This the third of the EAR834p builds but only the second of this high-end kit. The PCB for both the preamp and PS are heavier duty 2oz copper and beautifully made. Plated through, silk screened and solder masked. The board is partially assembled but for me all the tall parts on the bottom so the ceramic tubes sockets poke through the top plate. The quality of the passive parts is exotic and extreme some I have never seen before.
I wanted this to be the very best build of this phono stage I have ever made so Psvane new "S" gold pin 12AX7s and Tung-Sol 12AU7s were ordered. Enclosure is a larger than normal Hammond wood cheek. Paint is gloss black Epoxy Enamel with an etching primer. Tough when dry. Cheeks are finished with bee's wax. RCAs are high-end Teflon, rhodium and copper.
PS is external and uses a 24V 1A wall wart to supply low voltage AC to be rectified and smoothed. Filaments are on DC in a single Pi config and HT a doubled Pi. HT smoothing is CLCRC with a 5H Hammon choke. Supper quiet PS supplying 12VDC and 260VDC. No shielded wire is used internally but heavily twisted fine silver plated copper wire for all audio path hookup. WBT silver based solder used and heavier multi-strand wire supplies filament current and HT voltage. I cut traks and modified the PCB to work with 12V for the filaments and not 6.3V. Silicon rubber tube dampers help control micro-vibrations in the new tubes.
The sound is very transparent with excellent sound-stage depth and well extended solid bass. The presentation is grounded and feels real! The best EAR I have ever made, yes have to agree, looks very good sound even better? A real keeper though not cheap.
