Step Up Transformers….Are they Worth the Trouble?

@vuch It never hurts to try anything!  The S7s are a great loudspeaker. I also have a friend with a pair. 

@lalitk Those are purely my feelings which were not meant to be reflected on anyone else. You made a reference to the preferences of those making suggestions so I told you mine. All those venues are different just like Ella Fitzgerald and Rickie Lee Jones have different voices. I mention those venues because I have been to all of them on multiple occasions. I have recordings made at every venue and many others. I am particularly fond of the Dave Holland Quintet recordings and I have seen them three times. They are a favorite reference for system evaluation. 

Measurements, particularly those made in the actual listening environment are very useful. They get you in the ballpark. Fine tuning is always done by ear. The problem that I see repeatedly is audiophiles trying to tune their system by changing cables or rolling tubes. You can not do it that way, none of those techniques have the necessary bandwidth to be useful. If you really want to tune a system by ear try digital signal processing. You can not get bass right without it. By right I mean the bass you here at Red Rocks, or the bass you hear at The Blue Note. 

@vuch I owned the Herron VTPH-2A for a while. Regardless of having ample gain in its MC mode w/ tube swaps, it will sound different when paired with a SUT in MM mode. And that "difference" is quite likely to appeal to someone who likes VAC gear and/or Tannoy speakers (me).

That said, the Herron is decidedly not a traditional tubey sounding tube stage. Even comparing just MM modes, it sounds quite distinct to (say) the VAC and Hagerman tube stages, which are sweeter and warmer (Herron being almost a tad aggressive in upper mids by comparison). The MM / SUT combo with VTPH-2A gets you about halfway to that. And I’ve had system configurations where that particular combo was "just right", though typically I prefer a more "traditional" tube stage paired with SUT.

I am familiar with Phasemation Audio Devices, they are usually handled in the UK by the Audio Dealers who work towards giving a customer something that can be very appealing without having to reach too far with their finances.

I am with experiences of Cart’s and a few Phonostages in a selection if systems and also have heard a Phon’ Model not too long ago in a Audio System I am very familiar with. I was also being familiarised at this time with a Bespoke Produced SS Phon, also carried out on a Audio System I am very familiar with in use. ’ which for myself, proved to be very impressive. The Phasemation and the other Phon’ being both SS Designs were for myself very impressive demonstrations.

I am confident in stating Phasemation are a Company that are able to offer products that create that little extra, which wins over loyal followers, who return to their products.

I feel very confident if the Phasemation SUT shown in the Link, was able to be acquired at the money as seen at the time of this post, even with the shipping fee, there will be a very happy customer.

In context, both of my used SUT’s each cost more than twice this price seen at the present, as a Commissioned Produced end product.

https://www.fromjapan.co.jp/japan/en/auction/yahoo/input/1151091863/

The next link will be one of interest in a discussion on SUT's.

 https://www.analogueseduction.net/phono-stages-phono-boards/Phasemationcst2000.html

(Herron being almost a tad aggressive in upper mids by comparison).

@mulveling I found this to be true of the most recent Herron linestage, as well, which I bought and then returned. My main preamp is a VAC.

@mulveling, thanks for your information. I just stumbled on your review of the Quadratic MC-1 SUT. 

As I've stated before I do love the way my rig sounds. However I have a lot of hum and at times notice some RF since adding a Triangle Art Maestro TT with the Horus 12" tone arm. I've been unimpressed with the service from its manufacturer. 

I'm wondering if adding the Quadratic MC-1 to the mix with my Herron VTPH-2A and using the MM taps would help? I use authentic Cardas Clear interconnects from the VTPH to the balanced line stage. The tonearm's cable is fixed and can't be changed.

I'm running a NAT Audio Symmetrical Balanced line stage, NAT Audio Magma mono blocks and Magico A3 speakers.