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Nagra Audio NAGRA HD PHONO
After years of intense research and development, the HD PHONO is finally available for discerning listeners of vinyl. It is the ideal complement to the HD range and the world-acclaimed HD PREAMP, HD DAC X and HD AMP monoblocks.
Nagra’s first phono stage was derived from the Nagra IV-S reel to reel microphone preamplifier stage. It later evolved into the phono section of the legendary Nagra PL-P preamplifier. Ever since, Nagra has worked and improved that original design with the creation of the Nagra VPS and BPS, followed by the Nagra Classic PHONO released in 2020.
The Nagra HD PHONO follows the introduction of the Reference Turntable and Nagra MC-4 moving-coil cartridge. Both the Reference Turntable and MC-4 Cartridge are state of the art contenders in their own rights and proved to be major assets in the finalization and fine-tuning of the HD PHONO.
The HD PHONO is a two chassis design in which the delicate phono stage circuitry is isolated in its own CNC machined aluminum chassis. A second chassis serves to house a massive supercapacitor external power supply. Supercapacitor based power supplies provide all of the advantages of battery-based power supplies with the added advantage of accepting and delivering charges much faster and with higher current load and cycle stability than battery-based power supplies. This power supply is based on those of the HD PREAMP and HD DAC X but features a number of innovations which make it even more silent with improved performance. Both chassis are suspended in a system incorporating a damped, constrained layer platform coupled to four isolator damped towers providing superior vibration resistance.
The best of analog is incorporated in the HD PHONO. It is dual-mono, pure Class A with 100% tube stages. In addition, it incorporates remote control cartridge load adjustability from 10 to 390 Ohms, with steps as fine as 5 Ohms for smaller values. This allows perfect matching between your cartridge and HD PHONO stage – all confirmed by ear from the comfort of your listening chair.
The HD PHONO features a new generation of input transformers. Following the original VPS transformer and based on the Nagra IV-S microphone input transformers, the HD PHONO’s transformers are a fourth-generation design featuring 26 dB of gain. The new transformer’s core is made with Cobalt and is cryogenically treated over the course of several weeks to improve performance. The transformer itself is hand wound in a very delicate process requiring watchmakers’ type of skills.
- Dual mono / class A tubes
- 4x EF806S, 2x E88CC
- Custom-made input transformers with 26 dB gain featuring cryogenically treated Cobalt cores
- Overall gain of up to 68.5 dB adjustable by +/- 6dB so 62.5 and 56.5 dB
- RIAA,TELDEC, NAB 100µS, VICTOR EUR, VICTOR USA
- 2x MC inputs on RCA
- 1x MM input on RCA
- 1x option input for future custom transformers
- Remote controlled loading system from no load to 390 Ohms by 5 Ohm step
- Separate power supply with supercapacitor module ensuring silent power
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Professional Reviews 90/100
Deliciously Crispy
Sound Quality
94/100
Cartridge Compatibility
94/100
Build Quality
93/100
Value for Money
75/100
Nagra’s HD PHONO uncovers vinyl from an exceptionally silent background, pairing tube-rich warmth with expansive imaging, deep bass and commanding dynamics. HiFi News found its cartridge matching remarkably versatile, while remote fine-step MC loading, MM flexibility and an elaborate dual-mono, Class A tube architecture make it a formidable reference phono stage for ambitious analogue systems.
What Reviewers Are Saying
Pros
Exceptionally low noise floor creates a black backdrop, strong separation and fine low-level detail.
Combines enveloping tube warmth with wide dynamics, crisp attack and deep, rich bass.
Highly flexible cartridge support, including two MC inputs, MM input and fine remote MC loading adjustment.
Lavish two-chassis construction with a supercapacitor supply and hand-wound cobalt-core transformers.
&
Cons
Extremely high $87,500 price places it firmly in a rarefied, specialist market.
No balanced XLR outputs, despite compatibility with Nagra preamplifiers that accept balanced sources.
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 94/100
Hi-Fi News found the HD Phono exceptionally silent, spacious and dynamically unconstrained, combining tube warmth with bass grip and transient crispness. Its presentation is described as rich and enveloping without sacrificing separation, low-level detail or large-scale impact.
Transparency Noise Floor
96/100
Ken Kessler called it the quietest phono stage he had used, whether valve or solid-state. He heard an unmarked backdrop with no grain or intrusive detritus, and found that both MM and MC cartridges benefited from unusually deep silences.
Tonal Balance Musicality
92/100
The HD Phono brought a distinctly tube-like warmth and enveloping quality to voices, particularly on sparse vocal-and-piano material. At the same time, its deep bass was described as rich rather than over-damped, while punch and crispness remained intact.
Dynamics
93/100
Hi-Fi News heard wide dynamic range and abundant headroom from record to record. It handled the bombast of big-band rock with authority, while retaining the punch and crispness associated with the best solid-state alternatives.
Soundstage Imaging
94/100
Instruments were reported to float in their own clearly defined spaces against a remarkably clean backdrop. The reviewer also heard very distant keyboard lines placed so far behind the speakers that the rear wall seemed to disappear.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Cartridge Compatibility
94/100
The HD Phono accommodates two MC sources plus an MM input, allowing several arms or turntables to remain connected. Its MC loading is remotely adjustable from no load to 390 ohms in fine increments, while the MM input provides selectable capacitance settings and both stereo and mono operation.
Build Quality
93/100
Hi-Fi News describes a beautifully engineered, satisfyingly substantial two-chassis execution with a separate power supply, calling out its Swiss artisanship. The dual-mono Class A circuit, six-tube complement and hand-wound, cryogenically treated cobalt-core transformers further indicate an unusually elaborate implementation.
Value for Money
75/100
At $87,500, the HD Phono occupies an extremely rarefied price class. Ecoustics questioned who would buy it and argued that a PrimaLuna EVO100 Tube Phonostage would leave roughly $83,500 unspent, even while acknowledging that the Nagra is likely superb.
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- Resolution A/V — in-store — New York City, New York, United States (website)
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- Alma Music & Audio — online and in-store — San Diego, California, United States (website)
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