EAR 834P

EAR 834P

First impressions.

I had thought that I was getting a second hand unit but in fact got a new unit that had been on display. As seen in the picture it is the Deluxe model with Chrome Face Plate and Gold Plated on/off Switch.

This Phono stage is certainly impressive to look at. It is solid heavy and has Bling. It is a Ferrari to Projects Renault (Looks wise). It is slightly noisier than the Project but only marginally so. The unit came without a Manual so I cannot comment on that however it is basically plug and play so no Manual is needed.

Setting options are MM 47K Ohm loading 200Pico Farad Capacitance with gain fixed at 55dB. MC Loading is 450 ohms and gain fixed at 72 dB.

I had spent a few hours listening (not critically) on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday to allow the unit a little burn in time. Left the unit on over night last night so that it would be fully warmed up this morning.

AM I began.

Albums used for evaluation were.
Joe Sample - Carmel - Regular Pressing
David Qualey - Soliloquy -Windham Hill
Santana - Abraxas - Mobile Fidelity Limited Edition
Intensive Care – Discwasher Analog Recording Pressed in Japan
Carl Orff- Carmina Burana, Andre Previn and the London Symphony Orchestra- Hi-QSupercuts

Protocol was the same as before first played the full album using the EAR and then replayed the same album using the Phono Box RS. Did this with each album.

As I have fully talked about the RS I will talk only about the EAR and then give my conclusions and yes I have made a choice.

So how did the EAR sound. In one word Wonderful. Rich, full bodied exciting. Every album played sounded as good as the next. I could find no fault with it. I have already described, in the Project RS Review, each album and that description remains for the EAR.

Now here is my problem. For the love of me I could not choose between them. They both sounded wonderful. I was truly stumped. I had expected,, wanted, one to really stand out above the other, but that just wasn't happening.

How could this be. The EAR costs 2.5 times the Project surely it must be better, but I wasn't hearing it. Time to bring out more albums and go into extra time surly there would be a tie breaker and clear winner.

Albums used
Michael Franks - Birchfield Nines. Warner Bros
Joe Pass and Ella Fitzgerald - Speak Low. Pablo

After Michael Franks I was no nearer than I had been before, surly Ella would come to my rescue. Put the Album on using the Project and Ella stepped into my Living room and sang to me. At last a winner. I then played her through the EAR and Ella Stepped into my living room and sang to me. Back to my dilemma. How do I pick one of these fine Phono Stages.

Time for one last album.

Gerry Murads Harmonicats - Peg O' My Heart. Columbia.

This album is full of rich complex sounds and Harmonics. It either sounds wonderful or terrible. Have never heard it sound just OK.

Well needless to say both Phono Stages handled it superbly. I was still Stuck without any clear indication of which to choose so I asked my neighbor to come up and listen for a while. Maybe he would hear something I was missing.

Choose the Album Carmel by Joe Sample to play for him because he is familiar with it. First played the Project and then the EAR. My neighbor is not an Audiophile just someone who appreciates good music. I also Covered the 2 units so that he could not see which was which.

After I changed from the RS to the EAR he only had one thing to say "Are you sure you switched them" He couldn't tell them apart either.

I have already said what I liked and disliked about the Phono Box RS.

What I liked about the EAR.
Well built
Looks amazing
Sounds Wonderful
What I disliked about the EAR
No options for changing loadings/gain Etc
Expensive

Comparing the two units. If anything the Phono Box RS is a little cleaner in the Tops than the EAR, not in an analytical kind of way just seems to be a bit more upper frequency detail, but other than that there was no way for me to tell them apart.

MY CHOICE
Project Phono Box RS.

Reasons.
Value for money
Versatile. AS many loading options, in real time, as I will ever need
Switchable Subsonic Filter
Mute Switch
Selectable Gain Settings
Sounds as good as the EAR 834P (To my ears).

For the cost of the EAR I can get the Phono Box RS a new Grado Statement Reference Cartridge and still have change for Projects alignment tool. All of which I will be getting.

I would just like to add , there is often the status appeal of owning a certain piece of gear. Project is not known to be "Hi End" in the Audiophile world so it is easy to discount as being mediocre even without listening to it.

So thanks for indulging me. It has been an interesting 10 days, sometimes frustrating but always fun.

Best

Mike

I would just like to add that Project are Developing a Linear PSU as an upgrade for the RS, it should improve the peformance of this unit even further. Once it is released I will definitly be buying it

 

Interesting comments, and you definitely prove that you listened carefully!

I'm surprised (without having used one) that the EAR doesn't have multiple loading configurations...

 

There more expensive model does, but that is in the region of $5000 and way out of my price range.

 

For testing purposes and to be fair to both Units I set the Projects gain to 50dB to match as closely as possible that of the EAR

 

I really like the midrange on the 834. I almost bought one.

 

I

I hear you, however the Project RS is every bit as good, and therein lay my dilemma couldn't for the life of me tell them apart.

 

If I am being honest I really wanted the EAR to sound better, liked all the Hype, the Reviews the look of it everything.

 

Before giving up, do some tube rolling. Everyone I know who has one has told me that better tubes really take it to a a whole new level.

 

If he is not hearing a difference in the soundstage and only minor variance in detail, I don’t think he is going to get much out of tube rolling. (<opinion) I also think he will most likely appreciate the versatility of his choice.

 

Would not do that to a new unit. Guaranteee etc etc.

That my well be the case but for better or for worse my decision is made, but appreciate the advice.

