What's the best EL84 amp?

@bdp24 Well, my best friend has a personally upgraded RM-9 and I have EAR 890s (with an SR purple fuse sitting on SR MiGSx footers) and our systems maintain a very similar in sound character-resolution, tonal balance, dynamics, bass, rhythm (despite the very different speakers VS35 Export vs Legacy Focus, respectively).  Apparently both RM and EAR products have design as their primary features with sales as an adjunct (Paravacini was primarily a pro-audio guy who happened to build a big home audio business).  

We attended the same show (I attended LA/Irvine shows for decades) and I also said hello to him but I think it was in 2015-6 (I’ve owned the 864 and 890, 324 and Acute since 2006, sold the Acute and prefer the 864 phono stage to the 324 for a Dynavector 20X2 L). The huge difference in quality in use was installing a Synergistic blue fuse in the 864 and a purple fuse in the 890. I use Stillpoint SS Ultra footers under the 864 and SR MigSx under the 890.

I don’t know if after what I have done to modify and tremendously improve the 864 is as good, less good or better than the 912 which I contemplate(d) purchasing. I guess I need to hear a 912 with a SR fuse to determine that (your 868L is a 912 line stage). Do you live in the LA/Orange/Ventura County area?

David Weinhart, (The AV Experts) an EAR retailer and friend of the distributor, Dan Meinwald, uses the SR purple fuse in his 912 which he has owned for over a decade. I recommend after using the blue in my 864 and purple in my 890, that you should try a purple fuse in your 868L and be surprised at the very significant improvement, especially in opening up the inner soundstage of instruments and voices (separating them) with more body, tighter bass and smoother highs. After just one hour, it was very good and only gets better (I’m not at 200-300 hours as recommended for full benefit, just 45 hours now).  Probably obtain an amperage rating twice as high as a glass fuse.  Dan Meinwald makes maximum recommendations.

Moderator-I am not associated with either the retailer or the distributor, although a customer of both.