CORNET3 and PICCOLO2

hagtech · « **on:** 24 Mar 2014, 05:03 pm »

The new Kickstarter project is alive and kicking!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1907446723/cornet3-a-diy-tube-phono-preamp

jh

hagtech · « **Reply #1 on:** 25 Mar 2014, 03:57 am »

Ok folks, this is where I ask you for some help. It would be great if you could spread the news for me and post the above link onto various forums and boards.

There is audiogon, asylum, steve hoffman, audiokarma, hifizine, vinlycollective, audiophilia, vinylengine, audiocircle (other circles), diyaudio.com, etc...

Thank you!

jh

machine · « **Reply #2 on:** 25 Mar 2014, 02:03 pm »

Very nice...

I already own a Cornet2 and Piccolo and was wondering if these newer versions would be considered an "upgrade"?

I believe the Bugle kickstarter had an option for an upgrade version.
Is this something that might be available for this one too?

ttan98 · « **Reply #3 on:** 26 Mar 2014, 03:43 am »

Hi,

I bought the Bugle 2 via kickstarter program. I am interested in the Cornet3, one question, if the kickstarter program does not manage reach the min. fund of $11,750, will this project proceed?

I am interested in supporting this program, would you be able to provide me the kit if it does not achieve the fund of $11,750.

hagtech · « **Reply #4 on:** 26 Mar 2014, 08:37 am »

If I don't reach the goal the CORNET3 will be cancelled. I don't have the cash to pay for the up-front investment.

jh

hagtech · « **Reply #5 on:** 26 Mar 2014, 08:39 am »

The CORNET3 is NOT a sonic upgrade over the CORNET2. They should sound virtually the same! The difference is cost.

jh

BobM · « **Reply #6 on:** 26 Mar 2014, 02:03 pm »

Hi Jim, how about sonic merits of the Piccolo 2 over the P1?

From the picture on Kickstarter it looks like you have moved the RCA's to the front and back panel, and now have a plastic enclosure for it. Any schematic or parts or other changes that would result in a sonic difference over the 1?

Thanks

hagtech · « **Reply #7 on:** 27 Mar 2014, 12:45 am »

Sonically, the P1 and P2 should be virtually identical, except that the P2 has more headroom. I am also upgrading the resistors, but the effect should not be huge. Both are so neutral and uncolored you won't notice them.

jh

Russtafarian · « **Reply #8 on:** 31 Mar 2014, 10:44 pm »

I'm in! Looking forward to building a Coronet 3 when it becomes available. I'll be using it with a Soundsmith DL103 and cinemag transformers.

Russ

JohnR · « **Reply #9 on:** 22 Apr 2014, 11:23 am »

Bump... just over a day left....

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1907446723/cornet3-a-diy-tube-phono-preamp

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #10 on:** 22 Apr 2014, 01:56 pm »

I'm thinking I may order a Bugle II. The price is right and I heard one in a system on Saturday. I have a friend's on-loan Vista phono pre in my system at present and think I shouldn't have sold it to him. Seems to me it's pretty darned good. Anyone compared these two? I could probably persuade him to let me have it (he also has an EAR that he uses as his primary) for half the cost of a Bugle. Your feedback is appreciated.

JohnR · « **Reply #11 on:** 23 Apr 2014, 09:09 am »

Oh! I thought I'd missed it. But 7 hours to go. I dunno, I can't decide. Not like I *need* another phono preamp...

ttan98 · « **Reply #12 on:** 15 Jun 2014, 10:44 pm »

JH,

The Cornet from Kickstarter program have you start delivery them yet? I just received an email confirming my address of delivery about a week ago.

hagtech · « **Reply #13 on:** 18 Jun 2014, 08:25 am »

Yes, the first batch went out today.

jh

keihin · « **Reply #14 on:** 29 Jun 2014, 07:59 pm »

Mine arrived safely a couple of days ago. Now running it in. Sounds great so far, though the table intended for it has not yet arrived.

Can confirm that tube installation position was missing from the docs. For anyone looking for that information: the 12AU7 goes in the socket nearest the power input jack and power switch.

Looking forward to getting the rest of pieces in place and really hearing what this Cornet3 can do.

soulman · « **Reply #15 on:** 23 Jul 2014, 06:32 pm »

Will these become available on the website as kits sometime? If so any idea of cost, i have a Bugle 2 which is great but want a better phono stage with more flexibilty (well more ease) in cartridge matching....

rodney7 · « **Reply #16 on:** 27 Jul 2014, 05:32 pm »

All right--mine showed up late last week, and I am taking the opportunity to break in a new cartridge as I do the Cornet3, so I really won't have an idea of what it sounds like with its stock tubes for a few more days, but it is very nice indeed right now. Any crystalline weirdness I hear I blame on the new cart for the moment, as my last one was similar while breaking in.

