Okay, look, we have 2 situations here. Standard MM input with a gain level for about 4mv cartridges, and some type of MC input with higher gain for a low-output MC cart. There is no free ride. Either you have a step up transformer into the MM stage, or you have extra gain stages in the MC section. Pick your poison. The additional gain stages in the MC section are at least as objectionable to signal quality as a step up transformer. Personally I use a step up transformer because I think it is less problematic than additional gain stages. Others think differently. If you have a decent step up transformer, or a decent MC stage, you should not be corrupting the signal in a real bad way. My Cotter transformer passes a nice clean step up, that sounds real good to me into my MM stage.
And you can't get around the issue with a MM cart or a high output MC, because they have heavier moving structures than a low output MC and so you have a very likely possiblility of losing something there.
If you are looking for what the "experts" say, Kondo, the total "audio guru" who makes some of the most musical gear in the world, specifies only a transformer is to be used to step up his top of the line cartridge. A step up transformer does not have such a limitation like an amplifier output transformer, because very low level signals are being used and saturation is really not an issue. And if you don't use a step up transformer, and your MC stage has insufficient gain, then you raise the noise floor by turning up the volume, and obscure low-level detail that way. You have to use one method or the other to use a low-output MC. You have to choose one. I chose a good quality step up transformer, and I am happy with it. I would dare say that if you heard my system playing, you wouldn't be talking about any lost detail.
And you can't get around the issue with a MM cart or a high output MC, because they have heavier moving structures than a low output MC and so you have a very likely possiblility of losing something there.
If you are looking for what the "experts" say, Kondo, the total "audio guru" who makes some of the most musical gear in the world, specifies only a transformer is to be used to step up his top of the line cartridge. A step up transformer does not have such a limitation like an amplifier output transformer, because very low level signals are being used and saturation is really not an issue. And if you don't use a step up transformer, and your MC stage has insufficient gain, then you raise the noise floor by turning up the volume, and obscure low-level detail that way. You have to use one method or the other to use a low-output MC. You have to choose one. I chose a good quality step up transformer, and I am happy with it. I would dare say that if you heard my system playing, you wouldn't be talking about any lost detail.