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Recommandation for 1:6 1:8 SUT under $5K?

I’m looking for some advice on a step-up transformer that pairs well with my Audio Research LS28SE, PH9, and Hana Umami Blue cartridge. I currently have both the Denon AU-S1 and AU-340. The AU-S1 sounds absolutely beautiful—very transparent and open—but at 1:13 the gain is too high, and I’m getting some clipping, especially on dynamic peaks. Even with the AU-340 at 1:10, I can still hear a bit of overload. I’ve tried playing with loading and parallel resistors, but the issue really comes down to gain. I think something in the 1:6 to 1:8 range would be perfect, enough to keep the clarity and tone I’m getting from the AU-S1 but with better headroom. My budget is around $5k, and I’m open to any recommendations for a high-quality SUT?

arazmj
lewm
14,673 posts
 

Your cartridge is rated at 0.4mV output. Your phono offers 58db gain, and your linestage adds 12,5 db of gain in SE mode. Overall you should have enough gain to drive your amplifiers without a SUT. Have you tried it?

lewm
14,673 posts
 

I calculated the output V available to drive your amplifiers assuming 0.4mV from the cartridge, 58db gain from phono, and 12.5db from linestage, and I get 1.34V. That’s more than enough to drive most amplifiers to full output.

elliottbnewcombjr
7,746 posts
 

I've only read about it

https://upscaleaudio.com/products/zesto-audio-andros-allasso-step-up-transformer?srsltid=AfmBOopnglK8XKuETrX44cIcdV38eAoRZi3lDHvrmOOW1LLQfY87UXyt

 

lewm
14,673 posts
 

Elliot, that's a pretty cool looking SUT, but if the OP were to buy it and use it even at its lowest setting of 12db gain, he would then be feeding his amplifiers with about a 6V magnitude signal, enough almost to drive a very efficient speaker with no ampllifier.

elliottbnewcombjr
7,746 posts
 

lewm

something seems off, his cartridge is 0.4mv; 8 ohm coil

lowest is x factor of 4 (+12db). cartridge 0.4mv would get up to 1.6 mv, possibly a bit of loss, that’s still low

3rd option x factor 8 (+18db) .4mv  should be 3.2mv, should be no problem going into a typical MM Phono stage.

OP says x factor 10 and 13 are too much, he detects overload.

My AT440 MM cartridge has 5mv output, it never overloaded anything I plugged it into.

happily, the impedance is a separate face mounted control on that unit.

 

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