My question for you extremely helpful folks:

Got a bunch of tested vintage tubes from sellers with excellent feedback on that auction site...I just hope they actually DO test them and they don't fry my new Cornet. But I figured I would double-check before actually trying to use them. The one audio repair place near me in town that I called to ask to test my tubes actually sneered at me over the phone--"waste of time to test small tubes; just plug them in and see if they work". Hm. Really? Sounds pretty fishy to me, but this is my first go-round with valves, so what do I know?

I have two vintage Mullards, two Amperex, and two Raytheons to try in the 12ax7 spots, and one each Telefunken and Mullard for the 12au7. (Into a typical 90s solid state receiver.) Now the permutations and combinations are making me dizzy before I even begin. Should I first try the Telefunken and Mullard 12au7s with the new "stock" 12ax7s and see if I can hear a noticeable difference? Try two 12ax7s and leave the stock Electro-Harmonix 12au7 to see what THAT does? Swap all three? It is enough to drive one batty. Which tube does what in the circuit, and what is going to have the greatest effect?

The good part is I can record all the experiments to keep "notes", and have an objective spectral readout of what happens, but as you know, it is what the ears hear that matters. I am almost sorry I got myself into this (my Bugle Elite is fantastic). And if one of these ebay tubes catches my house on fire, I'll be even more pissed. Any advice would be most welcome...thanks in advance.

poty · « **Reply #17 on:** 28 Jul 2014, 08:05 am »

Quote from: rodney7 on 27 Jul 2014, 05:32 pm

Got a bunch of tested vintage tubes from sellers with excellent feedback on that auction site...I just hope they actually DO test them and they don't fry my new Cornet. But I figured I would double-check before actually trying to use them. The one audio repair place near me in town that I called to ask to test my tubes actually sneered at me over the phone--"waste of time to test small tubes; just plug them in and see if they work". Hm. Really? Sounds pretty fishy to me, but this is my first go-round with valves, so what do I know?

Of course nobody is able to guarantee anything for sure. Even best tubes, tested and good, can behave oddly from time to time. While I always test tubes before use them in this case the only problem can be a breaking fuse.

Quote from: rodney7 on 27 Jul 2014, 05:32 pm

Should I first try the Telefunken and Mullard 12au7s with the new "stock" 12ax7s and see if I can hear a noticeable difference? Try two 12ax7s and leave the stock Electro-Harmonix 12au7 to see what THAT does? Swap all three? It is enough to drive one batty. Which tube does what in the circuit, and what is going to have the greatest effect?

I haven't seen the Cornet 3 schematic yet. According to the earlier words of Jim - it is essentially the same as the Cornet 2. In this case - the 12AX7s tubes are performing the initial amplification and taking part in the RIAA correction, so should have more influence on the sound. The 12AU7 is something like "line driver" and is more related to the interconnects and the input impedance of the next component.
As for what to change first... It is fun (tube rolling). And you may hear more changes while testing another 12AU7 than 12AX7. So - just roll and listen.

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #18 on:** 28 Jul 2014, 01:29 pm »

Dunno squat about the Hagerman models under discussion but the Bugle2 which I've had in my system for a couple months now is excellent. Recently compared it do a dual box phono pre belonging to a friend and costing considerably more and the B2 gave up nothing to it. I loves me some value. Had a $600.00 Silvercore MC transformer in my system a few months back and can vouch for that, too. It made playback sound less mechanical w/o giving up anything fundamental to high fidelity- truth to the source to include the setting when there is one. The amounts of money guys are willing to spend these days has spawned more and more expensive products some of which deliver extraneous goodies, I suppose, but are fundamentally no better than less expensive competition. That would include imaging and dimensionality.

Listened to a friend's new PMC and expensive three-way speakers just yesterday and above the bass they were alive and stunning with wonderful dynamic life, but the deep (acoustic) bass was samey-samey from recording to recording. Weren't the room neither. We moved them around but could not improve it. It's transmission line bass was deep alright, but too abundant and lacking of detail. They are very expensive. I think their Fact 8 smaller and two-way model might have fared better and for less money. But, shit, even those are 8k.

Hagerman is a hero in my book and that's a pretty big book I take no pleasure in saying.

ttan98 · « **Reply #19 on:** 30 Jul 2014, 11:41 pm »

Jim

Wrote to your email address 2 days ago in regard to my delivery of my Kickstarter Cornet 3, I got no response. Can you please check your record whether you have despatched my order already, if not when would you be ready to despatch it? I bought it under the name, T. Tan and I am from Victoria, Australia. Thanks.