Should I move on from my Hagerman Trumpet MC Phono Pre?


Hi all, currently I'm delighted with my Hagerman. Yes it can be a touch noisy at high volume but that goes away once the record begins and doesn't bother me. I've got it loaded with all NOS high end tubes and it sounds fab. However I recently picked up a Koetsu Urushi Wajima cartridge and I now find the plush midrange push of the Hagerman might be too much combined with the plush midrange push of the Urushi. FYI I'm running a stock SL-1200G into Rogue tube amplification. I'm going to try some OPEN / nicely bright 12au7 tubes to see if that can offset the lack of high end and a touch too much midrange emphasis I have now, but thought I'd also enquire about what folks thought about moving on from the Hagerman? I did get one suggestion of the Herron VTPH-2A but good luck finding one... thanks all. - Rich 

fastricky

Consider a Modwright PH 9.0X or 9.0TX. No noise, great all around sound. My prior phone stages were Parasound and Pass. Another huge plus with the MW, no hard to reach dip switches.

@fastricky I have quite an amount of experiences under my belt listening to Phonostages, out of all audio equipment the Phonostage is the one I have been most willing to travel and learn what is achievable as an End Sound.

Valve Input / Output Phon's are presenting with a Tonal Richness that can be overwhelmingly heavy, through to being almost perceivable as Transparent.

For the record, I am looking for as close to transparent as possible as the perception of the End Sound Produced. I then have my own methods to add a hint of richness of tone, if felt needed. 

Valve Hybrids are similar in their range of Tonal Richness, but I have found there is certain circuits where they do not present with a unique sonic signature as do the above, there is a much of a muchness, with a variance to the lowest frequency or upper frequency, that becomes the noticeable separator between models.

If one really wants to step aside of a discernible Tonal Richness that comes from the trait of using a Valve in a Circuit there is a hunt required to discover the Valve Phon' that can do this, which might only be a Valve Phon' with a particular Valve in use, so not the easiest to discover.

To walk away from the richness influence of the Valve, the SS option is the design to consider. 

A SS Phon' with a SUT is a way to tweak tonal richness, as is including umbilical's with D.U.C.C Wire on the Signal Path.   

The Wajima with a 0.4mv output there is easy options to match the Cart' to a configuration for a Phon.

The Cantilever being Boron should also be tidying up tonal richness, even when used in conjunction with a wood body. 

A Tenuto or AT 666 Platter Mat both can produce an End Sound that is seemingly moved away from a richness of tone being present. 

I'm suspecting you have a sensitivity to a richness of tone and when detected it becomes a detractor. I have the condition that is sensitive to weight of tonal colouration.

When listening to certain genre, the discernible tonal presence detected in an End Sound, impacts on my enjoyment of long periods of listening, I know today how to substantially diminish the perception of a tonal colouration being present when using an analogue source and the amplification for the sources sent signal .

There is also certain genre where noticeable tonal colouration is welcomed as being detected in the End Sound, but I like to be the individual who is able to decide which permutation of the Source and Amplification of the Source Signal is put into service.

+1 Modwright PH 9.0X. I’m very satisfied with mine. Using w/ Koetsu Urushi Black, and others. 

My experience with turntable, cartridges and phono stages is that the phono stage can hold the sound back until they are of very high caliber. I have used a number of phono stages, but have the most extensive experience with Audio Research. One of Audio Research’s strengths has been Phono Stages, like Conrad Johnson and Zesto. 

I will say that noise that you can hear from a phonostage is very bad. While it can be covered up by the music, it is still detracting from the music. You will not hear it, but your system will sound better with out it. A phono stage should be silent.

Each upgrade of the phonostage for me resulted in very large improvement in sound quality until I got to roughly the value of the tt + phono cartridge = the phono stage. . This has happened with my current system and its predecessor. Currently my Linn LP12 (near Klimax) and Koetsu Rosewood Signature cartridge is mated with an Audio Research Ref 3SE.... roughly $22K each. 

No, no and no. Get yourself the Sbooster 15 volt linear power supply and it will completely transform the Trumpet. I added it to mine and it was like a whole new phono pre. After that, tube rolling seemed to make more of a difference, especially in the first position.