2. analog
  3. 1220973803

EAR 834P or Quad QC24 w/ phono

Hello, all. I have a question regarding a dedicated analog rig that I am putting together.

My turntable is a Rega P25 w/ RB600 tonearm, equipped with a Benz Gold (LOMC). Speakers are 12L Actives (built-in 909 current-dumping amplifier).

I want to place some tubes in the mix, through either a tube phono preamp or a tube linestage w/ ss phono card.

I can plug a phono preamp directly into the active speakers as long as it has a volume control. The EAR 834P does, and it is a great reputation.

However, for far fewer dollars, I could get the QC-24 tube preamp with a built-in ss phono stage. Given that my active speaker are also Quad, this combination may have a better synergy.

Certainly the latter setup offers more flexibility (although I will likely never add other sources) for a cheaper price. But the EAR setup runs my analog signal directly into tubes (except for the step-up, I think).

I won't have the opportunity to compare the components, so I'd like to hear some opinions. What are the benefits of a tube phono preamp (running directly into the amp) versus a tube linestage with a phono card?

Thanks.
johnbender
forevermusic414
1 posts
 
HI i have a E.A.R. 324 phono pre amp ,very heavy for its size. , i am using it with a chord 3200E pre amp and a rotel RB5000 POWER AMP .i cant describe the quality of the music from my cheap denon DP 1200 turntable .if i were you i would wait save a little more money .you will enjoy the E.A.R , NOT TO MANY PEOPLE KNOW OF CHORD BUILT LIKE A ROCK MY SPEAKERS ARE NOTHING FANCY THE OLD TAD TZ9 REFERENCEE ELITE. I GIVE ALL THE CREDIT TO THE E.A.R. PHONO PRE AMP enjoy
johnbender OP
29 posts
 
Well, that's two votes for a tube phono directly into the amp/active speakers. I guess that I'll also have to consider the QC-24P, in addition to the EAR. It's considerably more $$$ and rarely available used, but it might be worth the look.

I think I read somewhere that the EAR is antithetical to the Rega, insofar as it does not excel at timing but throws a huge soundstage and is rather euphonic. I don't know if this is true and will have to audition myself (I think I found a dealer a few hours away where I can give a listen, instead of going on reputation alone).

Thanks for your input. Others?
bizonurs
1 posts
 

I never had the opportunity to listen to EAR preamp, but I have a phono preamp QC24-P.

This unit is very nice from outside, very flexible for any MM or MC carts.

But when I had to open the unit to check if I can find why there is suddenly a strange hum, I found some very cheap components (especialy the RCA connectors, and impossible to upgrade them) and everything is on an electronic circuit without any possibilities to fix it. We are far from the quality of a pair of good old QUAD II !

So I had to send my preamp to QUAD after-sale service. I'm waiting for one and half year now. They sent it back to me two times, but two times it was still not working. I paid allready for their job, but now they want more money to repair the unit...

So if you want to avoid troubles, don't buy QUAD !


invictus005
597 posts
 
Mushy mushy oh so mushy. Like mashed potatoes. 
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