The Hagerman is one I've thought about. Thanks for the suggestions. I'm taking a close look at each one.
Suggestions for Phono Preamp
I'm interested in a decent phono preamp in the $1,000 area code (plus or minus a few hundred) for my Rega Planar 3 and I have a dynavector 20x2l mc cartridge to work with a tube amp which has both rca and xlr inputs.
Here's the thing. I really don't like those tiny switches, especially when you have to open the preamp to get to them. Also, I hear that it is best to play around with the gain but how do you do that if changing the settings is a pain in the rear?
There are some preamps with the knobs for settings but they almost always are in the back and, again, that drives me crazy. Why can't the settings be in the front so you can easily access them and make changes/adjustments so you can actually hear differences?
Anyhow, if anyone has suggestions, I'd much appreciate it.
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that Hagerman is sure good to know about! https://hagerman-audio-labs.myshopify.com/products/trumpet-mc-vacuum-tube-phonostage |
Black Ice audio tube based with Jin Fosgate designed circuits: https://blackiceaudio.com/preamplifiers/p/black-ice-fusion-9mkiii |
Hagerman Trumpet MC, easy recommendation. It's well worth the extra 200 bucks or so over 1000. Besides the front controls it's as enjoyable to listen to as multi-$K phono stages. It's tubed and has a warm (but wonderful) tilt to its sound. Also responds well to tube rolling, because it's actually a tube stage and not a tube buffer slapped onto a solid state phono like most of the sub-1000 phono stages. Extra gain for MC is handled by a JEFT headamp that's excellent. |
Italian, Front Controls, Options, exactly what you described it seems. factory info https://www.synthesis.co.it/product.php?id=14
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think future cartridges as well as your existing one therefore the ideal is ability to change x factor separately from impedance. that will typically involve rear/internal whatever, expensive and things you don't like. BUT, if you want the best, it's worth the work. Do a temporary hookup, easy access, mess with settings, decide, then move equipment to designated location. each cartridge: you do the work to get the best, then leave it alone, until? formulas guide you to what is 'predictably' best, then you narrow it down with your and your friend's ears. your cartridge .3mv signal/5 ohm coil impedance: formula says coil impedance multiplied by 10, in your case 50 ohm impedance as a 'goal'. specs simply say greater than 30 ohms. short of individual settings is a few pre-set optional x factors with the 'resultant' impedance that comes from that. that's what I went for. Front Controls! In my case I use the MM Phono in my Tube Preamp, and a separate SUT (step up transformer) to boost any low signal strength up to MM signal strength, or PASS for any MM or MC High signal (bypass SUTs Transformer's windings. I chose Fidelity Research FRT-4: 4 optional settings and Pass. SUTs are Passive, no power needed, no noise, you retain the sound quality of your MM Phono Stage. It's 10 ohm setting yields an x factor of 20.68 and a 'resultant' impedance 110 ohms shown to 47k phono stage. before loss you would have a calculated 6.3mv signal strength. An x-factor of 30 results in an impedance of 52; however that calculates to a 9.0 mv signal strength, possibly overloading your MM phono stage. ....................................................... Entre ET-100 also has 3 front controlled settings and PASS both just happen to have 3 inputs for 3 tonearms which I need, and I change my various cartridges, listen to friend's cartridges, so the 4 optional settings are 'close' to what is needed. One with internal or rear switches would offer 'closer to ideal' for any current or future cartridge. And, using any SUT, you need a MM Phono Stage somewhere.
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