Quote Originally Posted by Marco View Post
Hi Chris,


However, the fact is the other items mentioned are all essential in order to optimise the DL-103SA (or any 103), particularly the A23 SUT, otherwise forget about it
Marco.
That is complete nonsense, and sort of pedantic statement that so pollutes this forum. There is a complete missunderstanding about step up transformers and their function and limitations v load rejecting active phono stages.

Transformers are on the border of what is possible as all they do is exchange current for voltage, and there is bugger all current coming of a low output moving coil of any ilk. That is why carefull matching with a transformer pays dividends as it is like pushing a swing door, if there is no strength then they need to play together, if there is strength (voltage headroom) it pushes through anyway.

This nonsense about transformers is like trying to turn a liability into an asset. They were necessary when gain stages were too noisy, but now - with understanding - it is possible (and in my terms - simple) to design gain stages that have little to no noise and circumvent the matching problems of transformers.