Rather bizarre view that a step-ups inability to conduct DC should be seen as a negative point. Especially considering that speakers, cartridges and amplifier have the same inability to conduct DC. Maybe we should get rid of them too?
Having recently replaced a stepped attenuator (i.e. discrete resistor) with a transformer-based attenuator in my pre-amp, it is glaringly obvious that a step-up introduces less coloration than even a single high quality resistor.
So how active amplification device, which will contain 1.) many resistors, 2.) many capacitors, 3.) many transistors and/or vacuum tubes, 4.) 30db (or more) of negative feedback (transistor phono), 5.) many different wires (or god forbid, pc boards!), 6.) many solder points, 7) a power supply (!!!!!) 8.) possibly a few regulators, etc, would induce less coloration to a low level signal than a single high quality transformer is simply bizarre.
Having built many amplifiers over a number of years, it has become clear that isolating the very small and fragile MC signal from noise and distortions emanation from the components of within an amplifier is not a trivial task. I have yet to hear a MC phono amplifier that does not raise the noise floor and rob the signal of some low level detail.
Step-ups are not perfect and will impact the signal with some residue. So does each and every component of an amplification device. Do the math.
Regards
Paul
Having recently replaced a stepped attenuator (i.e. discrete resistor) with a transformer-based attenuator in my pre-amp, it is glaringly obvious that a step-up introduces less coloration than even a single high quality resistor.
So how active amplification device, which will contain 1.) many resistors, 2.) many capacitors, 3.) many transistors and/or vacuum tubes, 4.) 30db (or more) of negative feedback (transistor phono), 5.) many different wires (or god forbid, pc boards!), 6.) many solder points, 7) a power supply (!!!!!) 8.) possibly a few regulators, etc, would induce less coloration to a low level signal than a single high quality transformer is simply bizarre.
Having built many amplifiers over a number of years, it has become clear that isolating the very small and fragile MC signal from noise and distortions emanation from the components of within an amplifier is not a trivial task. I have yet to hear a MC phono amplifier that does not raise the noise floor and rob the signal of some low level detail.
Step-ups are not perfect and will impact the signal with some residue. So does each and every component of an amplification device. Do the math.
Regards
Paul