Step Up Transformers….Are they Worth the Trouble?

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.

My system is set, there is little to be done, and yes the process has been but not absolutely intentional to fall into a description where Elaborate is a reasonable word to use.

My choices are made and are concrete. I have little intention to bring in New, I have been very carefully guided in my making some of the final introductions to the system.

Much of the time for making choices that are for myself at this present time deemed as final, has been resulting from designs of interest have been evaluated, where  my time is Spent in the Company of others, where assessments of the Ultimate selections made, are very clearly discussed and reasons for the choice made is very well understood by myself for the impression that has been able to be made in my own system and systems belonging to others.

By introducing others to some of these choices made, some have almost immediately converted to the idea, and later realized the idea into their own systems. The result being I get opportunities to be demo'd close matching Sources, using devices I use myself.  

I don't need my full home system assembled to remind myself of how Sources I use can impress. I have given reasonable accurate descriptions of assessments made about such devices, resulting from experiencing them over a broad range of interfaces into systems.

Additionally, items under discussion are quite portable and are regular offered up as a loaned item, sometimes for a demo' purpose and others as a demo' and increased loan time. The end result being, I have plenty of opportunities to refamiliarize with the End Sound that owned Cart's, Phon's, SUT's, Cables, CDT, DAC are able to deliver, as well as measure their capabilities when used in other systems or measure their Capabilities against other comparative devices brought along to be used in a similar way my own ones are to be used on systems visited.

In most systems listened to regularly, Valve Amplification and ESL's are the Speakers the downstream support and those less regularly listened to, will bring SS Amplification and Cabinet Speakers into the downstream supporting Audio Equipment.

As stated by myself in this Thread previously: 

 For many many years the Bulk of my experiences are from a approach where Social Activity is the fundamental. Where experiencing Audio Systems and different devices as demo’s in such systems are the basic theme to create a reason for a Meeting. The real value is friends getting together, sharing Banter, sharing Lunch and enjoying New Music Tracks and few Old Faithful Tracks to get an ear in to the end sound on offer.

I whole heartedly encourage others to see if they can find a way to have very similar experiences on a regular basis, there is potential to learn vast amounts, through the broad range of individuals who can start to show up.

I make no secret on this forum that the bulk of my main audio system is packed away for storage, as there is a Home Overhaul being planned to occur.

I make no secret on this forum, that much of my musical experiences had in my own home are with my Wife and supplied by using her Amazon Alexa, which in my own opinion are as enjoyable as a musical encounter as any had anywhere at any time, just not as refined as a dedicated audio system can create as a end sound. The Grandchildren totally enjoy the interaction as well, one song being danced to is Alice Cooper the next from Horrid Henry 

For the record, I can use the CDT> Valve DAC with the Valve Power Amp's > Cabinet Speakers within a few minutes of wanting to listen to a CD source, with the only obstacle being a not so pretty dedicated audio room as it is with Storage Crates in the space.

If anybody thinks such a circumstance discredits me as a contributor on this forum let me know, if it is offensive to a group, I will happily take a full Hiatus from Forum Activity.

At the same time anybody who shares on experiences, where other very familiar systems are used for an assessment or other assessments are offered resulting from attendances at Forum Events or Commercial Events, should be very clear about making this known, if there is a suggestion that is seemingly aimed at asking how does one qualify themselves to comment, if the experience had is not in ones own system. 

Surely if one is experienced and has experiences, their assessments of such experiences had, are much much better aired than kept quiet.

Alternatively, there is the claiming I don't like the Math or the Methodology, so I don't like the experience that can be had. Hence I will knock the whole idea of encouraging the seeking of a experience of the Methodology to occur. 

The latter is a commonly seen weave produced in the fabric pattern of many Gon - Analog Threads.