a dilemma for cartridge/phono stage combination
what is SUT, phono preamp? what model of Bellari? think that it’s important to have impadance control etc. ,no? there is the VP129, 130 and those here: http://www.bellariaudio.com/index.php/products/vp549-riaa-phono-preamp/ saw some of them sells on ebay with lower price. |
sorry for asking more.| it’s because i don’t have experience with those components. i read that the SUT: "moving coil step up transformer that raises the low level of a moving coil cartridge up to a moving magnet level. Making your moving coil cartridge compatible with your phono preamp. " so what is the reason i want to "convert" my MC to a MM? and so what does the phono preamp? it’s aloud you to adjust the best loading or impedance for your cartridge, but also to raise gain? and what is the reason the the SUT MT502 cost 499 $ and the Vp 549 149$? |
i am open to your suggestions. i'm sure that it isn't the major to buy something. but it's a bit of temptation to buy from benz since the offer me a big discount. maybe i should start with the SUT and the phono stage , try the alpha 2 and decide then. those components can serve me later on for other cartridges. especially since i am planning sometime to go for a new amplification that mower days come usually without a build in phono stage. since i didn't have before any of those , i understand that with only sut i connect it to the phono internal stage. and with both of them i connect to a regular line ( like aux, cd etc. so you are saying that there is more sound advantages using both of them compare to only a phono stage? two questions: 1. those two models ( the sut and phono stage) that you specified are to your opinion the best from that company? since i saw there several other models. 2.if i want to go step by step i understand that you recommand to try first the SUT ? regarding your cartridge suggestion, one of the things that are very important to me ,more then details, stage etc. is the naturalism of the sound , how much it close to the real instruments and voices. can't stand cartridge with coloration even if it gives me many other sound advantages. |
thanks again everyone for trying to help, since i’m a bit lost here. to emphasize that, i purchased recently , after reading very good reviews, a Pickering XSV 3000 /Stylus D3001E , and was very disappointed from the result. right now i’m working with an old MM audio technica cartridge i had at home (at11e) . the gain is o.k and sounding reasonable, but i’m not planning to stay with it. the benz micro i had was 2.0 mv. i’ll try as much as i know to bring relevant info about my amps. i have right now two integrated amps. one is the creek audio 4240 that come originally with line output only, but there was an option to fit a phono MM or MC pcb to replace the aux line level, and i did it. i think it was kind of a printed card, or something like it. i don’t know if it was MM or MC , think MM but not sure. the original amp inputs are " in the reagion of 350 mv’s". that’s all i know. the second one, and the one i’m using now since i preferred it a bit in my current circumstances, is a vintage Pioneer SX-880 receiver. "Input sensitivity: 2.5mV (MM), 150mV (line)". that all i know about it. i suppose that some time in the future i’ll buy a better amp. maybe tube or highbreed, but right now this is my system. |
lewm - you are totally right about my situation with the alpha 2. i have to raise the amp gain almost to maximum and it still not enough . sbank - unfortunately i don't have any info about the loading and capacitance . |
thank you. right now i don’t have an external phono preamp and i can’t say if i like the one that build in. i am on the way to buy a new cartridge . i had one with 2.0 mv output. in several places i read that low output mc are generally better in sound then high output . right now if i’ll buy a low mc it will not work well with my preamp, so i’m trying to decide what combination will be best for me. i read that there are some disagreements about what is better SUT or phono stage. some say that SUT can add some coloration, hum, and you must find a very accurate calibration. since i didn’t decide yet which cartridge i’ll buy , it can be one of the benz micro, or using my monster alpha 2 that i have at home, i’m a bit confused what to do. and which sut or phono preamp will be the best match with my cartridge? |
tried to find out prices of Jensen sut’s. do you mean one of those? https://www.cs1.net/products/jensen_transformers/MC-2RR.htm maybe i don’t understand how it works , but i don’t see there any way to change some factor, like you usually have in a phonostage/ preamp. let say compare to this one. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1432618-REG/rolls_mt502_moving_coil_matching_transformer.html |
mr_m1 - i believe that my choices are limited to adding a phono preamp/stage , or SUT or both. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ i know that my dilemmas here are not simple for you to give me a clear cut answer, and i apologize for that. i am also kind of frustrated from the situation and will try to simplify it. right now i’m thinking of going on a careful side and buy a phono preamp. try to work with my mc alpha 2 cartridge , or buy a new mc cartridge, if i’ll not like the result of the above. my system right now can be hardly called high end ,and i’ts kind of something that i’m planning to replace in the future, so i’m trying to match the additional components for a reasonable price, according to that. i’m trying to find not expansive phono stages, let say something between 100-200 $. one of the options is the bellari VP130 – Tube Phono Preamp. other is Cambridge Audio - Azur 551P - MM Phono Preamplifier. those two are just first examples that i found. i’ll be glad for recommendations to that direction, and sorry again if i confused you. |
thank you. the link you gave me refer to a special addition 4240. my unit was sold only with line level with the option to add a phono stage internal card for one of the rca inputs , which i did. it’s a MM p.stage. my direction now is to buy a phono stage, probably a tube one, and start to work with my alpha 2 cartridge. so i’m looking for recommendations that will help me to decide which tube phono preamp to buy. one option is one of the tube boxes of project. another option is Parks Audio Budgie tube phono preamp . those are around the price range i'm looking for. i’ll be glad to have some opinion about it from people that have/had experience with it, or other suggestions. |
