Seperate phono stage v.s. step up transformer

I have a custom phono stage built for me by Kevin at K & K. I also have great respect for John Chapman and the Bent products. I've heard nothing but good things about his step-up and I was very impressed with his passive pre which I used to own but which did not mesh with the rest of my system at the time.

I will say that the K&K is a superb unit that will equal or best anything up to $4K that I've heard (and includes quite a few). The phono stage is based on the 6n1p tube (two) - cheap and superior to the 6dj8/6922/7308 and many applications. Mine has the built-in Lundahl step-up (10dB extra gain) and it has four settings for MC (100, 300, 1K, and 47K Ohms) and two for MM (47K Ohm and 47K Ohm in parallel with 220pF). It runs QUIET within the volume range of any listening I'd ever do and sounds absolutely superb. Highly recommended and the best value I've ever purchased in audio.

Yes, considering the none of the replied have heard in the lived a any serious step-ups or any serious MC active phonocorrectors you have a lot of opportunity to get around here a qualified answer.

Good luck,
Romy the Cat

I have the same phono stage as 4yanx with only a couple of exceptions. It is MC only and has a fixed load of 300 ohms as per my request. I can only reiterate what Bombaywalla and 4yanx have said about this phono stage and the Lundahl transformers in general. This is an excellent design that sound great. I am using the TX-102 as a volume control, but have not heard the TX-103 SU device, so I can't compare it to the Lundahls. But as Bombaywalla points out, the Lundahls are much less expensive and perform nicely indeed.

I am glad you are finding the Granite preamp's phono section to your liking. I would like to hear how it compares to the full blown K&K Audio phono stage, which as 4yanx already pointed out, is a hard one to beat.

Oz

Flatulent Feline Farts:
"Yes, considering the none of the replied have heard in the lived a any serious step-ups or any serious MC active phonocorrectors you have a lot of opportunity to get around here a qualified answer.

Good luck,
Romy the Cat"

I assume from that fakely garbled message that you are saying that none of us here are qualified to comment in answer to the poster's question. You, typically of course, submit this opinion and give no suggestions of your own. Either be helpful to this person and lay off the condescending crap (which might at least be tolerated if you actually knew something) or crawl back to your litter box.

Best to ignore him David, as you once taught me, though I wish he'd chosen some less attractive animal as his nom-de-fume. There are so many unattractive animals available, houseflies, rats, any number of viruses; did he have to choose cats?

Bombaywalla, thanks for clarifying the features of the K&K's. I am certainly not a "skeptic" in any negative sense. I even said they are "well regarded". (BTW, BentAudio's SU trannies are not built with TX102's. The TX102's are used in their passive preamp.)

If, as Soliver informs us, the Granite Audio 770 already has variable cartridge loading then the K&K's become more attractive. Otherwise, those who prefer quick and easy load changing to soldering can choose to pay for the convenience. Clearly a case of YMMV.

I think we all agree that Agaffer won't go sonically wrong with either of these solutions. May he enjoy whichever one he chooses!