Step Up Transformers….Are they Worth the Trouble?


Some of you may aware of my Garrard 301 project, it’s now very close to completion. The plinth finally shipped from Hungry after 3 months of long wait.

Given my last experience with Hana Umami Red, I would like to take things to the next level. Which brings me to mating low output cart with a SUT. Every review I’ve read so far suggests when the SUT-MC match is right, the end result is heavenly. The bass is right, the midrange is clear, and most importantly, the highs are relaxed and extended—not rolled off.

I am not saying you can’t get great sound without a SUT but it appears with a properly matched SUT, sound can be quite magical.

Thought this would be the right time to get input from experienced users here since I am still contemplating my cartridge and outboard phonostage options.

My preference would be to go with a tube phono…I kinda miss tinkering with tubes :-)

My system, Garrard 301 (fully refurbished), Reed 3P tonearm, Accuphase E-650 with built-in AD50 analog board ➡️ Tannoy Canterbury’s.

Cart and phono under consideration through my dealer,

Fuuga - Output : 0.35 mVrms | Impedance : 2.5 Ω (1kHz)

Phonostage - Tron Convergence and Konus Audio Phono Series 1000

The cart - MC combination, I am lusting after is Etsuro Urushi Bordeaux MC with their Etsuro Transformer.
https://www.etsurojapan.com/product/bordeaux

The other transformer is EMIA, cooper or silver version.

Your input is appreciated!

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Update: After few sleepless nights, I ordered the Etsuro Urushi Bordeaux cart. I will be comparing Bordeaux with Fuuga. Thanks to @jazdoc for getting me more the hump. 

Staying up all night doesn’t ameliorate the crap shoot nature of buying a new cartridge.

@mijostyn For the Record, not one copy / paste presented in my last post had anything to do with the individual suggested by yourself as the one being identified.

On a completely different note, a very recent Health Issue that is very luckily discovered and is now undergoing the earliest treatment.

Has a Prognosis attached, that strongly suggests my forum activities are much better for my health, if exchanged for a use of available time, that is spent being more mobile and participating in light activities for the next upcoming months.

I am happy to initiate this new approach when convalescing, and put more time and intentions into my Grandchildren, Nature Photography and Recording Sound from the Natural Environment. These are the only real thing I can do, to help teach the G'children things that are a concern, as well as show how modern methods being adopted by Humans are really impacting on Local Flora - Fauna. This is part of a Country Wide initiative, to help Map locations that are showing where regenerative conservation action can be diverted to.   

I will be avoiding posting on this or other forums for the foreseeable future, maybe only using the forums I use, to keep the contacts I have communicated with, informed, enabling myself to complete a few outstanding visits to the homes of others when lengthy travel is able to be carried out by myself with no health concerns attached. 

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