Step Up Transformers….Are they Worth the Trouble?

Does anyone have a direct experience with Allnic H-6500 Phono-stage? How would you characterize Allnic sound. Thank you! 

@lewm "reference" means only that. That he uses it as a reference for comparison. It doesn't mean it is the most expensive, nor the "best", just a price/performance point comparison to other gear. Steve will change devices and speakers in his "reference" system slowly over time, for instance he switched from Klipsch Cornwalls to dipole speakers a few months ago. 

The problem for reviewers is knowing what synergy they have between components in their system such that any subjective observations, when reviewing another piece of gear or speakers, can be made that might apply to the majority of the audience.  Otherwise, there's not much point in trying to do reviews. 

I know what Steve G meant when he referred to the Parasound as a reference. My point was that the Parasound is not a top level high gain phono stage, in my opinion of course. Therefore it does not set a very high bar for a SUT + MM stage to exceed.

@lalitk  : Just by curiosity I check the RIAA deviation on the Allnic and " one of your favority " Air Tight and what I found out confirm what I posted about the bad RIAA performance with tube electronics:

Allnic has a swing of 0.4db and the AT 3011 is really terrible: 0.4db from 50hz-20khz and  -2.5db at 20 hz. Go figure ! ! ! ? ?

R.

My experience is with the H3000 mk2, so it might be of marginal interest, although my understanding is that the H6500 uses a similar circuit, SUTs, and power supply. I find the Allnic to provide deeply satisfying inner detail and harmonic structure, excellent dynamics and plenty of openness and air around instruments. It’s tubey but not too tubey, providing that palpable quality without overt coloration. It’s quiet. These qualities are pretty much the Allnic house sound, I believe. After a decade I have no desire to replace it.

The main downside is that it is really only usable with MC cartridges that are SUT-friendly. So that leaves out, e.g., the top Benz carts like the LPS and Gullwing, which combine high DCR with higher output. OTOH, the Ebony TR is a perfect mate to the 1:40 option on the Allnic native SUT. I’m currently using an MC Diamond and Lyra Etna Lambda with excellent results. So the limitations are minor but real.

The MM inputs are quite good. I run several MM/MI and they sound terrific. The native Allnic SUTs get slagged sometimes on forums but I think they are exceedingly open and resolving without being thin. I’ve compared them to Bob’s, K&K using copper Lundahl LL1931, Quadratic, Rothwell, and Phase Tech (all of which I still own except the Quadratic and Rothwell) and I consistently prefer the native Allnic SUTs. Of course, this could be in part because they’re built in and need no extra cabling.

Another oddity of the H3000, and I’d surmise the H6500, is that the external power supply controls the sound to an absurd degree. This means your choice of rectifier tube will have an extreme effect on all aspects of the sound. The good news is that you only have to roll one tube and it seems all 5ar4 analogs are OK. The other tubes can stay stock. What you place the PS upon will also have an outsized effect, as will your choice of footers. The stock footers do it a serious disservice, IMO, making the sound too dark and unresolving. So you’ll have to do some tweaking but the results, at least to me, are worth the effort.