Anyone heard the E.A.R. "Acute"?

Nice, but the modwright sonys are the way better value.

Just bringing this post to top hoping for more responses.

@rja EAR acute mk1. Sounds great I have some nos amperes tubes in it. It's special. Got a great deal too.

I meant amperex tubes.

Anyone with experience regarding newer Acute models ?

This company does not have the best of reputation, buyer beware. There are some helpful threads here on the Gon
to assist buyers, prior to making any purchase.

Keep me posted & Happy Listening!

Thanks Jafant. Do you think the problems with EAR are more current or historical?

Jafant,
Are you saying EAR does not have a good reputation?
If so, I'm not sure I agree with you.

Well Rja, I contacted the business last year to get an estimate on its dealers/retailers because I was interested in auditioning and possibly purchasing, an EAR acute III spinner- no reply at all???

Arsh, reading the other threads on this subject, it appears to be a little of both w/ an emphasis on current management.

Keep me posted and Happy Listening!

They sound great. I think the build quality could be a slightly better but they look great and sound great. No problems out of the two pieces I've owned.

I have an Acute and it's been trouble free and sounds great.

Thanks a lot Calvinj and Pdreher. Pdreher, which version of the Acute do you have? Would you mind sharing a bit more in terms of your listening impressions? Thanks again.

The talk of the build quality in EAR products might be the result of Paravicini's distain for audiophile-approved boutique brand "magic" parts. That's he talking, not I. Don't blame the messenger!

I don't think Ear makes the Acute anymore. They do a dac/transport thing for about $13K. I have the previous version without the digital in. It sounds very good. Detailed enough, yet smooth. You can also fool around with tubes if you like to alter the sound. Other than the digital in, I don't think the last version is any different from the previous, although they changed the dac ship to the newer Wolfson, which has a higher sampling rate. A friend bought one after hearing mine and I really don't think there's any difference, although we didn't A/B them in the same room. It's a solid player at a decent price, especially used.

Thank you all for the information. I appreciate it and would like to hear more of the experiences of EAR owners. I have a great dealer (Jim Pendleton) here locally, and he has arranged an audition for me. He says that Dan Meinwald of EAR USA has always been very helpful and responsive. I called Dan as well, and he called me back promptly.

Thank you all for the information. I appreciate it and would like to hear more of the experiences of EAR owners. I have a great dealer (Jim Pendleton) here locally, and he has arranged an audition for me. He says that Dan Meinwald of EAR USA has always been very helpful and responsive. I called Dan as well, and he called me back promptly.

Every question I posed to the US distributor of EAR products was answered in a timely manner. Did you contact Dan Meinwald at EAR-USA? BTW: He reps some very nice brands.

I read a review that the seimens 1960's nos tubes are best. I ordered them from upscale audio and they arrive tomorrow. I'm using the amperex and I will be installing seimens tomorrow. Will update

Thanks. Interested to know what you think. Were you unhappy with the stock tubes?

Rja, you are so right about Meinwald rep-ing great brands. Beside EAR, he does Townshend (the Rock turntable, etc.), Helius (pickup arms and table), and Marten (loudspeakers). His system is always one of the very best at Hi-Fi shows too.

If I remember correctly the Acute took 6DJ8/6922 family tubes and yes the Acute benefits from some experimentation with tube rolling.

I liked Siemens CCa and Telefunken E88CC.
Good luck!

Arsh,
I wasn't unhappy with the stock tubes but they can easily be bettered.

Thanks Rja!

Would you guys favor the one-box Acute spinner (there is supposedly a new one in the works) or the separate Dac4/Acute4 combo?

I prefer separate DACs because the transport seems to be the weakest point in most CDPs.

I got the Siemens today. I didn't get the CCA but I got them from upscale audio. I put them in about 5 hours ago and I have been listening. They took this player to another level. Soundstage grew depth and width. The highs gain more air and were a little more pleasant the biggest improvement was in the midrange and bass. The midrange was clear with a tiny smidgen of warmth with no clarity loss. The bass went deeper and tighter. I'm glad I bought this player for my CDs. It's going to be here for a while.

