Why is HFW so biased against vintage cartridges?

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SUTs are fine.
I have several phono stages but the one I prefer by a small margin uses tubes and a pair of Sowter SUTs.
There are no significant drawbacks to using SUTs, despite what has been said and they are particularly good with very low output MCs - Audio Notes spring to mind.

Just try a variety of options with the chosen cartridge and choose whichever sounds best.

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More common sense from Mr Holt's vast locker of, errm, 'sensibleness'!

Apparently, they're also none too shabby with DL-103s! ;)

Marco.

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Originally Posted by Richard

I have been swopping cartridges around as I have built two Phono2s for the bake-off, one MM one MC. I was testing the MM one first with the SPU, full volume no noise unless ear to speaker. So I swapped the headshells to the M3D one and it is noisy as hell, it sounds like a valve MC stage :). Now it wasn't noisy the last time I listen to it a few days ago, so I swapped it out for an Audio Technica AT52E and that was silent, so it is a bit of a mystery at the moment. I am sure there is a simple explanation when I get time to look for it.

The stage speced out OK on test, just a couple of mv dc on the output. The input is direct coupled to the first gain stage which is just there really to provide the headroom and that is also where the gain of the unit is set, the RIAA is hung around the second stage.

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ok,
just a thought, try running a de-magnetiser over the noisey cartridge, it may just be that one of the elements used in its construction, [either the poles, cantilever, coils etc] have become magnetised.
stranger things have happend i guess!.
regards,anthony,TD...

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Originally Posted by anthonyTD

ok,
just a thought, try running a de-magnetiser over the noisey cartridge, it may just be that one of the elements used in its construction, [either the poles, cantilever, coils etc] have become magnetised.
stranger things have happend i guess!.
regards,anthony,TD...

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I would if I had one.

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Originally Posted by Richard

I would if I had one.

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make one!
or just put the cartridge near a mains transformer, [when its energised of course] and slowly move it away, its crude, but it may work! obviously make sure there is no DC element in near field of the cartridge afterwards.
A...

Richard,
Now things have calmed down a bit and, as my earlier post seems to have inspired your exchange with Marco, I thought I'd better say a few words. I'd like to assure you that some people have tried listening with an open mind to many different options for phono amplification & have settled on transformers. If you're interested, please take a look at this thread:
http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2907

You may think that my insistance on the use of an SP8/Koetsu show a fundamental flaw in my hearing, I don't know, but my gear makes a noise I like!

Terribly sorry, as I seem to have overlooked your products, though!

As with most discussions there is an element of truth in what both of you were saying & perhaps you are both quite similar in some ways (something which usually horrifies people when they hear it suggested about themselves!)

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Originally Posted by anthonyTD

make one!
or just put the cartridge near a mains transformer, [when its energised of course] and slowly move it away, its crude, but it may work! obviously make sure there is no DC element in near field of the cartridge afterwards.
A...

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Never thought of that, of course, nice one, a degausser is just a coil.

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Originally Posted by Richard

Never thought of that, of course, nice one, a degausser is just a coil.

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exactly!!!:)
A...

Gosh - I think this is called a ding dong! It sure beat Roddick versus Federer!

Richard - lots of things to say to you, but I think I'll stay away until you and Marco have got fed up with laying into one another!

Marco - yes, up for the DL103SA; we'll speak on the phone. I'd like to use Dave (with his permission) as some kind of guarantor of a proper set-up - the hi-fi equivalent of an umpire - so you can't accuse me of not getting it set up properly!

I can honestly say I'll listen without prejudice (as George Michael once wrote). In fact I really really want to like it, because I simply can't defend any position I might take as trenchantly as you (or Mr Dunn for that matter)! I think I'm the sort who's searching for the quiet life. It's only hi-fi, after all.

Okay boys, seconds out, round sixteen...

Haha, I'm glad you approve David. We're simply 'road-testing' a new form of visual entertainment. Normal service will be resumed soon ;)

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Marco - yes, up for the DL103SA; we'll speak on the phone.

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Nice one, and I'm sure that Dave C will happily come in on this one. I'll bell you tomorrow :cool:

Marco.

BTW - yes, Marco, you're right - I wasn't suggesting everyone on a certain other forum thinks the SL1200 is inferior to a Rega, and certainly not its guvnor, but it's still a surprisingly commonly held view away from this place that the SL1200 is "plastic Jap crap". It is only one of these and I think we're not disputing its country of origin here! David