Upgrade from Expert 200 to Expert 220 Pro - Phonostage

[dunga]

I like to add my experience, as I have been unhappy with the phono stage and my MC Ortofon Quintet Black S, always. In parallel a Linn DSM is used with phono pre and it is absolutely without any noise, but Devialet phono sounds much better.
Options have been to switch to a MC Dynavector 20X2 H with high output option (900,- Euro) or
Lundahl step-up-transformer with type 1681 (350,- Euro) or 1941 on a board (620,- Euro).
(https://www.don-audio.com/Classi-1941-MC...former-Set)
I picked the 1681 SUT with about 23dB amplification and its perfect. The setting has been put to "_phono_max_level":2000, "GAIN_L":29, "GAIN_R":29 from before gain 40,9 at the Devialet settings file. With the setting, the noise becomes already better but the max power was too small, with the SUT everything is very well for me.
Anyhow, I highly recommend the update to 220, I had 200 before, also.

Thank you very much for the detailed information - at the moment I'm using my Lyra Delos with an extra PhonoPre and the Expert 200. In the future I would like to use only the Expert 220 without any extra equipment. I guess I will make the upgrade and after that see which way to go (MM or Step-up transformer).

Best
Peter