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EAR 912 impression

To continue my previous thread on Ayre and DartZeel combo, I stumbled across EAR 912 full function pre amp.

Stereophile and Postive Feedback had both reviewed the pre and Positive Feedback gave it the highest recommendation. I am not crazy about the styling, but I like it better than ARC Ref 3 by a mile. EAR also offers flexible input and output, the output is wired with tranny which is very rare in high end audio pre if not unique. Phono section is also super flexible.

I heard it in a system that was completely new to me and system consisted of Gryphon Colosseum, Gryphon Mirage, Viola CDP, and Gryphon Atlantis. The room was filled with gears and speakers, I did not have any CD I was familiar with either. Compared to Gryphon Mirage, Mirage was a tad more transparent, soundstage was a bit wider, and that was all I could make out. EAR did not have as much air as I expected, I also thought the top end extension could be improved but the machine was stone cold. Bass and dynamic extension were like what Positive Feedback described, big and bold. Midrange, like bass, was ready to jump out and had plenty of details.

I really could not make out more in that 20 min of audition. Since I am still on my oversea assignment, I don't have my main system with me to compare to (SF Line 3SE+). What are your opinions of this fine pre amp? How does the phono stage compares to SOTA phono like Einstein, BAT VK-P10SE, or ASR?

Any input is appreciated.
semi
pani
1,219 posts
 
I was considering EAR 912 very strongly too. The other competitor was Audio Note M5/M6. I had auditioned the M6 and loved it. But EAR 912 had a very good built in phonostage so it seemed to be a more attractive option. I finally got to audition it and guess what, it is no more on my wishlist. To my ears, as you mentioned, it lacks air. It lacked delicacy and nuances, a very matter of the fact presentation. Dynamics were big but not effortless. When I played a live recording, the audience applause and did not have the organic quality to it. I would call this preamp dry sounding. 

Check out ARC Ref3 or Audio Note M5 or Air Tight ATC-2 in that price range for more organic presentation. 
pani
1,219 posts
 
CJ preamps are also very good in terms of tone, timbre and dynamics. Moreover it has a proven record of sounding good with non-CJ amps. 
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,816 posts
 
For anyone not having $12,000 for the EAR 912, the EAR 868 is pretty much the same pre-amp, but without all the controls and meters. And it's a lot cheaper. Looks better too, with the cool EAR chrome faceplate.
montesquieu
22 posts
 
The 868 isn’t the same, similar line stage perhaps but a hybrid FET-tube phono stage as opposed to all tube LR phono stage, 4 tubes in the unit vs 5 and you lose the flexibility. Some misinformation out there that these are the same, but they aren’t. 
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,816 posts
 
Yeah, I was speaking in terms of the line stage only. I run a Herron phono stage into one of the inputs on the 868L.
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