I went from some nos amperex to nos Siemens

If you get this player. There is no way you should keep the stock tubes in. I still play CDs and this player will be here for a long time. The tubes took it from a 7.5 to a 9. The only CD player I heard that clearly better was the solutions 540 but at its price you can improve your whole system. This player clearly delivers. I'm extremely picky about my gear. Are there better players out here? Yes, but I think the better players are north of 10k in most cases. Finding this used was a steal for me. There is an artist from Spain named Buika. Female vocalist sings in spanish which I can't speak but she sings with so much emotion it's spell binding. The midrange with this Siemens tube is flat out amazing. If the CCA tubes is similar but better. I'm tempted because this sound has me sitting in my sweet spot.

Rja and Calvinj, thank you for all that information. It is extremely helpful to me. I am excited about my audition of the DAC 4 in my system tomorrow. I will let you all know how it sounds. I am still struggling with whether to go with a separate DAC and transport or the one box piece. Assuming I like it, I could go with the DAC 4 and my current transport (Musical Fidelity A3.2). Then if I wanted to, I could get the Acute 4 transport later. Alternatively, the cheaper option would be to wait for the new one box player, but the timing of production and availability are not yet definite (hopefully before the end of the year).

Also, I wonder whether tube rolling is as much of an issue with their newer products?

@arsh. My experience is that the nos tubes allow you to fine tune to your systems and tastes. I feel like a kid in a candy store because I wanted this piece bad and one came up. I always wanted to try this however sometimes pieces don't meet your expectations. This one has with the tubes change to the Siemens. I will always tube roll from now on. It's like being able to change your product to your system and tastes by changing the tubes. I'm using high fidelity ultimate interconnects and these tubes ended up being a prefect match. I've listen to music about 10 hours in the last day and a half since I put them in. Without the tubes the player was just good with them they are special. I wish I would have gotten the seimens CCA. They are more expensive though.

Thanks Calvinj. Glad you are enjoying the new tubes! I guess I will need to learn a bit more about tube rolling if I get the EAR.

Well I have tried the telefunkens and amperex so far. Look the review by 8xlor I think. Look at what he said about the seimens tubes. From what I hear. He speaks the truth. I have never been happier with a CD player

Thanks for the suggestion, Calvinj. Where do you get your tubes?

I tried the EAR DAC 4 in my system this weekend, compared to my TriVista21. That EAR does sound more analog. Areas in which it improved over my Trivista include bass articulation and tone, forward movement or pace of the music, involvement in the music, and purity of voices. I do still very much like my Trivista , but I can hear that the EAR is definitely better in those areas. Soundstage was similar. Slightly better resolution of fine detail with EAR. In my system, the EAR sounded more like my analog front end (comparing vinyl and cd of same music) than does the TriVista.

Got tubes at upscale audio. Great tubes.

Have ordered tubes from Upscale as well, no problems.
Would also recommend Brent Jesse.

Thanks Calvinj and Rja. Much appreciated.

Tell me want you think when you get them? What kind of interconnects are you using with them.

I have Transparent Ultra interconnects. I have just ordered the new Acute "5"/"Classic. Assembly has begun on this new CD/DAC, hope to get it by November. Once I have it and have lived with it a while, I'll start thinking about tubes. Any advice on cables for your Acute?

Well I'm using high fidelity ultimate interconnects and I'm using a clarity cable organic power cable. Sound great. The high fidelity stuff works for me. Please tell me how that acute 5 sounds when you get it.

Arsh,
Sounds exciting. Congratulations!

Thanks Rja. Will let you all know how it sounds once I have it.

@arsh congrats I can't wait to hear your full report on it.

Thanks Calvinj. Stay tuned.

I have the EAR Acute 3 CD player and wondering about tube rolling myself. Has anyone tried the Genalex Gold Lion E88CC/6922's in the EAR Acute? I saw in the thread that one user loves the Siemen's 1960's but what about that tube did you like? What makes it a good match for the Acute?

I would also like to learn more about the tubes that have been tried in these CD players. Thanks.

I was also interested in the Mullard CV2493/6922 I saw on Upscale Audio. Anyone ever use these or the Gold Lion 6922's in the EAR Acute?

@djfst. I like it because the soundstage was wider and deeper than the other tubes. It was more 3d as well. It was more enveloping. Most tubes I tried had an area where they were weak at this tube seem to do most everything at the good to great level. Instruments sounded a little more real.

Calvinj, I looked on Upscale Audio's site for those Siemen's tubes you are using with the Acute, but they have about 4 different ones in the 6922 / 6DJ8 / 7308. Which specific ones are you using and how much did they cost? Plan on giving Kevin Deal a call and talking things over, maybe ordering a pair of the ones you found success with. Thanks!