step up transformer for clearaudio

Raul,

Sure, SUTs distort. But, correctly implemented, an SUT does not introduce hiss or any such noise not correlated with the signal. Sure, "noise" can be introduced from imperfect shielding, but the act of converting current to voltage in the SUT itself (i.e., the "amplification" is noise free). That cannot be said of any form of active amplification (look it up in EE journals).

Solid state devices are low enough in terms of noise production that active amplification with solid state devices can also be, for all practical purposes, noise free. SUTs are used in tube phonostages because, in part, it is much harder to get noise-free high gain amplification using tubes.

Whether someone likes the sound of tubes or solid state or SUT or active amplification is a personal matter. There are plenty of designers (and purchasers) who will take the trade-off of SUT distortion and tube noise and distortion over the sound of solid state.

Yes, Raul, many of us are idiots. But, not everyone who disagrees with you -- on the superiority of solid state, on the superiority of moving magnet over moving coils, on the superiority of your own product over anything man or god has ever conceived -- is necessarily an idiot.

Dear Larry: +++++ " Whether someone likes the sound of tubes or solid state or SUT or active amplification is a personal matter. " +++++

I can't agree or say it better than you.

+++++ " But, not everyone who disagrees with you ... is necessarily an idiot. " ++++

I never say that and you know that I don't use that kind of word to refer to any human been, so please don't feel in that way. IMHO I think that what I posted is very clear: no perfect devices, if you think in other way then you have a misunderstood: that's all.

regards and enjoy the music,
raul.

Dear Larry, dear Raul,
I am using special bipolar Class A amplifiers, special FET SE-amplifiers, super regulated heater supply with L-power supply triode only preamplifier with SUT.
So we have most all kinds of active and passive amplification married happy together in my set-up.
Raul will certainly agree that the most advanced SUTs today do add as little coloration, distortion and phase shift to the music as the majority of the better solid-sate-amplifiers available today.

A good SUT is only a good SUT if it is the "right" SUT for the given cartridge.
And only then.

Dertonarm,

I agree with practically everything you have stated. Particularly, I agree with your implication that it is not the particular technology that matters so much as developing the right synergy.

On paper (meaning conventional measurement), I don't know if even the best SUTs will ever measure as well as solid state, but, to me, that hardly matters. I have heard plenty of setups with SUTs that sound terrific. My own phonostage uses a SUT at the front end, so I certainly have no issue with SUTs.

Im using a peerless 4722 with my stradivari which mathematically should overload the preamp input but with the tube pre's Ive tried it with it works great and sounds great. I have found that it overloads all the SS units Ive tried it with though.