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!
@lalitk 30K gets you an awfully fine phono stage and cartridge. With that kind of money I would get a loaded Channel S Lino C 3.0. and an Air Tight Opus 1 or a Lyra Atlas SL or maybe even an Ortofon MC Diamond. |
@mijostyn : That you like to live in the " error " does not means that other gentlemans could do it even that many stay as you are.
The old current phono stage design is a problem, first because the cartridge is a voltage item and second because it does not works with all LOMC cartridge and even the Ortofon MC Diamond that is one outside the limitations on current design you posted here that you like more in the voltage design but not only you say that because many owners of CH phono stage with both options prefers the voltage one and other gentleman in this thread that own both kind of separate current and voltage units design prefers the voltage one. mijos it’s the same as those gentlemans that like to own a dedicated SUT for an specific cartridge what is way way and high limitation and only justified if you will live for ever with that only cartridge and we all know that almost no one lives with one cartridge but over the months or years to come always we buy new cartridges with different characteristics but as I said: to each his own. Fortunatelly not my problem.
R. |
