I have been an SUT fan for my entire audio lifespan. I am still a huge fan of SUTs, but lately I have heard several head amps that have blown me away. To my ears there is a subtle difference to the sound between the two - all of my SUTs have a signature to them (like tube amps and preamps). With some cartridges I just prefer through an SUT, like the Ortofon SPU line. Others (Benz and Hana come to mind) a really good head amp had an airiness and delicacy that SUTs can't match. You need to test. Isn't this obsession... er, hobby fun?
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!
Showing 3 responses by br3098
@lalitk I have owned a lot of SUTs over the years, including Ortofon ST-80 (great w/ SUT cartridges), Bob's Devices w/ Cinemag transformers (highly recommended, and Bob is a great guy), A123, various SUTs using Hashimoto HM-5 & HM-7 transformers (very distinctive sound) and Audio Note. There have been others as well. Having listed all of these you need to decide which cartridge(s) you want to use and then pick an SUT to match. Or vice versa. Some SUTs have switchable gain but they will still sound better with particular cartridges. This is the beauty of head amps - you with most of them you can change settings to precisely match your cartridge. |
@cey what headamp does such for hana ML? I can't say, I haven't owned a Hana cartridge since they were first introduced. I may have tried a Hana LV cartridge with a headamp but I don't specifically remember. But in general, SUTs add some "flavor" to the mix. I think @pindac nailed it when he described what SUTs add as "richness of tone." Not that this is unpleasant; quite the opposite. I love that quality when a good MC cartridge is perfectly mated to an SUT and the rest of the downstream components. Think one of the really special Ortofon SPUs paired with an ST-80SE, A123 or one of the great FR units. Vibrant, high butterfat cream. A really good headamp can't match that, IMO. But it can shine in terms of speed and truthful fidelity. Did I answer your question? |