Best suited phono stage for ZU 103?

[Theo]

Just picked up an Esco-re-tipped (Paratrace stylus) ZU 103 cartridge. Will initially use it with my Whest stage, but wondered what experience people here have of other suitable phono stages for this revamped Denon beastie? It will sit in the Trio arm, not the SME V.

[Riislingen]

Broadly speaking: SUT+Valves !

This of course covers a LOT of options - the combination of a suitable SUT (100 Ohm load and 10-15X step up) and a valve based MM stage absolutely does it for me.

Suggest you look at: Auditorium23, NOS Partridge, Bob´s Devices/Cinemag, Marthas SUT and similar for stepup. In the valve department Croft springs to mind but also EAR and lots of others are great.

[Barry]

Just picked up an Esco-re-tipped (Paratrace stylus) ZU 103 cartridge. Will initially use it with my Whest stage, but wondered what experience people here have of other suitable phono stages for this revamped Denon beastie? It will sit in the Trio arm, not the SME V.

I would commend the Haufe T-7883 10:1 SUTs with 12kOhm resistors across the secondary windings.

[Marco]

Hi Theo,

Just picked up an Esco-re-tipped (Paratrace stylus) ZU 103 cartridge. Will initially use it with my Whest stage, but wondered what experience people here have of other suitable phono stages for this revamped Denon beastie? It will sit in the Trio arm, not the SME V.

Like Mikkel and Barry, I'd thoroughly recommend using a quality step-up transformer, in conjunction with the MM section in your Whest phono stage, as it will bring out the magic in vinyl like very few standalone MC stages can do. An obvious candidate is the Hashimoto H7, as I've heard it with Martin T's PS-30R, and the combination is to die for - very good indeed!

I guess it depends on how much you want to spend... Another candidate would be the Ortofon Verto, which has a low and normal impedance setting, and would thus suit both your 103 and Cadenza, in particular.

Another option is to go the high-quality vintage route, as Denon made some very good (sadly now discontinued) SUTs specificially designed to match the DL-103 and their other 'desirable' MC cartridges. There are a few I could recommend, but the one which stands out most is the AU-S1:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Denon-AU-S...item414c3fccea

It's a superb sounding SUT, and no doubt would also work very well with your Cadenza (although, here I would expect the Verto to sneak ahead). Auditorium 23 SUTs are also superb with DL-103s, although less so with other cartridges, as they've been specifically voiced to match the Denon and SPU.

The decision is yours, however if you haven't tried a quality SUT before with your Whest, then quite simply, you haven't heard your records properly yet!!

Marco.

[Riislingen]

Obviously I completely forgot about the Whest and just babbled on

Marco is right, using the MM stage of the Whest with the SUT is the way to go in this case. Only price will be the limiting factore going forward..

I´m using the vintage apparoach with Partridge tranformers loaded down with a couple of resistors like Barry is suggesting - works fantastic.

[Theo]

Guys

Thank you all for the advice Hadn't really considered SUTs in the past, but am looking at various options. The Auditorium A23 looks interesting...

[Marco]

They're very good indeed, Theo (as I used them for years), and the UK distributor, The Sound Practice, are brilliant to deal with:

http://thesoundpractice.com/index.html And for info on the A23 SUT: http://thesoundpractice.com/new-products.html#D103

The main man there is James Almey (also of Tom Tom Audio). Thoroughly recommended! Just tell James that you know me

Marco.

[Theo]

I will do that

[Marco]

Nice one, mate. Let us know how you get on!

Marco.

[Mika K]

One of my carts is Zu 103 and have used few SUTs with it and good quality MM-phono with tubes. Would definitely start looking the Auditorium 23 if pricing is ok as know it works extremely well.

The black horse for the race could be the Silvercore MC One To Ten, which have not been testing myself but have heard very good feedback of that one even when compared to A23.

http://www.oswaldsmillaudio.com/Prod...ilvercore.html