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EAR 834P vs Pass Ono

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Posted on December 18, 2014 at 09:40:04
daniele_g
Audiophile

Posts: 110
Location: Italy
Joined: May 4, 2006
 Hi all,
I now own a Klyne 6PE phonostage, which I would be very satisfied with, but it is affected by a strong hum depending by some *** trouble in my house's mains. I'm sure about that because I had it checked by a specialized lab and then again I tried the Klyne in some friend's set up: no hum at all (at their houses) and judged "perfect" by the lab.
I already had that problem with other phonostages, but not all are subject to that. Some hum, and some just don't.

I'm thinking of replacing the Klyne with a different phonostage and I've seen these two pieces, used:
EAR 834P MM/MC Signature (the one with the volume pot)
Pass Labs ONO

Has anybody compared the two phonostages above ? And, maybe what's more, has anybody compared one of them (or both) to the Klyne 6PE ?

I don't have the chance of listening to them in my set up before buying, and I'd like to try and imagine what could I expect in the change.

My setup: Pro-ject RMP9.1x turntable, Lyra Delos cartridge, amplification is ARC LS25/II + 100.2, B&W 804S speakers.


Thanks, ciao
Daniele


 

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RE: EAR 834P vs Pass Ono, posted on December 18, 2014 at 10:42:50
John Elison
Audiophile

Posts: 23900
Location: Central Kentucky
Joined: December 20, 2000
Contributor
  Since: January 29, 2004
 If you can't listen to them in your system, how do you know they won't hum. I would say that's the primary concern based on what you've written.

Happy Holidays,
John Elison

 

RE: EAR 834P vs Pass Ono, posted on December 18, 2014 at 11:08:24
Analog Bob
Manufacturer

Posts: 197
Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Joined: September 7, 2007
 Have you checked to see if the hum is due to phono cables and not the phono preamp? The easiest way is to disconnect the inputs from the phono stage and see if it still hums.

 

+1 nt, posted on December 18, 2014 at 11:12:08
bjh
Audiophile

Posts: 18614
Location: Ontario
Joined: November 22, 2003
 .


 

RE: EAR 834P vs Pass Ono, posted on December 18, 2014 at 11:24:49
Dave Garretson
Audiophile

Posts: 2448
Joined: June 14, 2005
 If you have flexibility to move your TT and phono stage to a wall further from the mains or in-wall AC wiring, that should help with hum.

 

Best to identify and correct the source of the hum., posted on December 18, 2014 at 11:58:20
volunteer
Audiophile

Posts: 5666
Location: Louisville, KY
Joined: January 7, 2012
 The Klyne is an excellent phono stage. I've owned it and the EAR over the years. Either is immune from hum. I suspect the Ono isn't either.


-Wendell

 

RE: Best to identify and correct the source of the hum., posted on December 18, 2014 at 12:53:20
daniele_g
Audiophile

Posts: 110
Location: Italy
Joined: May 4, 2006
 Volunteer,
could you please descibe the sound and characteristics of the EAR compared to the Klyne, as you owned both ?
Thanks a lot, ciao
Daniele

 

RE: Best to identify and correct the source of the hum., posted on December 18, 2014 at 13:37:50
volunteer
Audiophile

Posts: 5666
Location: Louisville, KY
Joined: January 7, 2012
 It has been too long for me to provide a useful comparison. Neither hummed in my system(s).


-Wendell

 

try moving the phono amp, posted on December 18, 2014 at 14:23:06
peteSF
 Please forgive me if you have already. But I had intermittent hum in my system, and it was from the phono amp. I moved it to the left side of the rack away from the tonearm, and the hum disappeared. Took me 2 years to try that.
P

 

cheat, posted on December 18, 2014 at 15:17:03
ringwear
Audiophile

Posts: 507
Joined: May 3, 2010
 use a three to two prong adapter for power cord.

 

+2 nt, posted on December 18, 2014 at 20:17:21
jusbe
Audiophile

Posts: 5950
Location: North Island
Joined: April 4, 2000
Big J

"... only a very few individuals understand as yet that personal salvation is a contradiction in terms."


 

RE: EAR 834P vs Pass Ono, posted on December 19, 2014 at 00:31:33
daniele_g
Audiophile

Posts: 110
Location: Italy
Joined: May 4, 2006
 you're absolutely right, but I have to try somehow and in case re-sell.
unfortunately it's hard for me to but a phonostage of the Klyne level new, I must buy pre owned units. so, I may buy something new but in a lower league (say Lehmann Black Cube: already had it, and it's way "below" the Klyne in my opinion; no contest).
then again, it's not so easy for me to have a unit loaned by a dealer before buying, so even the "new unit" option is that practicable.

but as I wrote, not all phonostages hum: "now some they do and some they don't", like Rick Davies would say ;)
so, I must live in hope :)

 

RE: EAR 834P vs Pass Ono, posted on December 19, 2014 at 00:43:29
daniele_g
Audiophile

Posts: 110
Location: Italy
Joined: May 4, 2006
 for all who suggested moving the phonostage, changing cables and so on: first of all, thanks for all your suggestions.
but I already tried several "remedials" without luck up to date.
I must say that up to some months ago I had the system in a different position, where the Klyne did not hum, thus I guess a solution could be put the system back where it was before. but the new position is more comfortable to me (the system is in the living room, so I have to conciliate my needs to those of the rest of the family: furniture, TV and so on) and I would like to be not bound to a position of the system by the hum of the phonostage.
that's why I've kept the Klyne so long and that's why I've decided (not happily at all) to sell it after checking it is not defective, as I did.

anyway, I'll try again all that I can, before surrendering.

