Step Up Transformers….Are they Worth the Trouble?

@pindac Could you explain the 'Very touchy' remark? I was simply pointing out fact. Did you take it differently? This is nothing to do with sales FWIW.

I have a experience of experiencing quite a lot of equipment in use across quite a few different systems, but must admit today, commercial orientated systems where a system is built to create sales are not listened to much, very infrequently will be a fair explanation since Covid Times and infrequently will be a fair explanation for a good period of time prior to Covid.

I can't Speak for all, but have even received reports from individuals I trust in heavily in relation to Audio Equipment, who on return from Event such as the High End Munich, have felt the Demo's encountered overall were uninspiring.

There is not a generic formula for Math, that is able to be used that will win over all with the End Sound Produced. Is this not another fact worth pointing out.

Foot Work, Experiencing and assessing impression made of an End Sound Produced, is my methodology. It has served me very very well, not much that has been bought has been replaced or resold. Those who have tried to convince me of the Math, are usually informed to leave that for the Mathematicians or Wannabe Mathematicians. During my time and limited encounters, my real trust count in  individuals with a Mathematical prowess, that has slowly developed into trust over many years of encounters, is limited to reliance on a number of trusted individuals that amounts to less than the digits on one hand.

@pindac WTF are you talking about? It seems you just babble about everything that you have heard, at places other than your own. 98% of the time I don't bother reading your posts anymore. Is it just me? I think not. 

Pindac, Not all high end component designers are EEs, although ideally one would like to think so. Many/most are just intelligent guys with no degree related to EE who use math, and yes also their own personal biases, to design equipment.  Which is why there is no agreement on what is "best".  There is no general consensus even on something as fundamental as whether a phono stage should be balanced or single-ended, tube or solid state, transformer coupled or direct coupled, and on and on. BUT one can only hope that a given commercial design makes sense mathematically, else for example the RIAA correction is apt to be very inaccurate.  So, go ahead and follow your ears and your heart in choosing your own gear, but verify that the theory is sound.  What I am saying is that there are many many ways to get the design right, but they all depend upon the same mathematical formulae for calculating parts value, in order to get a good result.

“I thought the Monbrisson phono stage did not have sufficient gain for a LOMC cartridge”
@lewm 

I didn’t perceive anything lacking with the soundstage when I played Hana Umami Red through Monbrison onboard phono. Others may have used a SUT as personal preference. I believe the latest revision of Monbrison don’t have MC phono option. 

In any case, I am very close to finalizing a tube MM phono. The plinth is finally here (phew).