If at all possible, try and demo a SUT in your system before hand. My new Garrard 301 uses an older Ortofon SPU classic and neither the internal Lundahl from my Vosne Romanee preamp nor Bob's Devices new blue 1131 worked out optimally for me. Ended up getting a EAR MC4 that has 3,6,12,and 40 ohm taps. The 3 ohms tap is the only setting that I like with the Ortofon even though the Ortofon specs indicate the 6 and 12 ohm taps should be the ones that work best. Bob's 1131 does work wonderfully with my Koetsu, however. In my experience, proper phono matching can seem as much an art as a science.

So many things to ponder with analog. For now the SUT in my Monbrison sounds fine to me. My next step will be to re-do my room. New cabinets to reposition the equipment, re-decorate and incorporate some acoustic details.
I just don't understand why my wife doesn't agree that spending 20 or 30 K on my obsessive hobby not a good investment.

...'... doesn't agree ....is a good investment'? Or did you mean what you said :D?

tonyd,
thanks for catching my slip-up. I corrected my post.
Of course it's a good investment, much better than new furniture for the living room like she wants.

Who wants to spend all that money on furniture? All you do is sit on it, or put your beer on it. Unless it's a functional bass trap of course - then it's worth every penny!

Bob's 1131 is pretty much as Art Dudley states
 

I've had my 1131 for several months now, and it is still amazing...I "upgraded" from the base Auditorium A23 SUT to the 1131 after one short night of listening along with my EMT TSD-15n cartridge, into my Aurieges MM. After consulting on the EMT with Bob, he made my 1131 version in the 10/20 setting. However, as others have stated, there are some great options(and I really like the A23 still) out there... Best, Jonathan K

I'm very pleased with my poor man's shindo turntable - a Lenco L75 in a Jean Nantais Plinth with an audiocraft AC300 arm and EMT JSD 5 cartridge. I run it into a A23 SUT and then into my Aurieges. The plinth is a hefty 75 lbs and is distinguished by its PRaT.



Here's some info on the table if you're interested...
Reviews | Turntables by Jean Nantais

Gortnipper- Very interesting, because I own a Shilabe as well. Mine is the Stereo version. I tried it on a Basis 2500/Vector 3, but honestly did not get good results. I know the Shilabe is capable of much more, as I have heard it sound great in a friends setup. I tried it w/ my A23 (Denon 103) SUT, my Choir Hashimoto, and also the direct MC inputs on my Monbrison. I preferred the Hashimoto, but still nothing like what it did in my friends rig. I have since sold the Basis setup, but may revisit the Shilabe at one point. Perhaps the 1131 Blue could be the answer. What tonearm/TT are you using, if you don't mind me asking? Thanks.

Art and science, kinda like BW photography...:D

Did you get a 20/40 1131 unit? That is what I got, and am a bit surprised that the 40 tap doesn't sound a bit better, and that maybe I should have gotten a 10/20 unit to be more flexible with my Benz carts, but that is what Bob recommended. Maybe it just needs some more burn in.

My mate has a MC4 he uses with a Massetto and a Koetsu Vermilion @ 6 ohms.

Yes, I got the 20/40 1131 and was suprised it did not work out better with the Ortofon. I have a local dealer who let me demo the MC4 over a weekend and the EAR at 3 ohms works very well indeed. However, I still greatly prefer Bob's 1131 and my Choir Audio H7 (with Hashimoto transformer) SUT to the EAR with my Koetsu. I'm sure the Auditorium Hommage would be better still with the SPU but $5K for a SUT is out of my budget.