Grado Statement Series

I paid $745 last year for the copper wire version, assembled and burned in. AFAIK the price is still the same.

Whether that's reasonable for Colitas' system and budget I don't know. I'm not that familiar with his equipment and he didn't mention a budget.

Ed,
No problem with step-up transformers. They work great. You just need good quality, which is not cheap. Bent Audio is really nice.

Doug & Twl, You're right. It is me reading cost into the equation and maybe I shouldn't be. I assume it's the way I read the original post. I was basing my opinion on the equipment presently being used.

Although, I was NOT thinking about step ups' in the $700-$1500 range. I have had experience with both the EAR and GSP units with great results. Both also being fairly significant investments for this application.

I have always felt that once entering into that level of investment, full blown adjustable phono preamps had the advantage. In this particular scenario, it would allow Colitas to experiment with loading AND gain settings for MM OR MC cartridges eliminating the need for any step up. I was also figuring something like a Monolithic or equiv. on the used market in the $350-400 price point plugged into the aux inputs on his existing amp.

PERSONALLY? If it was me? I would be either buying a cartridge with a higher output OR contacting Rega to inquire about a 56db gain phono card, to avoid the introduction of cabling, power supplies, etc. NOT to even mention the $$$.

But, the original poster wanted options.

A question for Doug and Twl.

If you use a MU stepup set at 20db gain (10x turn ratio) into a 47K loaded phono amp, according to info on Bent Audio web site, the effective load at the cart will be only 235 Ohm? Will that cause any mismatch with Grado Statement?

My setup: low-output MC cart *into* step-up *into* phono amp *into* main amp. Arrived here first b/c I wanted to try a low-MC cart, and second b/c I bought an amp sans phono section. Love my results, and think it would be a shame to cross low-MCs or a Grado Sig. series off one's list. As for step-up transformer cost, I'm using an "Audio Interface" model CST-80H bought on the 'goN for about $240 incl. shipping...at the time a less clean CST-80 (no "H" - earlier edition) was available for something like $170. I sought an Audio Interface after seeing the name on Art Salvatore's (infamous) Recommended Components list, and couldn't be happier. No hum, great sound. Perhaps worth considering!