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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
mdalton's avatar
mdalton
478 posts
 

@lalitk 

had a great 3 hour listening session with a good friend/neighbor who knows my system well from jazz/scotch nights over the last 10+ years.  His first experience with my new SUT:  after 10 seconds he turned to me and said “wow”.  Our analysis:  everything just seems more palpable, physical.  Much bigger difference moving from old to new SUT than when I went from Hana EH (directly into phono pre) to Koetsu and old SUT.  

lalitk's avatar
lalitk OP
5,530 posts
 

@mdalton 

Thanks for sharing…that’s saying a lot about HM-7 cause Hana EH and Koetsu are two very different carts and in opposite extremes in terms of $$$ and performance. I guess your previous SUT was holding back Koetsu.

Strange things happen when we keep an open mind :-) 

 

mdalton's avatar
mdalton
478 posts
 

@lalitk 

yes, I was certain the old SUT was my weak link, but didn’t fully appreciate how much it was holding the Koetsu back.  

jc51373
531 posts
 

 

 

I had the same Konus phono stage in my system, it was noisy and the dealer (Gestalt) had zero idea how to troubleshoot and instead blamed my turn table at the time. The venerable Rega P10...Sounded decent, if you were willing to tolerate the noise and buzzing. If I were selling product I personally wouldn’t let a single one out of my inventory knowing this was an issue. 

On another note, I replaced it with the Lenjonkoou which I a/b tested against the Vinyle 3000 MC I had bought and the Lejonklou was much better in every way. And as silent as a church mouse.

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