SUT for SPU

[Arahmed]

Hi! All

I'm looking for a SUT to match my SPU Royal with Marantz Model 7. Model 7 only has MM phono input.

Any recommendations and sharing your experience with MC and Model 7 would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Asif

[nickbaba]

What's your budget?

You could look at the Live!MC-907 - it's quite expensive compared to some options but uses top quality Hashimoto HM-7s and comes with switchable gain between x15 and x30.
SQ is outstanding and the x30 gain will be perfect for an SPU into MM input.

[Arahmed]

Hi nickbaba

I want to stay below 2k USD. I will check it out. Do you know how it compares to Lundahl silver wire sut?

Thanks

[Arahmed]

Hi Rothwell

Your SUT are based on Lundahl transformers, right?

Thanks

Asif

[hifi_dave]

I can vouch for the performance of the Rothwell step ups and the prices are realistic. No foo.

[anubisgrau]

I would recommend sticking with older Ortofon step-ups, like T-3000 or T-5000. Given they can be found for around 600-700, they are best value for money when it comes to this level of SQ. It took me almost 3x this to move things forward.

None of the recent Lundahl based products reach their sound, IMHO. I tried numerous.

Of course there must be more good SUTs for SPU, it also depends what sound you are after.

[Arahmed]

RothwellAudio

Just got one, slightly used, let see how it goes.

Cheers!


The MCX and MCL (the one in the link above) both use transformers supplied by Lundahl, yes.

BTW, a headamp would be an alternative solution for you. I do one of those, too :)
http://www.rothwellaudioproducts.co.uk/html/headspace_mc_headamp.html

[Arahmed]

anubisgrau,

Thanks for your reply. I will check into it. Do you know anyone selling them? They were packaged with the cartridges, right?

Asif


I would recommend sticking with older Ortofon step-ups, like T-3000 or T-5000. Given they can be found for around 600-700, they are best value for money when it comes to this level of SQ. It took me almost 3x this to move things forward.

None of the recent Lundahl based products reach their sound, IMHO. I tried numerous.

Of course there must be more good SUTs for SPU, it also depends what sound you are after.

[anubisgrau]

You should subscribe your search at www.hifishark.com and you will be notified on units for sale.

Yes, this line of early 80s Ortofon SUTs was sold either separate or with Ortofon MC pickups - T-3000 with MC3000, T-5000 with MC5000, T-7500 with MC7500...

https://www.ortofon.com/ortofon-%C2%B4000-series-p-690

They were voiced to maintain a maximum detail these pickups were able to extract - at the time these were the pinnacle of Ortofon line. It happened that T-3000 and T-5000 were picked up by Japanese audiophiles as a more popular SPU option than SUTs Ortofon specifically designed for SPU. I tried some other Ortofon units that were recommended, like the ones with Joergen Schou transformers, they were very good but not as ultimate.

This is all to my aged ears, so obviously other people can hear different. My feeling is that there is a good synergy between these, especially that T-3000/5000 lean a bit towards forensic but very musical presentation that keeps SPU musicality, timbral richness and keeps every detail.

In T-5000 I had, I removed a small resistor Ortofon designers placed to match perfectly impedance of MC5000, otherwise I think the cans are the same as in T-3000. If I remember correctly, they should be silver wire wound on toroid cores. This would cost a kidney today.

I didn't try Hashimoto HM-7 but the close HM-X was way bellow.

The only SUT that beat these with SPU in my system was Tango MCT-999.



anubisgrau,

Thanks for your reply. I will check into it. Do you know anyone selling them? They were packaged with the cartridges, right?

Asif

[Arahmed]

Hi Gordan

Thank you for a detailed and informative reply. Now, I just need to get my hands on one of these to try.

Thanks

Asif


You should subscribe your search at www.hifishark.com and you will be notified on units for sale.

Yes, this line of early 80s Ortofon SUTs was sold either separate or with Ortofon MC pickups - T-3000 with MC3000, T-5000 with MC5000, T-7500 with MC7500...

https://www.ortofon.com/ortofon-%C2%B4000-series-p-690

They were voiced to maintain a maximum detail these pickups were able to extract - at the time these were the pinnacle of Ortofon line. It happened that T-3000 and T-5000 were picked up by Japanese audiophiles as a more popular SPU option than SUTs Ortofon specifically designed for SPU. I tried some other Ortofon units that were recommended, like the ones with Joergen Schou transformers, they were very good but not as ultimate.

This is all to my aged ears, so obviously other people can hear different. My feeling is that there is a good synergy between these, especially that T-3000/5000 lean a bit towards forensic but very musical presentation that keeps SPU musicality, timbral richness and keeps every detail.

In T-5000 I had, I removed a small resistor Ortofon designers placed to match perfectly impedance of MC5000, otherwise I think the cans are the same as in T-3000. If I remember correctly, they should be silver wire wound on toroid cores. This would cost a kidney today.

I didn't try Hashimoto HM-7 but the close HM-X was way bellow.

The only SUT that beat these with SPU in my system was Tango MCT-999.

[MikeMusic]

The Ortofon ST80SE I had was wonderful.

Had to go to a VIDA to beat it

[Ammonite Audio]

The Ortofon ST80SE I had was wonderful.

Had to go to a VIDA to beat it

Hmmmm. The ST-80SE that I had was a pretty dismal sounding thing, albeit with a KontrapunktB rather than an SPU

[MikeMusic]

Hmmmm. The ST-80SE that I had was a pretty dismal sounding thing, albeit with a KontrapunktB rather than an SPU

I heard it with an SPU and was impressed. (Marco's)
When I first plugged it in I was surprised as the improvement was *big*.
One of the biggest improvements I have had

[Ammonite Audio]

My previous SUT to the ST-80 was a little Bob’s Devices unit with Cinemag transformers and I very unwisely sold it before the ST-80 arrived. The Bob’s was a much, much better sounding thing.

Incidentally, for SPUs the Ortofon ST-7 is recommended and costs only £450, which is remarkable considering it’s actually rather good.