Headamps - Grass Greener?

[Marco]

Head amps = Cheaper, less fussy, less magic, sonically impressionable, easy to site.

I presume that's only your opinion, daftee (based on relatively limited experience with them), not a statement of fact? One should always guard against becoming absolutist

I know where you're coming from, but there are some superb head amps around, that when used in the *right context* can offer all the 'magic' you need, and truly superlative results, which at some point you may get to hear, and after which may prompt further re-evaluation of the matter.

What does "sonically impressionable" mean, btw?

Anyway, the important thing is that, for now, you've found a viable solution that works for YOU, and that puts the whole SUT vs. headamp 'headache' temporarily to bed. In this game, the main focus should always be on the music!

Marco.

[Bigman80]

I presume that's only your opinion, daftee (based on relatively limited experience with them), not a statement of fact? One should always guard against becoming absolutist

I know where you're coming from, but there are some superb head amps around, which when used in the *right context*, can offer all the magic you need, and truly superlative results, which at some point you may get to hear, and after which may prompt further re-evaluation of the matter.

What does "sonically impressionable" mean, btw?

Anyway, the important thing is that, for now, you've found a viable solution that works for YOU, and that puts the whole SUT vs. headamp 'headache' to bed. In this game, the main focus should always be on the music!

Marco.

Of course, only my opinion. Others are free to disagree.

It's not an absolute, more a state of mind due to budget and what's available in that.

"Sonically impressionable"

I'm trying to say that anything I demoed had a sonic footprint. I could hear what it was adding or missing. That frustrated me greatly. The JFET, is probably doing something somewhere but i don't know what because it's not apparent. The SUTs and headamps were blatantly obvious where in the audio band they either added or lacked.

All opinion but based on experience rather than theory.

[montesquieu]

Yes, I agree. I'm kind of shooting myself in the foot here having said that most modern LOMCs fall into a fairly narrow spectrum and a 1:10 transformer will suit the majority, but your examples illustrate the potential problems of using cartridges well outside the modern mainstream. Yes, for a cartridge with a 1 ohm source impedance and an output of 0.05mV, a 1:100 turns ratio makes sense. The temptation for the unwary is to think "this is an expensive transformer, it must be good, I'll use it with my Audio Technica OC9", but the results could be very disappointing.

And could well be my main challenge with head amps .. these low output, low compliance, low impedance 'vintage' (whether in absolute age or in terms of design) cartridges have generally disappointed with active gain, and blossomed with quality, appropriately matched SUTs (and appropriately matched heavy tonearms). Could also account for Hugo's positive experiences with the 16 ohm Miyajimas and his Paul Hynes head amp, being more mainstream in impedance, if still moderately lowish output at 0.23mV.

[Firebottle]

Ok, let me take a guess. The JFET part has a lot more gain than 20dB, so you have modified the MM/RIAA part of the circuit to have less gain to compensate. If so, that makes sense and would explain why the JFET circuit wouldn't be suitable to have in front of a typical MM/RIAA phonostage with about 40dB gain.

You are on the right lines but it doesn't tell all the story