Step Up Transformers….Are they Worth the Trouble?

@moonwatcher

Thanks for the link to Steve’s video. Zesto Audio is another brand that intrigues me..lots of praise. I am surprised no one had mentioned Zesto Audio until now. While not cheap, they offer good quality and versatility in their product line up. 

I watched the bulk of the Video, a rare thing for myself to do.

I have been sharing the experience this man is having since approx' 2010, I do believe there is a fire put into some individuals bellies when such a discovery of what can be encountered is discovered.

Variety is a Wonderful Option, especially when achievable with minimum effort, even better if minimum outlay is the cost as well.

I have a selection of Cart's able to be used in LOMC - HOMC - MM and Ceramic. All have their own Identical Magnesium Headshells 

I run 2 Phon's MM Inputs > 2 SUT's Types + Occasional used Head Amp. I run one of the Phon's MC Input as well. 

I have experienced in my system on Phon's designed as a Valve Input /  Output, Valve Hybrid and SS the LOMC Cart' used as a MC Input and a MM Input > SUT or Head Amp.

Additionally to this I also have options for Valves and fully understand how a few selected Valves can influence the end sound.

All SUT;s experienced have not been experienced through the same Phon's on the home system, the time line for experiencing SUT's has be quite long and fair number have been demo'd.

In relation to the Video, at times between 3.28 - 3.55 -- 4.25-4.50 -- 8.20 - 8.45 I see no reason to question the discoveries being shared or the thoughts about the discoveries. I know the bite that takes hold to have a insatiable appetite for new experiences. I also totally agree with experiencing the Phon's Built In MC Input regularly when trying the Phon's MM Input with a alternate amplification method, the Built In MC Input is quite capable on a large range of Phon's and really does prove to be more than enough for certain types of sensitivities to a produced sound. 

I do question the comments made at 11.30 - 11.47, in the Video. It does seem there is a need to explain something but this might not necessarily be what has been experienced ?

In my trials of Phon;s > SUT or Head Amp'. My whole fundamental is to discover if the most attractive areas of the replay from hearing the End Sound minus additional amplification are preserved when the additional amplification method is added.

My experiences had, have led me to making choices that has the attraction to keep the additional amplification device maintained in use, as the added amplification device provides more to the End Sound, that has an added attraction, with no loss to other attractive traits already discovered. 

Note: There has been quite a number of SUT's not given much attention by myself, as they have produced an End Sound that is quite a way of from my objectives for what an End Sound can be. This is no Different to my changing direction for Cart's, Valve or SS, Valve Types, Signal Cable Type, Cable Connections and Speakers, each of these can change my perception of how my objective for an End Sound is being steered toward or away from.

The Subject remaining so tightly focused on an area of a method used for entertaining oneself, where an individuals choice is made to add amplification, as a built in design or off board design seems a futile exercise, especially when each method produces the Goal very very successfully, to be entertained by listening to recorded music from a Vinyl Album Hard Medium.

Each to there own, Life is way way too short  .   

Pindac, how does the last post, detailing your personal listening experiences that are described as though you’ve got an elaborate system at your immediate disposal, fit with your having said that your equipment is currently (and previously) stored away owing to an ongoing home improvement program?

@lalitk  :  There is another way critical issue against MSIC that no one touched in the thread in reference with the option you are looking with tube phono stages and the issue has a name inverse eq. RIAA Deviation:

the today top phono SS stages has A RIAA deviation of at least 0.1db and lower than that, mine is 0.011 and FM Acoustics 0.05.

Tubes units normally have really high RIAA deviation 20hz-20khz some witn a swing over 1 db and why is important this deviation?: because we are talking of a curve where any discrete frequency deviation affects around 2 octaves in that RIAA curve and the deviations exist almost in all discrete frequencies in that  RIAA . You can use tubes in any place but phono stage due that in reality makes a damage ( sever ) to that cartridge MUSIC signal. In theory the RIAA eq. in a phono stage should has 0 deviation ( only through digital we can reach that 0 deviation. ) to avoid added signal fully colorations and SS in this regards is better aproach.

So it's not only the SUT but that RIAA too. Do you know the deviation level in the  Konus Audio unit or other of your tube options?.  I think  could be  time to ask those manufacturers.

Btw, for almost 10 years I used tube electronics and through my audio life I owen around 15 SUTs as a fact I still own 4 SUTs: Entré, Audiocraft and 2 Denon.

Through my first hand several experiences in my system and other systems I learned a lot and that's why I don't use any single tube in my system.

R.

Dear @dogberry  : "  you can see we should all listen to our music through equipment that we do not like.   "

Maybe you but that is not my case.

"  I listen for pleasure and I'll maximise that pleasure if I can. "

Me too and my room/system  is " build " around that " maximise " to stay nearer to the recording and to the MUSIC. Objectivity and subjectivity in equilibrium is the name of my audio " game ".

There are different levels of pleasure depending which " road " you take or took that depends of each one of us targets.

R.