Pearl (original) vs Hagerman bugle 2

Status
Not open for further replies.
Member
Joined 2003
Paid Member
Let me know of this is the wrong place - I looked around but didn't see much.

I have a bugle 2 and like it. I also have an unfinished passdiy Pearl from 10 years ago. I'm looking for your thoughts - Will I get an audible/significant improvement, or is it a lateral move?

Just looking for opinions before sinking time and money into it.

Either way, it'll be hooked up to a hagerman piccolo step up and a denon 103r on a vpi hw19 Mk iv.

Thanks
 
Last edited:
Pearl vs Bugle

I built both. The Pearl is much, much better.

The Bugle gave only a slight improvement over the built-in phono stage on my Amplifier (Musical Fidelity A308); the Pearl clearly better. Black background, big dynamics.
 
I've been using a Pearl II stage with 55db gain setting and a 0.8 mV cart. That gives around 450 mV output and with a unity gain buffer preamp, 40W amp and 89.5 dB was quite enough in my biggish room.

103R and 65 dB would give an approximate same output voltage. So, it must be all system dependent. I've heard that the output on some 103R Denons is bigger than stated in specs. >0.3mV
 
Status
Not open for further replies.