Best Step-Up Transformer(s) for Koetsu Cartridges

[Tarzan]

Yes, it has been upgraded by Charles at True Point Audio. It was a huge stroke of luck picking this up. @RossB a neighbour of mine pointed out the table in the FS in Stereonet.

Good show- mine also has been True Pointed ( all the unreliable bits taken out, hope that does not put the bok on it.)

 

[purplepyramid]

I'm using a Urushi Blue (on a Syrinx PU3/LP12) with an EAR 88PB. Sounds excellent. Auditioned against the Linn Urika/ Radical and preferred the vocals and ambience of the 88PB.

 

[kleinbje]

SUTs are a product of a bygone era, when high gain, low noise amplification was hard to come by.

They are essentially unnecessary today - an archaic product fulfilling a boutique niche - perhaps like a cartridge warmer products that came up in another thread.

My Ypsilon MC16 and VPS 100 combo that both utilize SUT's in big way, best i've heard.

 

[kleinbje]

I'm aware of that, Graham, having recently had one replaced. I thought that all/most valved stages required SUTs, but maybe not.

The Manley Chinnook has both gain stages with 6922's , sounds amazing with Amperex 7308's

 

[kleinbje]

The best SUT I've heard is my Ypsilon mc16, it blew away the jenson's in my Lamm Lp2, amazing engagement and excitement, my biggest asks. With my vps100 and my RSP I am currently listening to Sticky Fingers Germany TMl, amazing.

 

[GT]

There are not that many very good MC transformers and many that are advertised are just very average. I would also say that at least 95% are made for manufacturers by specialist transformer companies and are often sold or marketed as being made by the company itself.

 

[Arkless Electronics]

As others have mentioned, it would be very amiss of those in the market for an SUT to ignore the alternative of a head amp. It simply replaces the SUT and you still use the MM input of your phono amp in the same way as with an SUT.
A head amp gives total flexibility with loading (no matching turns ratios to carts and all that palaver) and the best can be more than a match for the best SUT's.

 

[kleinbje]

There are not that many very good MC transformers and many that are advertised are just very average. I would also say that at least 95% are made for manufacturers by specialist transformer companies and are often sold or marketed as being made by the company itself.

Ypsilon winds their own transformers.

 

[Pkay]

The MC4 and EAR Phonobox have been in the house for a couple of weeks. Mine was setup with the ECC83 tubes and straight out it was very dynamic with a big soundstage with a neutral presentation. It is incredibly quiet as well.

I was after a slightly warmer presentation and enter an old Mullard tube in V1. I am now very content (famous last words) and absolutely loving the combination. I found the gain with the stock tubes to be a bit too high. This was sorted out by the Mullard.

Now I just need to get some tubes for v2 and v3.

 

[GT]

I was after a slightly warmer presentation and enter an old Mullard tube in V1. I am now very content (famous last words) and absolutely loving the combination. I found the gain with the stock tubes to be a bit too high. This was sorted out by the Mullard.

Now I just need to get some tubes for v2 and v3.

The gain of an ECC83 will be the same across the board of ECC83s and 12AX7s as they all have to meet the same specification. If you got a different level of gain then something is wrong. Did you get the Mullards tested? If any valve was going to give a higher gain it would have been the Mullards.

 

[Pkay]

The gain of an ECC83 will be the same across the board of ECC83s and 12AX7s as they all have to meet the same specification. If you got a different level of gain then something is wrong. Did you get the Mullards tested? If any valve was going to give a higher gain it would have been the Mullards.

The Mullard was tested “well” by the seller. Perhaps it is the slightly warmer sound that changed my perception.

In any case I am enjoying the presentation too much to bother changing back to the new tubes and measure the sound levels.

 

[Pkay]

Two Mullard M8137 arrived today they have been placed in v1 and v2 with the cv4004 relegated to v3 in the EAR Phonobox. I can honestly say that with those tubes and the MC4 SUT in my system the sound is better than any other phono I have had in my system. There have been a few high end including both tube and SS.

For anyone with the EAR Phonobox hunt down some good old tubes it really does make a difference.

 

[geofff]

In response to the original request about current-production Hashimoto SUTs, SJS Electroacoustics was making them. Definitive Audio is the point of contact for SJS.

 

[Erocka2000]

To follow up on this thread, I wound up getting a great deal on the new version of the Koetsu SUT. I received it last weekend. So far it sounds good, but not great. Highs are a bit strident on certain records, but bass is filling out nicely. Do SUTs need time to break in?

 

[Pkay]

To follow up on this thread, I wound up getting a great deal on the new version of the Koetsu SUT. I received it last weekend. So far it sounds good, but not great. Highs are a bit strident on certain records, but bass is filling out nicely. Do SUTs need time to break in?

My EAR MC4 sounded great straight out of the box. Going by what many people say they do improve over time. In my experience when something doesn’t sound as good as it should and you have changed a few things like cable connections it could be a loose connection or even incorrect connection.

I would check every connection again.

 

[GT]

A lot of Japanese MC transformers use toroidal cores which are not as good as EI or C cores for audio reproduction.

 

[Rosewind]

There is this Danish SUT that is made locally, 8 kilometers from here in central Aarhus. I actually considered having one on loan but was afraid I would like it too much.

Here's a review by a well-respected Danish reviewer:
http://pladespilleren.dk/Anmeldelser-tests/TonaT 20-40 SUT - Engelsk.html

Tona T20/40 – Moving Coil Step-Up Transforme: https://tona.dk/

HIGH END Munich 2022
Find Tona at Sallingboe Audio, Halle 4, stand RO2a

I have no affiliation with Tona or Sallingboe Audio.

 

[Pkay]

There is this Danish SUT that is made locally, 8 kilometers from here in central Aarhus. I actually considered having one on loan but was afraid I would like it too much.

Here's a review by a well-respected Danish reviewer:
http://pladespilleren.dk/Anmeldelser-tests/TonaT 20-40 SUT - Engelsk.html

Tona T20/40 – Moving Coil Step-Up Transforme: https://tona.dk/

HIGH END Munich 2022
Find Tona at Sallingboe Audio, Halle 4, stand RO2a

I have no affiliation with Tona or Sallingboe Audio.

Thanks for the post, shame you didn’t try it and let us know our thoughts. It looks very good and the spreadsheet link in the review on cartridge/SUT matching is excellent.

 

[Rosewind]

I should have. It would probably have sounded wonderful with a decent mm riaa.

 

[Shuggie]

There is this Danish SUT that is made locally, 8 kilometers from here in central Aarhus. I actually considered having one on loan but was afraid I would like it too much.

Here's a review by a well-respected Danish reviewer:
http://pladespilleren.dk/Anmeldelser-tests/TonaT 20-40 SUT - Engelsk.html

Tona T20/40 – Moving Coil Step-Up Transforme: https://tona.dk/

HIGH END Munich 2022
Find Tona at Sallingboe Audio, Halle 4, stand RO2a

I have no affiliation with Tona or Sallingboe Audio.

That looks very well engineered and at a price that's not too silly. Interesting that, like Sculpture A, this maker also uses toroidal nano-crystalline cores in the SUTs. My ears tell me that this is a very Good Thing.