 

Absaloodle agree

 

However, if you ever go to tube amplification rather than SS, then you will be pretty amazed at how different tubes truly do change the sound. After two decades of listening to different EL34s, I have finally swapped in KT88s and NOS 6P3s-es, which give a much more linear frequency response.

Happy listening!

 

Cheers. That is it for the next 12 months. I am exactly where I want to be right now. The only other thing I will buy is the Linear PSU for the Project when it is released.

 

The one thing that I would strongly recommend (as the owner of a fully balanced phono stage) you look into, especially when you upgrade to the lower output Grado, is using the balanced inputs on the Project. Not only would the 56 dB gain setting using the balanced inputs be ideal (using the balanced in with your MM would be less than ideal IMO but you did not seem to have an issue with even more gain than they would provide when you were using the 50 dB gain setting), chances are the phono stage would provide even better performance than you're experiencing now.

The only thing that is not clear to me from the Project literature is whether the balanced inputs can be used with the single ended outputs on the RS or whether they can only be used with the balanced outputs. If the latter is the case, that could be problematic if the preamp or integrated you're using does not have balanced inputs.

I think there's a very strong possibility that the balanced inputs on the Project will sound significantly better than the single ended inputs, particularly with a lower output cartridge. Taking advantage of them could be as simple as purchasing a balanced tonearm lead providing the single ended outputs on the phono stage can be used in conjunction with the balanced inputs or your pre or integrated has balanced inputs.

 

Get it. I just went through the process of getting the Pangea P-100 to work with my phono amp, and I am pretty well chuffed about the results.

 

No harm in me writing to Project and posing this question. It would of course require modding my TT. My Amp however does not have balnced inputs so my be a problem

 

How did you determine that these "give a much more linear frequency response"?

 

Question Sent to Pro-Ject .

It has been suggested to me that the Balanced inputs (XLR) should sound far better than the unbalanced (RCA).
Here is my question.
Part 1
My TT is the 2 Xperience Acryl with Speed Box SEII. Can the tone arm wiring be modded for XLR?

Part 2
My Amp Musical Fidelity A5.5 only has RCA inputs. Can the XLR inputs be used in conjuction with RCA outputs.
Thank for the reply
Mike

Will post their reply once I receive it.

 

I think you could call this subjective, although I have taken measurements as best I can with what equipment I have over the years. And, the qualifier should be “in my integrated amp”, which I probably wrongly assume is understood. So, having lived with seven or so different quads of EL34s over many years, to my ears, the KT88 design does a better job of presenting balanced sound top to bottom. I have not tried any NOS EL34s, however, so my experience is limited. To date, my best method of comparison to use a combination of pink noise and test tones, comparing, a signal off my phono pre to room sound. I generally weigh this against an anecdotal impression of repeatedly listening to the same recordings, and noting which details are present and/or not present given certain configurations.

That said, I think FuzzMeasure Pro is a pretty decent bit of software.

 

+1 on better tubes - especially in the center position - best power cord, support, do take the 834P to another level entirely.

 

It's well worth having a good search on Audio Asylum regarding the 834P, lots of very interesting tube-rolling options there, e.g. there's scope for swapping types as well as just brands. I found I got the best results with mine with a GE 5751 in the gain stage (back position) a Sovtek 12AX7 LPS in the centre position and a RCA 5814A in the cathode follower position (front). Really moves it up into a whole different ballpark to my ears, though always keep the middle tube as an ECC83/12AX7 as it's responsible for the RIAA curve. My choice of gain tube (5751) was partly down to using a very high output cart (an Ortofon 2M Black), though I'd highly recommend trying the best 12AU7 type you can find in the front cathode follower position (my favourite 12AU7s are 5814As!). Also be aware that this phono stage is remarkably sensitive to the loading of the input on the preamp, especially with a 12AX7 type in the cathode follower position. Pay very close attention to cable capacitance etc and try to make sure it sees 100 KOhm or more at the preamp, otherwise it sounds rather sat-on and non-special IME.

 

Thanks for the info. Bought the RS. Tube rolling with all its options sounds like too much hassle for possibly no gain.

Cheers

 

Better tubes might well improve the EAR or may not, it would sound different yes but better, I will never know.

For the extra $1500 that the EAR would have cost (more if you start adding extra tubes), I bought a Grado Statement Reference Cartridge which will give me a much bigger boost in SQ than tube rolling in the EAR. Also Bought a Pro-Ject alignment Protractor and an electronic Scale for tracking weight.

As I noted before what holds the Pro-Ject RS back a little is its power supply. That will be addressed once the Upgrade PSU is released. What holds the EAR back IMO is its lack of versitility. That can never be addressed.

Last night before I packed up the EAR to return it, I decided to listen one last time but with headphones. Still no Major difference between the two units.
The EAR, M1 Vinl and Tube Box DS are now sitting cosy in their respective containers waiting for UPS to come and return them to my dealer.

Best

 

Cost is another issue, as you pointed out. It's basically doubled since it's introduction, with no apparent improvements. The transformers spec'd for MC step-up have been criticized as being mediocre as well. Ten years ago, there was considerable interest in improving the basic design, as well as clones with better power supplies etc. Time has passed, and that interest is gone. Picking up an older used version without the built-in step-up transformers would be the way to go IMHO, and a lot cheaper.

jeff

 

Agreed at $1000 I would have been very tempted. Truth be told I really wanted the EAR to sound better than the Pro-Ject and was a little disapointed when it didnt. So I have bought the Pro-Ject and when the PSU is introduced will get that, and I know I have an excellent Phono Stage.