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Do I need a sut?

I purchased an Ortofon MC2000 cart from a fellow A'Goner, it is very low output .05mV, my phono pre is a Herron VTPH-2 which has 69db of gain and my pre is a Herron VTSP-3a(r02) 14db gain.
The cart sounds wonderful, but with such a low gain I have to turn up the volume by quite a lot. If I had, another source at that volume, I wouldn't be able to stand it. With the volume turned up so high I get a fair amount of noise between tracks. 
Should I be looking at an sut or just live with it the way it is? I found an Ortofon at a decent price, it has 24db of gain. Would that be ok to go into the mc input on the VTPH-2? The mm gain is 48db, if I plugged it in there I would only gain 3db(if I'm doing my math correctly) I will also be contacting Keith, but I thought I would ask here too.
Thanks
Jeff
jdodmead

Showing 4 responses by chakster

chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
I use my Ortofon MC200 with Luxman TYPE-8020 + TYPE-8030 MC transformer connected to JLTi MM phono stage (47k Ohm). The TYPE-8030 silver trans designed for cartridges with 1.5 Ω ~ 3.5 Ω impedance. I do not have a hum problems, but it is not the quitest cartridge and the volume control on my tube amp is a bit higher than with any other cartridges. My phono cables are Zu Audio Mission. 

I think the T-2000 transformer is overpriced on the market, there are many other transformers you can use. Luxman is one of them! 

The T-2000 is not ideal as stated in this Stereophile review:

"Even with Ortofon's own transformer, background hiss was a consideration, though not actually a problem. It was below, but not very much below, the surface-noise level of the quietest disc, and was clearly audible at "normal" listening levels when the arm was on its rest post. Also because of the cartridge's low output, hum proved to be a greater problem that it ever had been with any other cartridge. The effectiveness of the cable shielding and the dress (orientation) of the signal cables is critical with a cartridge like this. When I first tried it, with Ortofon's own step-up transformer, hum was barely but definitely audible behind the musical program during any passages lower than moderately loud."

Read more at https://www.stereophile.com/content/ortofon-mc-2000-mc-phono-cartridge-page-2#omAueWq8yPrE1yJA.99
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
@jmcgrogan2 

Still, I believe that any SUT is designed to be plugged into MM inputs, though I could be wrong.
ONLY MM (47k Ohm) input, right 

Most MC stages are simply MM stages with SUT’s built into the preamp. So I don’t think you should plug a SUT into another SUT.

No, high gain MC phono stages with 100 ohm input (without transformers) are available from various manufacturers, some of them gives us optional loading, which is great. 

There are MC phono stages available with built-in SUTs too. 

Don't forget about the MC head-amps (pre-preamps) devices that are not passive SUTs, but an active devices designed to be used between the turntable and MM phono stage. One of the very best is ZYX CPP-1 headamp with 125 oHm input for MC. 


chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
I got iPhono2 from a friend to try with my Ortofon MC2000, this phono stage has 72dB gain, so we will see how it works with MC2000 compared to the SUT i use now with this cartridge. 
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
After a brief listening session with my Ortofon MC-2000 i can say that iPhono2 with 72db gain is not the best choice for such a low output cartridge :(

In fact i have much better result with my Luxman 8030 Silver SUT (1:32 / 30db) from the 80s. The SUT is connected to my JLTi phono stage.  

More about Luxman SUT: 
http://www.thevintageknob.org/luxman-AD8000.html


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