The Benefits of a good step-up transformer...

[Puma Cat]

Out of curiosity and based on 1KWs experiences, I reinstalled my Shelter a while back to see what it would be like in the bass dept. at 2.0 grams, and I agree it is an improvement over what I was able to get at 1.7 grams, where I found it a bit bass shy compared to my previous reference, the Grado Reference Sonata.

My phono stage is an EAR834P MC, which means it switches in some built-in 10X transformers when you depress in the moving coil button. IIRC, the EAR provides 100 ohms loading when switching in the 10X transformers.

Well, with the increased tracking force, the Shelter sounded better than I recall, but it did not have anything like the sweetness, fullness, body and weight or bass of the Koetsu. It sounded thin and flat by comparison.

Out of curiosity, I patched it into my "stand-alone" Bob's Devices Cinemag Step-Up Transformer that I have to use for my Koetsu (as it only outputs 0.2mV, and the 10X SUTof the EAR's transformers are woefully inadequate).

As the Shelter has more output than the Koetsu, I set it for the "low" setting, which is 16X and provides 184 ohms loading.

Long story short, the Shelter sounds MUCH, MUCH, MUCH better with the Bob's Devices SUT than the transformers in my EAR834P. Smoother, with a sweeter high-end (not as "lively" as Jeff Whitlock put it), much fuller, richer and weightier, with notably better bass performance.

Bottom line, it sounds like a different, and markedly better cartridge, fuller, and decidedly more musical than with the EAR's built-in Yoshino SUTs.

For those of you using high-gain MC phono stages, consider using the MM section of your phono stage instead with a good step-up transformer...you might be very pleasantly surprised how much better a good SUT can make your moving coil sound. Highly recommended.
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[howiebrou]

The Japanese swear by step up transformers. Most of their phonograph amps are exactly what you have described. Often they tune the step up to a particular cartridge as well. Makes me want to demo a Kondo preamplifier with and without a phono stage built in to see how it compares with myAudio Research Ref 2 although having said that I tend to like keeping my phono amp separate from the preamplifier.

Howie

[jdandy]

Stephen.......Where did you purchase your step up transformer?

[jaspert]

The build in step up in the EAR 834P is well known to be very average. EAR makes another separate top shelf SUT for nearly $2k. 834P has a very good MM stage and hence your finding with the external Bob's Devices Cinemag SUT ( great bang for bucks sut) pairing over the internal SUT.

[cmalak]

Originally Posted by jaspert

The build in step up in the EAR 834P is well known to be very average. EAR makes another separate top shelf SUT for nearly $2k. 834P has a very good MM stage and hence your finding with the external Bob's Devices Cinemag SUT ( great bang for bucks sut) pairing over the internal SUT.

jaspert...welcome to AA You have one heck of a system or should I say systems (given all the various analog front ends ). Would love to see a pic, especially of your DIY speakers, when you get a chance.

[PHC1]

It's funny you mentioned this Stephen as I have been playing around with an Auditorium 23 SUT designed for Denon 103 and other lower impedance carts. I'm also using the Shindo MM phono stage with the SUT now. It is like listening to a different cartridge all together. The 103R opened up harmonically and simply blossomed. The bass is in another league now. Shindo's MC phono stage is incredible but is designed around Shindo SPU and other super low impedance carts. The target is 2 ohms! The Denon cartridge is much happier going through the SUT and then the MM.

The EAR324P is no slouch and has been an integral part of my whole vinyl journey but the Shindo tubed phono stage is much more colorful and tonally rich sounding.

Perhaps someday I'll set up a Shindo TT and SPU that will be optimized with the Shindo MC but for right now I am very happy.

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by jdandy

Stephen.......Where did you purchase your step up transformer?

Dan,
I got mine from Bob's Devices:
SUT Step-up Transformers for Moving Coil (MC) Phono Cartridges. Used with pickups including Koetsu, Benz, Ortophon, Lyra, Dynavector, Denon 103r ZU Denon DL-103R MC Moving Coil Cartridges CineMag Altec Sowter UTC Western Electric Newcomb bob's device

I had one built that was well-tailored for the Koetsu Urushi Vermilion. Was fortunate in that Bob had used a Vermilion as his reference for quite some time, so knew exactly what the best design and transformer (Cinemag vs. Showter) was optimal for the Urushi Vermilion, in line with Howie's comment. Great deal at $395 for one in aluminum or $425 powder coated black.





I had some hum issues with it at first, but these turned out only to be placement issues. As soon as I got it away from the shelf with the components (amp, pre and phono stage), the hum completely disappared. I found putting behind the Michell worked the best with resepect eliminating the hum, and it really made both the Koetsu and the Shelter blossom in the nicest way. Wouldn't be wihtout it now...

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by PHC1

It's funny you mentioned this Stephen as I have been playing around with an Auditorium 23 SUT designed for Denon 103 and other lower impedance carts. I'm also using the Shindo MM phono stage with the SUT now. It is like listening to a different cartridge all together. The 103R opened up harmonically and simply blossomed. The bass is in another league now. Shindo's MC phono stage is incredible but is designed around Shindo SPU and other super low impedance carts. The target is 2 ohms! The Denon cartridge is much happier going through the SUT and then the MM.

The EAR324P is no slouch and has been an integral part of my whole vinyl journey but the Shindo tubed phono stage is much more colorful and tonally rich sounding.

Perhaps someday I'll set up a Shindo TT and SPU that will be optimized with the Shindo MC but for right now I am very happy.

Serge,
Glad to hear you're also exploring the world of SUTs. I'm certainly sold. I think you nailed it with your description...the cartridge opens up harmonically and blossoms. That's a great way to put it and that's exactly what it did for the Shelter, which while nice, was always a little thin-sounding. Of course the Vermilion is glorious with SUT, but the Vermilion is in a different league just as a cartridge, but using a SUT for it with the correct loading and gain just takes it to the another level altogether.

[jdandy]

Stephen.......Thank you for the link. I may have to give the step up transformer a try.

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I'm giving the Ortofon ST-80SE SUT a spin with my Meister Silver SPU.....Its an ideal match up for SPU cartridges, Windfeld, Cadenza Black, A90, Xpression...