not rolled off.

I am not saying you can’t get great sound without a SUT but it appears with a properly matched SUT, sound can be quite magical.

Thought this would be the right time to get input from experienced users here since I am still contemplating my cartridge and outboard phonostage options.

My preference would be to go with a tube phono…I kinda miss tinkering with tubes :-)

My system, Garrard 301 (fully refurbished), Reed 3P tonearm, Accuphase E-650 with built-in AD50 analog board ➡️ Tannoy Canterbury’s.

Cart and phono under consideration through my dealer,

Fuuga - Output : 0.35 mVrms | Impedance : 2.5 Ω (1kHz)

Phonostage - Tron Convergence and Konus Audio Phono Series 1000

The cart - MC combination, I am lusting after is Etsuro Urushi Bordeaux MC with their Etsuro Transformer.
https://www.etsurojapan.com/product/bordeaux

The other transformer is EMIA, cooper or silver version.

Your input is appreciated!

128x128lalitk
br3098
994 posts
 

I have been an SUT fan for my entire audio lifespan. I am still a huge fan of SUTs, but lately I have heard several head amps that have blown me away. To my ears there is a subtle difference to the sound between the two - all of my SUTs have a signature to them (like tube amps and preamps). With some cartridges I just prefer through an SUT, like the Ortofon SPU line. Others (Benz and Hana come to mind) a really good head amp had an airiness and delicacy that SUTs can't match. You need to test. Isn't this obsession... er, hobby fun?

mikelavigne
2,199 posts
 

love your direction. i have a warm place in my heart for my much loved Dobbins Garrard 301 from 2008-2011, i have owned -4- Etsuro cartridges and still have one which is my favorite all time moving coil cartridge. my main phono is the silver wound EMIA phono corrector hot rodded with 2 power supplies, and i’m enjoying my EMIA silver wound MC Trio.

so i agree with your perspective on what a properly matched SUT can bring to the table......ultra sexy musicality and bass agility. i love the humanity and immersion i get from my Dave Slagle designed SUT. he helped me to properly match it to my cartridges. one of the SUT’s in my MC Trio is a 1:15 silver which seems to be a perfect match for the Etsuro. cannot say whether the Etsuro OEM SUT is as good. my only comment would be that if you ever try to sell the Etsuro SUT that might be harder than a Dave Slagle SUT.

i did compare the copper and silver SUT’s from Slagle and preferred the silver. but not all silver is created equal and what Dave uses is quite special and not at all tipped up. maybe ask Dave about that for more info.

i also have 2 separate solid state phono pre’s inside my battery powered dart preamp. they are very fine and i do use them and appreciate their low noise and dynamics, but overall prefer the EMIA tubes + SUT approach musically. a bit greater emotive content.

hope that helps. congrats on your direction.

lewm
13,024 posts
 

For the very lowest output MC (Ortofon MC2000), Dave Slagle built me a head amp which I couple with my very much tweaked tube-rectified and tube voltage- regulated Silvaweld phono stage. This combo is the best sounding of 3 possible ways in which I can achieve the gain necessary for the MC2000 output of .05mV. The others being a high gain SS phono stage or a high gain hybrid SS/tube phono stage. So the common denominator is that Dave Slagle knows what he is doing.

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