[Tonto Yoder]

A thread in a Yahoo forum dealing with classic Infinity speakers brought up phono stages: this member had purchased a Micro Seiki TT that had THREE step up units, but since he already HAS another TT he needs another phono stage to be able to use both tables.

I was thinking he should just buy a stage with MC capabilities, but I see from the Hagerman site you still offer a step up for the Trumpet phono.
Wondering what the thinking behind that is?????  $$-savings?? Or performance???

Thanks for your thoughts
Tonto

[hagtech]

Yes, both cost and performance!  The best way IMHO to achieve high SNR in a tubed phono stage for low output MC cartridges is to use a step-up transformer.  It provides impedance matching and noise-free gain.  One of the few circumstances where positive attributes are not opposing.

The Trumpet is sold separately from the StepUp as a cost savings to those who do not need the high gain.  As a matched pair, the gain and SNR is suitable for very high-end MC cartridges.  The customer need only buy what they need and are not burdened with transformers if they aren't required.  My goal as a manufacturer is to offer both value and innovation.  

Sold together, the Trumpet and StepUp provide the lowest cost Stereophile class A recommended component solution in tubed phono stages.  By a factor of two.

So yes, both value and performance.  In my experience, the step-up is technically the optimal solution.  Listening tests (my own research) confirms this.

Thank you for your interest!

jh