EAR\Yoshino

I use an EAR 834L pre and 834P phono stage into ATC Active 10s, and they're excellent. Tim de Paravicini is one of the great audio designers. His gear has none of the stereotypical valve bloominess or colouration (he does make valve and solid state gear for the pro market, after all). Very well built, well-proven circuits, beautiful-looking with the chrome fascias as well. Only drawback on the pre is the lack of remote volume control.

-- Ian

Sideshowbob

What made you choose the EAR rather than a Naim amp? What does it do thats different\better? Any drwbacks or plusses?

"Dogs have owners but Cats have staff"

Hmm, tough one. I have a fondness for well-executed tube designs, which seem to have a rightness about them that solid-state struggles to achieve, but obviously not everyone agrees. Also, the 834L is designed to drive long cable runs, which is important for active speakers. I've been playing with a NAC82/Hi recently, which has the advantage of remote control, good built-in phono stage, balance, mono and mute. Sonically there's not much in it, however, and the EAR new in deluxe chrome form is around £900 whereas the NAC82/Hi new was getting on for £3500. You pays your money and takes your choice, I suppose.

As for the 834P MM/MC phono stage, I haven't heard a phono stage that's more enjoyable at its price. I got mine secondhand for about £300 (they come up for that price quite often), and it's great.

-- Ian

I have an EAR 859 (2x13 W) which I combine with a Naim CD 5. I have not heard many Naim systems and none of them was a full Naim system. They were always parnered with other speakers. One consisted of a lot (8) of green boxes, a cdx and B&W 801 spreakers. The other was partnered with a top model of shahinian?
Both systems were in my opnion not very musical and could not impress. Bass yes, loud yes, rough yes, but no soundstage no music. So I left the Naim path and went for a tube amp, which are for my ears more satisfying.
There is one similarity between the EAR and Naim amps. Both are very critical for the speakers you parner them. For the EAR they must be a benign load and from what I read on this forum Naim amps are not an easy partners either.

A surprise was there in the cable sector. I tried several speakercables but found that
the NACA 5 worked best for the EAR.

Theo

I had a mate many years ago with a PInk Traingle Anniversary, PIP pre-amp and EAR 509 monos into Quad 63s. SOunded brilliant on classical...but I am not too keen on classical. Nice sounds though, although a bit lacking in the Naim groove that we all love.

Tim De Paravicini is the man behing EAR, Yoshino is the name of his Mrs. And is without doubt a looney, but in a nice way. He once made a valve energiser for Quad 63s. He is also very opinionated - I told him he was talking bollocks once since he declared anyone who didn't understand Stravinsky to be an unmusical philistine.

Theo

Why are you a somebody when all else are members/junior members?

Yours in Music

Syd