Trumpet MC – Vacuum Tube Phonostage – First look
All Images Credit Hagerman Audio Labs
Many audiophiles, and that includes me, swear by the sound of valves, and I still do. My original stereo system used Leak TL50 plus power amps to handle everything from 2.5KHz and up. Why? They just sound natural and provided a sound quality with my Decca DK30 horns that approached what I was used to hearing in the studio control room. Back then valve pre-amps while providing a corresponding excellent technical performance tended to be a little noisy and had higher distortions than solid-state-of-the-art phono/pre-amps like my Radford ZD22.
With all the improvements in electronic components and circuitry design and techniques, valves can now produce low noise and distortion figures together with high gains making them suitable for very low level signals like those from MC phono cartridges, all at an affordable price.
Hagerman Audio Labs has just released a new valve phono amplifier that fully supports both MC and MM phono cartridges with solid technical specifications, good flexibility and all at a reasonable price point.
The following quote is straight from the Hagerman web-site:
“The Trumpet MC is a world-class phonostage suitable for the most demanding of audiophiles. This 3rd generation model maintains the superb sonic performance of the original, while cleverly cutting costs via technological advancements. The circuit remains fully balanced from input to output, including power supply. Equalization is split-passive with no feedback employed anywhere, resulting in a neutral non-fatiguing sonic presentation. Heaters are DC and a highly specialized internal low-noise boost converter generates B+ and B- rails (after a 40-second delay). A novel differential JFET front-end provides variable gain and loading capabilities needed for MC operation. With this flexibility any cartridge can be used, even MM. Premium components are used throughout, such as polypropylene capacitors and metal film resistors. The aluminum chassis has a rugged powdercoat, and is designed to match the Tuba.”
It would have been even better if the Trumpet MC supported variable capacitance loading for MM cartridges and had a slightly tighter RIAA accuracy. At least the fixed capacitance loading value is reasonably optimal for many MM cartridges and should have no effect on any MC cartridges. There again these refinements may have added considerably to the price.
Technical Specifications:
- 47, 100, 220, 470, 1k, 47k ohm input impedance
- 45dB, 55dB, 60dB, 64dB, 68dB gain
- 220pF loading
- 10Hz to 50kHz bandwidth (-3dB)
- 70dBA ref 0.5mV signal-to-noise
- 0.04% @ 3Vrms distortion
- 22Vrms @ 1% overload
- +/-0.5dB equalization
- 12AX7 x 4, 12AU7 x 2
- 6 x 10 x 3.5 inches
- 3 pounds
- 15Vdc @ 2.05A
- 120V/240V operation
- Includes power supply & tubes
Warranty – Ten years
Trial Period – 30 days
Shipping – Free worldwide (excludes destination taxes and duties)
MSRP: $1,075.00.
