EAR 834P - Sale or try and repair...

You said that "the tubes look fine".  The condition of a tube can't be determined by looks alone.  They should be tested.  Have you tried swapping the right tube/s to the left and vice versa? 

Could be an aging tube in that channel. Try swapping tubes!

Browning is from bad tube. Inspect elements around browning and replace bad tube(s) and affected circuit elements. Could be resistor(s), caps

Switched tubes around and having the same issue.

To czarivey's point, appears like it was a bad tube impacting (what appears) to be a resistor and rectifier.

I plan to order the two parts and will decide if I want to repair it or sell it to someone interested in modifying the unit. Seems like they sell for ~ $1250 used... not sure what a repair discount would be ($850?). 

FWIW: I really like the EAR834; extremely quite, very good spatial resolution and detail. I have had the unit for ~ 10 years and never felt the need to upgrade.

However, I would not mind a McIntosh preamp... so I guess I am at a crossroad?

I would fix it or find someone to work on it.  Maybe change the resistor and rectifier and drop in a new set of tubes and see what you got.

IMO, worth fixing.

For reference, there's a used working black face EAR here locally going for $750.

If you're considering having someone fix it, I'd recommend emailing Mitch Singerman at itchmay1@yahoo.com

He knows the 834P  very well. He fixed mine and did a wonderful job on it. I can't recall exactly what the issue was with it, but when I eventually sold it, the new owner just raved how wonderful it sounded.

Thank you for Mitch's email... I have been interested in some of his modifications, but figured he was no longer in the business.

Ah, $750 is a bit lower than I expected. If Mitch is able to repair and mod, this might be the best route

I will respond back once I hear more!

BTW elrod; what preamp did you replace for the EAR and are you happy with the transition?

I have enjoyed with the EAR for ~ 10 years, but am curious to try something new. Just not sure what I would have to jump up to to notice a solid improvement in performance (and at what cost). 

@bigkidz can fix and improve it

@abp689 

I have a EAR clone and I think it competes up to the 2k range.  It's been a while but I would say it's close to something like a Tavish Adagio, at least on the MM side (I run my clone with a SUT, as I did the Adagio).

I did compare the clone to a Darlington Labs MP-7 and the MP-7 was pretty damn close to the Adagio.

When my Modwright was back at mother ship for upgrades, I didn't notice any major drop off with the clone.  I heard the clone is pretty close to the real deal so I would expect one would need to go into at least the $2k range to do better.

I've been eyeballing that one for sale locally, but last thing I need is another phono stage!

If you send it out, do the upgrades or at least upgrade the caps.  If you are running a MC cart, maybe try it with a good SUT.

I sure can.  I can make it reference level!

Happy Listening.

I have heard this model as the original design, original design undergone modification and as a Clone version built with bespoke parts.

These have not been heard in my own system but at a few Phonostage Bake Off sessions on another system and not necessarily all three in the same room on the same day. 

All when heard share a similar influence on the sound being produced, which is typically a loose weighty bass end.

The Clone version being the one with the tidiest presentation in relation to the across frequency cohesion and the tightest of the bass lines being produced.

If a 834P, was in need of a overhaul or wanted to be given a change to its voicing, the variants of components selected to be used with the Clones may prove to be a interesting investigation.

I have an Ear 834P that has been in storage since 2009. I haven''t plugged it in or listened to it (same thing I guess). 

I opened it up this morning and found a fair amount of humidity rust and at least one damaged tube. It wasn't underwater but the storage unit humidity for 15 years didn't do me any favors. I have photos I can attach via email. Not sure if this is a worthwhile effort to recondition?

I feel quite confident there is guidance available that could direct you to having the long term shored 834P up and running for less that a $100 if like for like components are selected, extend to $100-$200 if a upgrade route is wanted and depending on value of Boutique Parts selected, add another $100 if Copper Foil Cap's are wanted.

If EE work is not done by ones own hand a further $100 will cover the support of a professional EE. A enthusiast EE with Phonostage and Valve experience will find this refurbishment quite unchallenging, it might be the cheaper option if help is needed.

Is the weighty and loose bass produced by this model still your preference after a 15 year hiatus from experiencing its influence.  

Nope, "moving with the times" and "time to pull the trigger" as they say. Hopefully I'll be listening to it for another 15 years.

For other's - I'm using a Rega 25, RB330 tonearm with a modified/upgraded 5-pin DIN connector, and a newly retipped van den Hul MC2 Special cartridge. The Rega sits atop an Auralex turntable isolation pad.

***Open to suggestions/recommendations for an interconnect running from the Rega's 5-pin RB330 tonearm to the EAR 834P and then another interconnect from the EAR 834P to my preamp (Anthem Statement D2).

@bigkidz: looked up your website, really nice work! I didn't see any pricing for repairs, but if I go that route, I will send you a PM. I am kind of on the fence as I have wanted to do some of the upgrades myself for some time. But starting to get cold feet. I would like to add a couple items, just have not done enough research to know what would be a proper (and easy) modification on this one. 

@theflattire what SUT do you have? I have a Dynavector 10x on a VPI Classic (next year or so I plan to change out Dynavector)

@abp689 

I have Hashimoto HM-7s and a James Audio SUT.  I also had some Ned Clayton built Cinemag 1254s and they were nice too.

If you google EAR upgrades you'll get a boat load.  Minimum I would do the caps.

if you can do work yourself replace all power supply caps with Nichicon then add some V-Caps.  You will hear an immediate improvement.

Peter

@bigkidz 

Which Vcaps do you like?

Right now I'm using a mix of Miflex and Mundorf on my clone.

@theflattire - Odam, the Milflex copper we liked but not as much as the V-Caps but Milflex also increased in price since we first used them so they are no longer the bargin they originally were.  Mundorf only in certain applications.  Nichicon Super through for power supply, Audio Note capacitors in key areas, Audio non-magnetic resisters and Amtrans resistors we mainly use.

Peter