Best Phono You've Heard Under $2200

I've done a bit of research on this segment. And I've put an order in for a Hagerman Trumpet MC.

Will report back. Current phono stage is a Project Phono Box RS with outboard power supply. It's great with MM but just too noisy with MC.

Was thinking of getting the battery power supply but decided to go for the Hagerman instead. 

Thanks @bkeske,

It’s scheduled to arrive today so very excited to listen to it in my system. Yes I do respect Mr. Mulveling’s input and this was a large part of me looking into the this phono stage as his posts are always well-reasoned and thoughtful. And the more I looked into it, the more I liked. My system is already on the warm side so this should be interesting. I will be first testing it with a MM cart (AT740ML...which prefers a 100pF capacitance setting but seems to sound fine at 200pF) and then on a MC (AT33PTGII).

I certainly will look into some nos 12ax7 as I have a good stash of 12au7 already.

Initial impressions of Hagerman Trumpet MC with an AT740ML (mm) cartridge:

Wow!!! Ballsy. Bass Supreme. Simply better in every dimension from top to bottom than the Phono Box RS with an outboard power supply. First off, it’s much louder than the Phono Box RS...this with a quieter noise floor. My AT740ML never sounded better. Lot’s of nice detail/timbre.

Jim Hagerman was able to make a wall wart PS quiet. Brilliant. I suppose you can get an outboard powersupply...but he basically solved the problem with the circuit topology.

I’ve always hated fussing with the load settings at the back. That’s another pain point gone (the first being noise).

I will post more detailed impressions after it settles in and I can get the AT33PTGII cart in there to see how quiet the MC settings are. But for now...so very happy. Can’t believe this thing costs about a grand. Ordered it on the 12th...so fairly expeditious shipping.

I think this phono preamp is going to change the performance/cost landscape.

Technics 1200G>Hagerman Trumpet MC>Don Sachs Preamp>Primaluna Evo 400>Tannoy Turnberry GR

@gochurchgo

YES, I was also concerned about loading issues as I had the AT740ML loaded at 100pF on the Phono Box RS. But at 200pF on the RS it sounded about the same.

This cart now sounds simply ’more detailed’ with no sibilance issues at all. The detail is coming from the Trumpet MC. So loading was not an issue.

This is definitely a game changer. You may find better at a higher cost, but you’ll probably keep this in rotation because it’s so clean and big sounding.

Also love the looks of this thing.