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!

128x128lalitk

@lewm  : What do you think of your 2000 press fitted cantilever: it's and original cartridge or could be that you bougth a retipped sample?

 

Thank's in advance.

 

R.

“their stuff competes with any other tube gear up to $10k, so potentially a great value”
@mdalton

I am inclined to agree on value proposition. There are plenty of good offerings coming out of Eastern Europe in last few years. Now if you consider Fezz Audio, they will need to add electric blue to their color palette….lol! My top picks would be Big Calm and EverGreen 😊

haha! I prefer to think of my stuff as Lamborghini blue (though technically it’s “traffic blue”, which is RAL code #5017).  But among their colors, I might go with Republica (white).  would look very cool.

 

My MC2000 cantilever and stylus are OEM, according to the seller.  And the assembly looks like on-line photos of OEM.