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REVIEW: EAR/Yoshino 834P Phono Preamp Review by Marc Bratton at Audio Asylum

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All these EAR owners in this asylum, and no reviews? I am...SHOCKED! Maybe if I take the bull by the horns...
Please bear in mind I am reviewing the MM only version, sans volume pot. It is the same circuitry as their MM/MC model, lacking only the built in MC transformer and its associated circuitry, obviously. Input impedance of the MM only version is fixed at 47kohms. If you get one with MC capabilities, your input impedance is fixed at 500 ohms for that circuit.
With the standard version, you get a basic block box, one pair of inputs, one pair of outputs, on/off switch, grounding terminal, IEC power cord. Pretty basic. Open it up, you'll see that the right half is dominated by a pretty substantial toroidal transformer, mounted vertically, with a shield between it and the circuitry. The left half is your circuit board, with board mounted tube sockets, of which there are three. V1 is at the back (yes, it's printed in very tiny white letters), V2 is in the middle, and the cathode follower V3 is in the front. Supposedly V1 has the biggest effect on the sound-more on that below. Parts quality is OK, not stellar. You'll probably want to lose the stock power cord, substitute something better. I got a bit quieter and cleaner sound substituting a Kimber PowerKord. Nothing earth shaking. It benefits from Vibrapods and dampening of the chassis as well.
The sound...this is definitely in the "classic tube" camp. Lush, smooth midrange with that certain rightness I've never quite heard with solid state. Treble is sweet, clear and clean, and depending on tube complement, can be a bit rolled off. Bass is surprisingly deep and powerful, but fuller, rounder. You'd never mistake this for a solid state phono pre. We're NOT talking flabby here, as it's tuneful, and bops. But definitely tube. Accordingly, it seems to be most at home with classical-it's like this thing is MADE to reproduce the sound of grand pianos, string quartets, and voices. While it does quite well with all kinds of music, I find myself listening to more string quartets than anything with this piece of kit, because of the disarmingly natural way it puts them right there in my living room. You can hear the woody resonance of the cello body easier, the dark singing of the viola, the little inflections of different bowing techniques. Images are rounder, fuller, more fleshed out than any other phono section I've had in my system. The detail is all there, just not thrust at you. You have to listen into the music to hear it, but its all there. How's the noise level? Considering the toroid is mere inches away from the active circuitry, quite good. I have to crank my LW-1(review to follow!)controller ALL THE WAY UP to hear much tube hiss. Then again, I'm using a moving magnet with a 2mv output. Those who are trying to get away with a low output moving coil may find the signal to noise ratio suffering a bit. I'd imagine selecting super low noise tubes would help here, especially@ V1.
I've saved the most controversial for the last-tube rolling. Tim de Pavarici says use only 12AX7's in all three positions, no substitutions, period. I have to say, used that way, especially with the stock EI 12AX7's it comes with, it sounds pretty ordinary. You're never going to know just how good this thing can sound. As Thorsten, and others have pointed out, the 12AX7A is a pretty mediocre tube; even the best of them can sound shut in. After MUCH experimentation, this is the configuration that sounds best in my system, as always, YMMV. V1-a Pearl Cryovac super low noise 5751. This really opened up the treble, cleaned up a certain grunge, and made things in general sweeter, cleaner, quieter. A Raytheon 6072A did the same thing, but was way too bright. V2-ALWAYS use a 12Ax7A here, as this tube is involved in the RIAA curve. I've got a Brimar CV4004 here to very good effect. If I could afford it, I'd have a box plate Mullard there. V3-The cathode follower. Supposedly the least effect on the sound, but I've found tube rolling here affects the sound majorly. I got extraordinary detail and air with a Raytheon 6072A here, but it again was just too bright. Settled on an Amperex 12AU7 here, which corrected the tonal balance, at the expense of a bit of air.
I'd be remiss if I didn't tell you that V2 and V3 are ALWAYS supposed to be matched-you shouldn't use a 12AX7A in V2, and then a 12AU7 in V3, as I'm doing. If you do, you're on your own. All I can tell you is, it definitely improved the sound, and I've had no problems with it in this configuration, for nearly 2 years now.Those who say the EAR is too laid back or lifeless probably only listened to it with 12AX7's-the stock ones at that. You can dramatically change the sound of this product with tube rolling, for better or worse. Do be careful. Is it still competitive with all the newer phono stages out there? Beats me...there are probably better ones out there, but I don't really care. This little box has that kind of sound that just draws me into the music, makes me want to keep playing just one more LP, just one more...it's a long term keeper. It replaces a Bryston BP1 with no regrets. I'm relying on memory now, but there is NO question it handily beats the phono section of my old CJ PV10. The voicing of the EAR 834P and the phono section of my old overachiever MFA Magus A2 preamp is about identical. I'm relying on memory again, but I'd say the EAR gets the nod for better inner detailing-it just has a more pulled-apart, fleshed-out sound than the Magus did. Good as it was in its day (and still is!), it tended to homogenize the sound a bit. If I were starting over, would I buy it again? Yes, I would. Those who are good with solder irons may be able to do about as well or better, with some of the new tube kits coming out now. Since I'm dangerous with a soldering iron, I'll happily keep the EAR.


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Topic - REVIEW: EAR/Yoshino 834P Phono Preamp Review by Marc Bratton at Audio Asylum - Marc Bratton 02:04:19 03/27/01 ( 5)