Solid state or Tubes preamp phono stage.

I have the Hagerman Trumpet and really like it. Am now running 2 CBS Hytron black plate 12au7’s, and 4 Telefunken/Dynaco smooth plate 12ax7’s. Also added an SBooster power supply. Yes, tubes are ‘to taste’, but my combination is much better that stock, and the tube choices take a lot of the ‘over colorization’ away vs the stock tubes, and IMO much more resolving than stock. Easily runs my lo and hi MI Soundsmith carts.

Can’t say enough good things about the Trumpet. Even with the above additions, still around/just under 2K.

I take issue with Bliss’s comments on tube phono stages in general, unless he’s referring specifically to the Trumpet, which I’ve never heard. Modern tube phono stages in general are not rolled off and lacking in resolution at all. Tubes inherently produce very low distortion and very wide bandwidth, more than an order of magnitude greater than the audio spectrum. A good designer can make full use of these attributes in a phono stage. In tube amplifiers, the coupling transformer can be blamed for adding harmonic distortion and limiting the frequency response. A good tube phono stage can compete on equal footing with solid state, where lab measurements are concerned, except possibly in SN ratio. So I advise the op to listen for himself.

+1 @lewm 

+2 @lewm!

@lewm I was speaking about the Hagerman specifically, not tube stages in general. I don’t know how my comment was perceived to be a general statement on tube stages. In stock form the Hagerman is known to be rounded. Rolling better tubes helps this, for sure. I’ve had a lot of love for tube phono stages, and generally prefer them unless spending $6K+ for quality solid state.