Bugle MC - Phono Preamp
- Thread starter MikeT.
- Start date
Built the Cornet 3 kit.
Sounds great!
My only experience with the Bugle was the original.
Sounds great!
My only experience with the Bugle was the original.
Gonna give it a go!
Just for fun.
The Cornet 3, after giving it a good listen, is worth every dime.
Probably can compete with stages up into the $1k range (if my hearing memory is correct). This is the kit version mind you, not the new Cornet 4. I ran mine with RCAs; great tube sound.
I would put it in Darlington Labs MP-7 range, which is saying a lot!
For some reason I built my kit and shelved it, kinda forgetting all about it as I was also working on the EAR clone. The Cornet 3 is just as good! Maybe a bit harder to build as the board is packed in, but not difficult if you got a good iron.
I used the Cornet with both Hashimoto HM-7s and a James SUT, and it was very nice with my vintage Dynavector Karat23.
We'll see how the Bugle compares.
Here I am about half way done, waiting on some parts:
Hagerman states that the kit is not for beginners and he's right.
The holes are really small (he said for space) and tight so you need some soldering skilz and a pointy tip.
According to Jim, this is the actual board that went with the non kit version.
Other than that, pretty easy to determine what goes where; you sort of need some intuition as the spots for the caps aren't labeled.
It was sold I believe with a plastic housing so I felt pretty free to improvise:
I had to order different caps for the row in the middle of the board as Digikey was out, they are a bit smaller than the blue caps.
I wasn't too worried about shielding as I said, the original came in plastic.
Total, I think I got less than $150 in this kit. I forget how much the RCAs were.
The wood base and plexi I had laying around my classroom.
I'm listening right now on the lowest gain setting: 40db with 47k loading.
Pretty impressive.
Highs are nice, lows go low, but not super deep.
Details are good, but something is missing.
By that I mean compared to my regular stage which costs about 200x more.
Still, I could live with it for a bit, say if the Modwright had to go in for service or I blew a tube.
The Cornet 3 is waiting for some matching RCAs so I can't do a direct right now, but from what I remember, the Cornet is more airy.
Of course also more expensive.
Oh oh.
I messed with the switches to try and change gain and loading and I lost a channel.
Gotta go back and check the board.
While it was going though, I would recommend it as a first phono stage.
Probably better than other inexpensive stages out there, those who will not be named.
Cough Cambridge Duo cough.
Hagerman states that the kit is not for beginners and he's right.
The holes are really small (he said for space) and tight so you need some soldering skilz and a pointy tip.
According to Jim, this is the actual board that went with the non kit version.
Other than that, pretty easy to determine what goes where; you sort of need some intuition as the spots for the caps aren't labeled.
It was sold I believe with a plastic housing so I felt pretty free to improvise:
I had to order different caps for the row in the middle of the board as Digikey was out, they are a bit smaller than the blue caps.
I wasn't too worried about shielding as I said, the original came in plastic.
Total, I think I got less than $150 in this kit. I forget how much the RCAs were.
The wood base and plexi I had laying around my classroom.
I'm listening right now on the lowest gain setting: 40db with 47k loading.
Pretty impressive.
Highs are nice, lows go low, but not super deep.
Details are good, but something is missing.
By that I mean compared to my regular stage which costs about 200x more.
Still, I could live with it for a bit, say if the Modwright had to go in for service or I blew a tube.
The Cornet 3 is waiting for some matching RCAs so I can't do a direct right now, but from what I remember, the Cornet is more airy.
Of course also more expensive.
Oh oh.
I messed with the switches to try and change gain and loading and I lost a channel.
Gotta go back and check the board.
While it was going though, I would recommend it as a first phono stage.
Probably better than other inexpensive stages out there, those who will not be named.
Cough Cambridge Duo cough.
killing it!
Rolling op-amps:
Using some 2210s per the upgrade thread on AK.
Sounding quite good. Deeper bass (according the upgrade thread, this can be better by rolling the third opamp) and sounds a bit more open.
Seems like you can also upgrade some caps but I'm not going there.
A step down from the EAR clone which I put together with upgraded caps and tubes for $600. It goes down deeper and soundstage is bigger; wider and more 3D.
The Bugle, like a SS stage, might be a bit more clinical and bright.
I got about $180 in it with the upgrades, not counting the chassis.
Using some 2210s per the upgrade thread on AK.
Sounding quite good. Deeper bass (according the upgrade thread, this can be better by rolling the third opamp) and sounds a bit more open.
Seems like you can also upgrade some caps but I'm not going there.
A step down from the EAR clone which I put together with upgraded caps and tubes for $600. It goes down deeper and soundstage is bigger; wider and more 3D.
The Bugle, like a SS stage, might be a bit more clinical and bright.
I got about $180 in it with the upgrades, not counting the chassis.
