Bugle 2

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jimdgoulding

Bugle 2
« on: 29 Apr 2014, 04:26 pm »
Yesterday, a Bugle 2 phono pre arrived at my door and I compared it with a Vista phono pre for about three hours.  The Bugle is uniformly clean top to bottom (and very quiet) while the Vista is slightly softer in the high and low ends.  Still, and probably because of that, I have a warm spot in my heart for the Vista.  It is the more "romantic" sounding, the Bugle the more tactile.  The Bugle (from Hagtech) cost $189.00 including shipping.  I believe the Vista is $299.00.  These are very, very good values, folks, and they are a snap to take in and out of a system.  One of my pals has a $1,500.00 phono pre.  While I haven't heard it in my system, he says it's no better in his that his Vista.

jimdgoulding

Re: Bugle 2
« Reply #1 on: 29 Apr 2014, 08:32 pm »
Just to follow up on my comparisons of my two phono pre's.  The Bugle is beginning to walk away from the Vista.  I had taken Radha Toneff's very nice album, Fairytales (ODIN), all but out of my rotation for company.  It's just she and a pianist.  Some of the piano's hard struck notes had too much resonance attached to them and were slightly peaky.  Not any more.  And the lady's voice has become more integrated with her sibilants and her shape has firmed up.  She's become more of a complete image now.  Art Blakey's "Live at Keystone 3" (Concord Jazz) and his Messengers have become clearer on stage and his cymbal crashes have more texture.

As with any review, especially by a non-professional, this is being done in my system and room and using my ears and experience.  Thought to be pretty good, actually, in my circle of friends. 

jimdgoulding

Re: Bugle 2
« Reply #2 on: 30 Apr 2014, 01:45 pm »
What a pleasure it is for a cat on a budget to find two components like these.  These aren't going anywhere. 

ttan98

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 541
Re: Bugle 2
« Reply #3 on: 5 May 2014, 12:02 pm »
Hi,

I bought the Kickstarter Bugle 2 and only recently I put together the kit. So far I am quite please with it. Its performance exceeded my expectation. Since it is solid state it has a solid state sound. However it is good enough to give away as a present to my brother-in-law. Fortunately I order the Kickstarter Tube phono stage. I am looking forward towards assembling it.

Jaxn

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 7
Re: Bugle 2
« Reply #4 on: 5 May 2014, 08:42 pm »
I put the Bugle together last year with the power supply and the difference in sound between it and my H/K Citation 17 is like night and day. Great piece of kit and I plan on adding a Bugle 2 later this summer as a M/C preamp.

Jack

jimdgoulding

Re: Bugle 2
« Reply #5 on: 14 Jun 2014, 12:46 pm »
Dunno why a fellow would order the kit when an assembled Bugle2 is but $189.00 and will drive both high and low output cartridges.