Step Up Transformers….Are they Worth the Trouble?

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.

chasing numbers like this is a fool's errand. There are so many errors introduced in so many stages of the process that these small deviations do not matter.

Everything else being equal then of course go for the better measurement, but everything else is never equal ... so how does it sound? That's really all that matters..

regarding SUTs and loading , someone much more knowledgeable than me (Dave Slagle) advocates for choosing an SUT ratio to get the gain you need, then loading it on the input side to get the load you need, DO NOT rely on the reflected impedance of the phono stage. The problem with this approach is that most phono stages use the arbitrary 47KΩ load, which is usually not the ideal. It should usually be much higher. That is the Emia approach which has proven to be audio nirvana for me... not chasing measurements.

It is very fortunate for retailers of Audio Equipment many of the potential customer base are seeking a Buzz more than a Doctoral level of Education. 

When I watch recorded TV programmes / films as a form Audio Visual form of entertainment what is expected of my education in TV Technology, at best how to Navigate the TV's Settings Menu, maybe even extend to being able to change the remote batteries, these two capabilities are usually more than enough to substantiate myself as acceptable type of viewer.

When I choose to use a Audio System as a means to listen to recorded music to   be a form of entertainment, a different criteria prevails to substantiate my acceptability for being a listener. I am expected to have some acquired superior understanding or it is suggested that I lack in substantiation as a listener.

How Very Strange, or is just how the Very Clever Marketing continuously presented over many many years has engineered a mindset, that has successfully created a false belief, that there is something quite superior over Recorded Audible Entertainment vs Recorded Audio Visual Entertainment?    

“Loading on the input side”.  Does that mean using a resistor across the primaries of the SUT (which on its surface sounds like a bad idea) or what? Dave is a great outside the box thinker.

@wrm57 

Thank you for taking the time to provide your invaluable feedback. I found your personal experience with Allnic very helpful and encouraging to try the H-6500 in my system. I know from past experiences that power supply plays is pivotal in any given component so I will make sure to experiment with rectifier in PS. 

@lalitk, sure thing, you’re quite welcome. If you get it in and want to talk about anything, just PM me.