FIDELITY RESEARCH STEP-UP TRANSFORMERS

@rauliruegas 
I am somewhat surprised you don't know that the Transfiguration Temper V is an absolute top flight MC cartridge which holds its own against anything out there today.

The Shelter 501 Mk2 was recently re-tipped at Expert Vinyl and that's a very decent MC.

As to the DL103 being so lowly - that's interesting as the guy who makes Zanden amps uses one.

I keep that fora lot of listening because if my 4 and 5 yr old have a bad moment - it's £200 odd to replace - not over £2000...

In my various experiments I find that a great phono sectionis more important than the cartridge. I refuse to go over a certain price for a cartridge because its just a flipping magnet and thin wire - I've seeen Van Den Hul make them at shows - compare it to an equally priced say car/bike/watch an awful lot more skill and man hours go into making those items - but that's my 2 cents worth.

I hope you don't mind but I will email you directly about the AU340 mods.

thanks

Dear @lohanimal  : I posted that I owned that Transfiguration model and orther ones too, I love Transfiguration designs.

Even today still exist a cult in some Japanese gentlemans for the " venerable " 103 " that is a true mediocre/average design and that that tube electronic and Japanese designer use it means only his mediocrity levels or his very personal idiosyncrancy and nothing more.

""  In my various experiments I find that a great phono sectionis more important than the cartridge. ""

I almost agree with that statement. Yes the phono stage quality level design and quality level excecution to that design makes a paramount differences and extremely important to honor the cartridge signal but we have to remember that with out a cartridge there is no signal to pass through that phono stage. It's not easy for me to say with absolute certainty the grade of importance in between because we have to think too in that matching tonearm.

But you are rigth in the critical importance of that phono stage where I prefer the active high gain against the use of external SUT's. I own those SUT's and use SUT's because is a good alternative and I like it.

Btw, I will let you know about just email me here:

rauliruegas hotmail dot com .

R.

Hi @rauliruegas  - emailed u last night.

Like i said the 103 is a good workaday cartridge - it's very well made for the price. In addition they have good consistency - anyway the thread is about step-ups

I've never tried a step-up and thought I'd try one whilst being able to also do arm multiple mounts - 'killing 2 birds with one stone' so to speak.

I recall once saying to someone that my Shelter 501 with a Nordost cable was far superior to my Tansfiguration with a TCI cable. Thankfully both my phono stages are active (though one can switch to MM).

It's tempting and very costly this hi-fi habit with as many opinions as there are components.

I am taking your tip and seeking out a Denon AU 340.

@chakster and @nandric 

I am not going to get a single input step up transformer. I have what one will call a 'bijou' room so multi inputs are the 'way to go' for me. 

In my 'nearfield' set up I am being drawn more and more to a warmer tonal palette than ever before. I make no apologies for it and do not want to be a 'slave to neutrality' - that said a thick syrupy sound - yuck:) 

Hi @rauliruegas  - emailed u last night.

Like i said the 103 is a good workaday cartridge - it's very well made for the price. In addition they have good consistency - anyway the thread is about step-ups

I've never tried a step-up and thought I'd try one whilst being able to also do arm multiple mounts - 'killing 2 birds with one stone' so to speak.

I recall once saying to someone that my Shelter 501 with a Nordost cable was far superior to my Tansfiguration with a TCI cable. Thankfully both my phono stages are active (though one can switch to MM).

It's tempting and very costly this hi-fi habit with as many opinions as there are components.

I am taking your tip and seeking out a Denon AU 340.

@bukanova @chakster and @nandric 

I am not going to get a single input step up transformer. I have what one will call a 'bijou' room so multi inputs are the 'way to go' for me. 

In my 'nearfield' set up I am being drawn more and more to a warmer tonal palette than ever before. I make no apologies for it and do not want to be a 'slave to neutrality' - that said a thick syrupy sound - yuck:) 

I am not going to get a single input step up transformer. I have what one will call a 'bijou' room so multi inputs are the 'way to go' for me.

For this reason i have line preamp with 4 inputs, so i can connect different phono stages for my 4 tonearms (two turntables).

The SUT i have mentioned has one base with insert for 3 different silver toroidal transformers designed for ALL type of MC cartridges (8030 for 1.5 - 3.5 Ohm // 8025 for 3 - 40 Ohm // 8020 for 20 - 40 Ohm ). This is SUT if the most versatile. 

In my 'nearfield' set up I am being drawn more and more to a warmer tonal palette than ever before. I make no apologies for it and do not want to be a 'slave to neutrality' - that said a thick syrupy sound - yuck:)

Even if your phono stage is neutral who said that your amp is neutral, especially tube amp ? This is where you can get your warm tone. 

SUT is oldschool technology, learn as much as you can about "Current-Injection" PHONO stages for low impedance cartridges, this is the most direct and live sound ever. This is ideal for low impedance MC cartridge.