SUT vs. Phono preamp

On what basis? Try it.

Hook up your cartridge to your phono stage and listen to a record cut at low volume levels, set to the volume you like to hear.
- Do you hear distortion?
- Does it play loud enough?
- Lift the cartridge. Do you hear a hissing noise?

If you answer ’yes’ or ’no’ or ’yes’, then a good SUT will help. How good? About as good as your cartridge. Oxygen free SUT’s from Sowter are very good, but the amorphous core - silver wound SUT’s from Lundahl are the best I’ve ever heard, and I’ve heard some very good ones.

Even so, my phono-pre is marginally better for dynamics and weight with a platinum Koetsu.

@andirocks , IMO materials are far more important than brand; further, I trust the Lundahl brand far more than Cardas.

In any case, my experience is with the state-of-the-art Lundahl 1931Ag.

@rauliruegas @enginedr

I have not listened to any of the SUT’s that you mentioned, but I have listened to some very good vintage SUT’s, both factory assembled and DIY assembled. None was as good as the 1931Ag, and only one was close.

We all three seem to be pretty much agreed, though, that even the best of the SUT’s is not quite a match for the best high gain phono/pre. I suspect that I could not tell the difference between the 1931Ag and a phono/pre using teflon or styrene caps for RIAA - it’s only by using vacuum and air-gap caps exclusively that I can differentiate. I suspect.

@rauliruegas ,

materials is always important but I think that the more critical and important characteristics belongs to the rigth build transformer design and the quality level for the excecution of that design.

I agree. I tried to say that in the sentence about trusting the Lundahl brand more than the Cardas. You said it better.

But I don't agree about vintage excelling modern. As I understand it, amorphous core (Metglas) has only been understood and available for the last 25 years or so. Also, modern machines allow for more precise tensioning and placement than previously, hence, at the very least, more consistency in manufacture.

As for FR, 1931Ag's are 10-100,000 Hz =/- 1dB, which is more than adequate for a puppy's hearing, let alone mine; and I trust Lundahl's current testing and reporting more than vintage.

Finally, my testing shows the 1931Ag to be pretty close to pure gain. Not a whole lot of room for improvement there.

Agreed, and noted.