 

RE: EAR 834P vs Pass Ono, posted on December 19, 2014 at 00:44:56
John Elison
Audiophile

Posts: 23900
Location: Central Kentucky
Joined: December 20, 2000
Contributor
  Since: January 29, 2004
 I think it might be more economical to reposition your system until you find a way to eliminate the hum. It is most likely caused by the magnetic field from a power supply of another component that is too near your phono stage or turntable. I had a similar problem with my Mark Levinson No.28 preamplifier, which had an external power supply specifically designed to remove the power transformer a good distance from the preamp. One time I positioned the preamp too close to a power amplifier and the phono state hummed. When I moved the power amplifier a couple of feet away the hum disappeared. Anyway, I would recommend trying to find the cause of the hum and then eliminate it because your Klyne is a great phono stage and it will cost a lot to find another just as good.

Good luck,
John Elison

 

RE: EAR 834P vs Pass Ono, posted on December 19, 2014 at 01:19:50
daniele_g
Audiophile

Posts: 110
Location: Italy
Joined: May 4, 2006
 thanks, John,
I'll try again...
I know the Klyne is hard to beat, that's pradoxically my problem: I have to look for (pre owned) Pass Ono or something like that -not cheap anyway- to hope and find something better -or not worse.

by the way, I realise I had many useful suggestions about removing the hum, but no comments yet about the Ono nor the EAR. :)

 

RE: cheat, posted on December 19, 2014 at 01:38:23
daniele_g
Audiophile

Posts: 110
Location: Italy
Joined: May 4, 2006
 did'n try that yet: I will. :)

 

one suggestion, posted on December 19, 2014 at 07:50:38
bouncy ball
Audiophile

Posts: 1221
Location: British Columbia
Joined: July 26, 2003
 Since you like your klyne phone, I think it is worth to get a medical grade isolation transformer for your klyne. It may solve your problem. There are many for sale on ebay.

I have one for my pre and phono with good result.

 

RE: one suggestion, posted on December 19, 2014 at 09:13:15
daniele_g
Audiophile

Posts: 110
Location: Italy
Joined: May 4, 2006
 bouncy ball, do you mean a transformer to be put between the power outlet in the wall and the power cord ?

 

+1, posted on December 19, 2014 at 10:06:58
steal2B
Audiophile

Posts: 245
Location: Hudson Valley, NY
Joined: October 8, 2004
 I really believe John is correct, your source of hum may likely be from the field from another system component, and a replacement phono pre may likely suffer a similar fate to some degree. If you can change some relative component and / or cable locations and notice a change in the hum severity you will be able to confirm that you are on the right track to a solution. When you play with changing component locations ... do not assume the field strength causing the problem is symmetrical, ... try different horizontal and vertical positions, ... try rotating some components 90 degrees in the same location, ... try different cable routing schemes, swap some cables to your phono pre... and try to have other components between your power amp and your phono preamp (although it won't technically act like shielding it may change the field shape around your Phono pre or its associated cables enough to improve your system response.)

 

RE: one suggestion, posted on December 19, 2014 at 10:33:00
bouncy ball
Audiophile

Posts: 1221
Location: British Columbia
Joined: July 26, 2003
 Yes.
Forget to mention one thing, if you decide to go that way, get the 117v or even 120v input one.
See link, this is the one I am using but I paid way less than that. Of course there are different brand, you will find them listed under isolation transformer.

 

TV indicated, posted on December 19, 2014 at 16:13:22
valvesonly
Audiophile

Posts: 755
Location: Ontario
Joined: May 27, 2005
 I traced my hum to the large plasma flat screen. Using different wall plugs etc. and some separation, and keep the TV off when spinning resolved the issue.

Only irritates me on those days when a complicated slow moving movie played with sound off and Atom Heart Mother.
.
must..NOT..resist..."upgraditis"

 

RE: EAR 834P vs Pass Ono, posted on December 21, 2014 at 09:39:34
daniele_g
Audiophile

Posts: 110
Location: Italy
Joined: May 4, 2006
 Well I' ve been doin' some repositioning this week end: now the Klyne doe not hum anymore.
I succeded in that by putting it with the faceplate looking at the back wall and the rear looking at... me.
Well, looks like I've solved the problem.
Or not ? It' s very uncomtortable this way (I can't see if it's on or off...).
Antway, I'll save my money if I can live with that.

 

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