Amp/Preamp Asylum: REVIEW: EAR/Yoshino 868PL Preamplifier (Tube) by Mr Underhill

Model:	868PL
Category:	Preamplifier (Tube)
Suggested Retail Price:	$7800
Description:	Tube preamp with onboard phono stage
Manufacturer URL:	EAR/Yoshino
Model Picture:	View

Review by MrUnderhill on May 07, 2016 at 11:00:08
IP Address: 80.1.107.194 Add Your Review
for the 868PL

Introduction
An opportunity arose for me to buy one of my bucket-list components for a not unreasonable price, replacing a Modwright SWL9.0se, which I rate highly.

The EAR868 looks very stylish in the all silver livery, leaving the gold knob bling behind. In the last few years I moved from an EAR864, which I enjoyed greatly but had no remote volume control, to a Bel Canto Pre3vb and then to the Modwright. I never thought of the EAR as warm, but on plugging in the Bel Canto I recognised that it was. The BC resolved more detail, but was less kind to CD based rips with vocals. The Modwright was even better at resolving detail, and added a soupcon of impact.

Current System
NAS > Naim NS01 > Bel Canto 3.5vbs
LP12/ARO/DV20H/Geddon > Puresound P10
Modwright SWL9.0se > EAR534
Living Voice Auditorium II

Over the last couple of months I have continued to tweek my system. I recently used a pair of Tannoy Red Monitors, checking them out for a friend, and in re-inserting the LVs moved them into a position that REALLY works (a matter of a few inches), the speakers have melted into the music and all I have in front of me is the soundstage. This hasn't resolved the one issue I have with these speakers ....that for Rock and Roll type music they are somewhat cool. The detail is all there, you can listen into the music, but it just feels detached.

The Music
I created a new Playlist to review the 868, including a majority of CD based rips, these are the ones that the BC and Modwright can tend to expose. At the volumes I listen at the effect isn't too bad, but you can hear the music on occasion moving in an ear piercing direction. This effect is generally not present on higher bitrate recordings or LP (including rips).

Artist - Album - Quality - Track:
Rolling Stones - Brussel Affair - 9624 - Brown Sugar
Jeff Buckley - Grace - 4416 - So Real
Phil Collins - Tarzan - 4416 - Two Worlds
Keane - Hopes and Fears - 4416 - Bend and Break
Creedance Clearwater Revival - Chronicles - 4416 - Susie Q
Thompson Twins - Into The Gap - 4416 - Doctor Doctor
James Horner - Star Trek: Wrath of Khan - 9624(LP) - Surprise Attack
John Powell - How to Train Your Dragon - 4416 - This is Berk
Stevie Nicks - The Other Side of the Mirror - 9624(LP) - Long Way to Go
Handel - Messiah: Butt, Dunedan Consort - 9624 - Thus Saith The Lord
Rachmaninov - Piano Concerto 2: Jorge Prats - 4416 - II.Adagio
Orff - Carmina Burana: Czech Radio Symph Orch - 4416 - O Fortuna
Rimsky Korsakov - Scheherazade: Piano Duo - 8824 - 2nd Movement
Fleetwood Mac - Rumours - 9624 - The Chain
Elton John - Live at A&R Studios NYC - 9624(LP) - Sixty Years On
Marvin Gaye - Motown Gold - 4416 - I Heard It Through The Grapevine
Four Tops - Motown Gold - 4416 - Reach Out, I'll be There
Simon & Garfunkle - Old Friends - 4416 - Keep the Customer Satisfied
Carly Simon - No Secrets - LP - You're So Vain
Pink Floyd - The Wall - LP - Side 2

It was immediately apparent that the Ear phono-stage is in a different class to the Puresound P10 I was using. Opened up with Carley Simon and 'You're So Vain', and heard a trill on the cymbols that is not obvious on the Puresound. In fact the EAR is great at resolving and presenting treble detail.

Listening to Brown Sugar backing vocals were more resolved, becoming singers on the sound stage with their own existence. the backing brass section was there, and didn't seemingly fade in and out as there contribution hit crescendos. Other Stones were more obviously present and singing. Surprise Attack (James Horner) was more excitingly rendered via the Modwright, the EAR was not quiet as propulsive. Although I would say that bass was better controlled and presented on the EAR this could be detrimental, such as Sixty Years On; on the Modwright this was just superb, on the EAR it was constrained, ...... until I changed to the balanced connection between the DAC and 868, the bass then equalled or bettered the Modwright.

The EAR has a superb Phono stage, and is no slouch as a Line Stage being generally better than the Modwright. The only area where I would favour the Modwright is in percussive elements on a few tracks, but for general information, musicality and sound stage the EAR wins, and in my system this gap was further expanded using the balanced input for the DAC. The edge that has reduced my listening pleasure when listening to CD sourced music has been largely removed and has me revisiting a lot of old friends that I realise I had been avoiding since saying farewell to my EAR864.

Conclusion

It has taken 37 years but I now have a system that plays one of my reference recordings as well as a system I heard as a student, that recording being 'Bat Out of Hell'. This is a pig to reproduce really well in my experience. It is full of detail that is easily presented as a wall of mush. Through the 868 my Living Voice speakers are dancing and presenting detail with punch and weight, and Meatloaf can let forth with gusto.

I think I have found the amps on which I will settle for the rest of my life, and they have enabled me to move from feeling a tad dissatisfied with my current speakers to contentment.

Product Weakness:	Wish the AV was not a select option, and by passed the active amplification so it would work with the pre-amp turned off.<br><br>A mute would be handy.
Product Strengths:	Phono Stage; Detailed and musical.

Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: EAR534
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): EAR868
Sources (CDP/Turntable): LP12/Aro/Dyn DV20H || Naim NS01 > Bel Canto DAC 3.5vb
Speakers: Living Voice Auditorium II
Cables/Interconnects: Chord / Naim A5
Music Used (Genre/Selections): See above
Room Size (LxWxH): 20 x 15 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments: NA
Time Period/Length of Audition: 5 days
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner

Amplifier:	EAR534
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	EAR868
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	LP12/Aro/Dyn DV20H \|\| Naim NS01 > Bel Canto DAC 3.5vb
Speakers:	Living Voice Auditorium II
Cables/Interconnects:	Chord / Naim A5
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	See above
Room Size (LxWxH):	20 x 15 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments:	NA
Time Period/Length of Audition:	5 days
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner