Dynavector XV1-S and step-up

Dear Hatari: IMHO you own a very good analog rig with that Raven/Phantom/XV-1s combination along your Sarastro IIs.

IMHO too, before to think in an external step-up that always makes a cartridge signal degradation and that ( with all respect ) does not make sense to me on your audio system maybe is time to think in a way better quality performance phono stage that can do justice to that top front end.

Through your Masseto there is no single opportunity that you can hear what the XV-1s can show when it is mated with a phono stage at the same quality level that the Dyna cartridge.

If I was you and if I want to improve the analog quality performance of that audio system my very first step will be to " disappear "/change that " poor " phono stage that IMHO is at very lower level than the rest of the other system links.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

Dear Hatari: Poor was not the right word. Let me explain in some other way:

you say that you are looking for an external SUT where I think will be a degradation ( even if the SUT is a " perfect " design. ) to the cartridge signal because that signal has to pass for additional stages: additional connectors and additional cables. IMHO these additional stages along the non-perfect SUT the only job that can do is to degrade that cartridge signal: it can't improve it in anyway, more signal process means more distortions/degradations.

In the other side your Masseto is full of transformers: internal SUTs for MC signal process and output transformers that in both cases put a distortion-signature to the cartridge signal.
I know that you like what you have but I think that you have a near " Ferrari " ( analog front end ) driving with " bycycle tires ", this is only an opinion where yours is the most important one.

Looking to your Masseto I think that you could do a little better with the MM alternative, at least an alternative easy to try and an inexpensive one.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

Dear Rene: I understand your point of view through your experiences where certainly the XOno is not a good example for the top quality performance level that you and me are accustom for.

I don't have an " aversion " on SUTs, as a fact I try several SUTs through the time including the " old " Shindo ones but when you have the opportunity to mate in your system a very top quality design phonolinepreamp with no SUTs against any other with SUTs then you can understand what I'm talking about.
IMHO I think that you like many other people ( Japanese people between them. ) never had that opportunity but there are people that already heard and try on that kind of top quality design units and I can tell you that no one of them can/could return to SUTs: evolution is the name of the game, if we don't " evolution ": well we " die ", IMHO sooner or latter we need to WALK ahead with the right " focus ".

I don't compart/share the whole audio attitude to stay almost in the same " land/place " going deep in that " hole " with no hope to improve/evolution, with no hope to be better but only a little different!

I respect to all kind of personal audio attitude but mine is a little different from other ones, at least in that audio evolution subject.

I don't want to start a polemic about SUTs ( like Axel posted:tired to read in several threads about. ) it is almost futile.

Rene, if you own a Ferrari what do you want to do about? switch the engine ( in your garage ) to only hear that marvelous motor sound? or switch the engine and driving ( move ) that Ferrari enjoy the Ferrari unique whole experience?.
Not many people own a Ferrari and certainly they want to " discover " the whole " Ferrari experience " and not only the static engine sound.

The Japanese people die for the SUT's ( like several other people. ), they like its distortions but that does not means is the best way to go with LOMC cartridges, there are other alternatives that IMHO are better.

Anyway, my advise to Hatari is that he try an alternative, either: MM or a differnt phonolinepreamp or both.

I think/assume that he wants to achieve not only a different quality performance but a better one and the Masseto is an " obstacle " to do it.

Maybe some of you think that because the Masseto is over 10K must be a great unit, well it is not at least for LOMC cartridge task.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

Dear Lew: Shindo is well know to produce and design audio items based on vintage parts: tubes, caps, resistors, pots, etc, etc. For this people time never pass, no evolution at all and like Koetsu cartridges Shindo through the years " floats " in an image almost " religious " ( ???? ). This kind of " halo " is what many Japanese people likes ( it does not matters how is its sound. ), even its design are around a specific audio units like in the Masseto that was voiced with the SPU cartridge.

I owned the Shindo 101 ( and heard twice different units. The Shindo is like Koetsu: you heard one and you know everything on that sound audio item company. ) that is almost the same today other units because the Shindo philosophy is to be " impertubable " through the years to come. So I know what I'm talking about.

What I can't understand ( or maybe I can??? ) is what are you trying to find on me with your questions?, I know that you are not and advocate to SUTs or at least your phonolinepreamp does not comes with SUTs, so: what is all about?
I think that ( with all respect, I appreciate you. ) instead to following question me will be a lot better that you give your advise to help Hatari, don't you think?

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

Dear Hatari: Very good move!!!!

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

Dear Mike: Every audio system has its own weak link, maybe I'm wrong but in your opinion which is the Hatari audio system weak link on analog performance?: the Rave, the Phantom, the XV-1s, the Sarastro, the Shindo amplifiers: whic one?.

Could you share your opinion on the subject? and if you can please explain why is " ridiculous " the Masseto weak link in that " environment ".

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

Dear Lew: No problem.
About the Koetsu sound signature the Urushi is a little different from the " normal " Koetsu and I'm with you on it.

Regards and enjoy the music,
raul.

Dear Vinyljh: +++++ " Long live the transformer. " +++++

long live!!!!!!

regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.