Manly Steelhead - any downside??

Dear Downunder: any downside??, well at the asked Steelhead price every one hopes there is no downside, unfortunatelly for the quality music sound reproduction the Steelhead has some " downside ":

first, it had a high RIAA eq. deviation from flat: " +0.5 / -0.3 dB from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, " , this means a swing of: 0.8 db when it has to be at least 0.2 db. This deviation is severe and colored the sound. It will be interesting to see where in the frecuency range response are those deviations.

second, it use step-up autoformers for gain in the MC stage that do a degradation to the signal.

third, it use tubes: as a phono stage is noisy.

fouth, you have to roll-off the tubes to achieve better performance: this is incredible. More money !!!!!

+++++ " so ultra revealing is not something I am looking for in any phono stage. " +++++

I can't understand that statement. Do you mean that you don't care if the phono stage can't has high resolution ( revealing ) ? do you mean that you don't care if the phono stage can't reproduce what is in the LP ? Please let me know what you care about LP reproduction. I can see on your system ( very nice system ) that you use cables that are very revealing and you phono cartridge is truly revealing too along with your speakers. So I can't understand that statement.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Shane: Tks for your answer. Now I understand what you mean about.
Btw, what you are asking: " makes your "non audiophile" records sound like shit. " " but it is the way a phono stage treats the not so good recordings and makes them enjoyable and removes the equipment from the equation (as much as possible) is what turms me on, " ,
is and ideal way to go: a phonopreamp where any thing go through it sound well, this is fine but not realistic.

I respect your opinion but I prefer a phonopreamp that tell me what the cartridge " take " from the LP: nothing more nothing less, an unfortunatelly the bad recording/mastered LP's will be sound bad and this " bad sound " is the true sound: this is what I'm looking for always.

About the autoformers: Cincy Bob already post about.

+++++ " I am aware of tube noise, " +++++

All te tubes are noisy by nature. As a fact the Steelhead is less noisy because in reality it is not a 100% tube unit: it use a j-fet at the critical first gain stage, so it is a hybrid design.

Unfortunatelly I never had the opportunity to heard the Steelhead in my system. I heard it at least in six different times: four with audio dealers and two times in audio systems that I know very well.

Now, the RIAA eq. deviation issue is a real problem on the Steelhead and at that price ( in my opinion ) is a high concern for every one.

I know that you and other Steelhead owners are satisfied with its performance and that kind of attitude don't help you and don't help the music, why? : because if the manufacturer always read that the Steelhead is a top performer he don't do nothing for an improvement in the faulty RIAA eq deviation. I think that every of us " music lovers " deserve more than what many manufacturers choose to give us through their audio devices.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Wc65mustang: +++++ " I give up " +++++, remember your post?

I was right with my answer to you that time. I knew your bad intention against me and your today post confirm it.

Keep laughing I think is the best and the only thing you can do.

+++++ " I for one take no stock in anything he says and read them for the entertainment content. " +++++

Tks for read me, I know for sure that you are learning.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Vetterone: I never say nothing against you: ever.

Like Frank you are not ( fortunatelly ) a " member's club ".

About the SUT, Cyncy Bob already post an answer. So it is not only my opinion, it is an owner opinion and it will be very educative is you can post what you think about using the autoformers in the Steelhead against the MM stage: do you agree with Cyncy Bob ?

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Downunder: I think that the best for you is to enjoy it. Best wishes.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Nrchy: I don't have any audio store.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.