Seperate phono stage v.s. step up transformer

The K&K Audio MC step-up based on Lundahl xformers does 1 of the 2 features of the Bent Audio step-up: fewest possible connections/joints in the signal path.

In fact, Lundahl xformers are one of the very few xformers that come WITHOUT flying leads. The Lundahl xformer comes with pin-outs (like an I.C.). The xformer is attched to the PC board & you solder to xformer pin. This makes a very secure connection as you do not have to worry about soldering your wire to the xformer flying leads.

Changing the cartridge load is more cumbersome (but more secure) as you have to un-solder & re-solder resistors. It has not been a problem for my 2 friends as one uses a Grado Sonata hence the load is 47K while the other one uses a Benz L2 with a 300 Ohms loading.

Having this one additional feature of cart. load changing for $700 (vs. K & K Audio's <$300) did not make any sense to me! Both xformers are imported - one from the UK & one from Sweden. One seems to be ridiculously expensive while the other is much more price worthy. I can practically guarantee that the TX102 is *not* 2X better despite its more than 2X cost!

From my personal experience, I ask the skeptics to give this step-up a listen. You will be very pleasantly surprised!

The Granite Audio 770 already has variable cartridge loading with the use of some vishay resistors adjustable between 1 to 100000 ohms. I assume if you have it once in the phono chain it is not needed in a step-up transformer correct?

Agaffer, nice purchase I pressed my luck with one of these preamps as well and have been very happy for the last 5 months. I did bring the preamp over to several dealers and one wasn't able to best the Granite's built-in phono stage and another one didn't exceed its performance until we got into ~$10000 linestage and separate phone stage pairing. These two experiences have firmed up in my mind that the Granite preamp is certainly no slouch on vinyl, or as a linestage for that matter.

I have a custom phono stage built for me by Kevin at K & K. I also have great respect for John Chapman and the Bent products. I've heard nothing but good things about his step-up and I was very impressed with his passive pre which I used to own but which did not mesh with the rest of my system at the time.

I will say that the K&K is a superb unit that will equal or best anything up to $4K that I've heard (and includes quite a few). The phono stage is based on the 6n1p tube (two) - cheap and superior to the 6dj8/6922/7308 and many applications. Mine has the built-in Lundahl step-up (10dB extra gain) and it has four settings for MC (100, 300, 1K, and 47K Ohms) and two for MM (47K Ohm and 47K Ohm in parallel with 220pF). It runs QUIET within the volume range of any listening I'd ever do and sounds absolutely superb. Highly recommended and the best value I've ever purchased in audio.

Yes, considering the none of the replied have heard in the lived a any serious step-ups or any serious MC active phonocorrectors you have a lot of opportunity to get around here a qualified answer.

Good luck,
Romy the Cat

I have the same phono stage as 4yanx with only a couple of exceptions. It is MC only and has a fixed load of 300 ohms as per my request. I can only reiterate what Bombaywalla and 4yanx have said about this phono stage and the Lundahl transformers in general. This is an excellent design that sound great. I am using the TX-102 as a volume control, but have not heard the TX-103 SU device, so I can't compare it to the Lundahls. But as Bombaywalla points out, the Lundahls are much less expensive and perform nicely indeed.

I am glad you are finding the Granite preamp's phono section to your liking. I would like to hear how it compares to the full blown K&K Audio phono stage, which as 4yanx already pointed out, is a hard one to beat.

Oz