Decca Jubilee / Dynavector XV-1s / ZYX / Allaerts

Dear Jon: The Ortofon 7500 is a top contender, it don't have the immediate/alive sound reproduction of the Decca or Ikeda cartridges but is very well balanced top to bottom, good in the low bass and very transparent in the highs. It is a very low output cartridge and needs a lot of clean gain.
THe T-2000 can do the job but I don't recomended it, this is my experiences and what I think about any step-up transformer:

+++++ " The SUT is an old patch for bad SS phonopreamps designs and for the inherent limitations on tube phonopreamps for handle low output MC cartridges. It is a " chip solution to a complex problem ".

Any SUT has many inherent disadvantages like: distortions generated at the core ( it does not matters if is: air core ), heavy phase discharge ( landslide ), high apt to take hum, the wide zone ( band ) can't go down to DC, severe roll-off at high and low frecuencies, the reactive impedance on the SUT is incompatible with the cartridge impedance: this cause that we never could have flat frecuency response when we are using SUT, this mismatch between the impedances promote that the signal that pass through any SUT will be equalized ( yes, exactly like the problems between tube amplifier and loudspeakers because of those impedances ).
Any time with any of you we can make the tests and prove all those disadvantages and others like the additional cables that you have to use, additional connectors, the SUT is an additional ( filter ) link in the analog audio chain.

I want to let clear that there is no single advantage, in any way, using SUT's, any of them: it does not matters their design or price.

The SUT always be a : wrong PATCH. " +++++ The signal that pass through a SUT suffer a severe degradation.

My advice is that you go for a high-gain phonolinepreamp.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

I completely agree with Raul about avoiding SUTs.

And although my own phono preamp is ss, I see there are now some highly recommended tube phono preamps that offer high gain -- like the Aesthetix Io (80dB). So if you think you want tubes, even with a low output MC, you aren't condemed to using a SUT.

I currently use an Allaerts MC1B (on a Schroeder model 2/Platine Verdier) and I have heard the MC2 Finish on another Platine with Schroeder Reference. I also own a Decca Gold Garrott Brothers original (now very old indeed).
The Allaerts MC1B is far, far better than my old Decca. The MC2 is even better still but more money. I haven't heard the transfiguration so I can't comment. I like the Allaerts a lot. They are very musical and have very little in the way of an audio signature. It doesn't seem to lack in dynamics compared to the Decca either. It tracks superbly and is at home with all kinds of music (my prefernces are very eclectic).
My tuppence worth.

Any comments on the entry-level Allaerts? Perhaps someday I'll Finish with an MC2, but I need to start at the beginning and enjoy the ascent to the summit.

The only really negative comment I've heard from others about the Jan Allaerts cartridge line is that there is a wide variation in the quality of construction (the fit and finish I presume).

I suppose if Jan isn't feeling well on the week he makes your cartridge, it may not look perfect -- however I bet it will sound perfect ;--)