Is Coincident Statement Phono pre-amp an overkill
Well two different camps have emerged, both are rational. Personally I wouldn't waste time with buying .the EAR phono stage(when you aspire for better). Get the best now and gradually bring your other components to this same high standard over time. As Onhyw61 said earlier, this isn't a race. Brett(Isochronism), you and I think alike in this matter. Nice thread. Charles, |
I love spending other people's money. ;-) Clearaudio Concept TT $1400 Concept MM cartridge $250 Coincident Dragons (used) $5000 (?) Triode TRX-1 Preamp $3000 Vienna Acoustics Haydn $900 Pyle pro phono amp $15 Where are the weak links? Spend $4500 on a Coincident Phono stage, or spend $895 on a EAR 834P (upgrade that $15 phono stage) and put the $3500 towards your next pair of speakers? I know what I would do. Regards, |
Metralla, You point out the imbalanced quality of components and I agree. Getting the EAR is not an upward/final destination choice, it just fits in with the current analog level. To use a sports analogy, draft the best athlete/player you can get. Make this draft pick your foundation and build round him with other good players (a rising tide philosophy). I'd get the great player (Coincident) rather than the lesser player (EAR) that just satifies a vacant slot temporarily. But I do understand your reasoning as well. The Coincident phono +the Dragon mono blocks = two very impressive building blocks for the very long term. Charles, |
Charles1dad, In researching my answer I read the Stereophile review of the Tim De Paravacini phono stage. The EAR 834P has been around for a very long time. The review is originally from 1997 and is a good review; but what I was quite impressed by was the story of Carl Marchisotto (Alon, now Nola) using the EAR between his Phalanx/Poseidon speakers with Audio Research electronics, and a VPI TNT 'table with a JMW Memorial arm and a Clearaudio Insider cartridge. Now Carl is no fool when it comes to show demos and could have used a much more expensive phono stage there. But there we had the $900 phono stage in a $125,000 system. http://www.stereophile.com/phonopreamps/797ear/ I am extending your analogy. Now is not the time to lash out on a superstar. Now is the time to buy a great player for a lot less money, perhaps one who is a little long in the tooth and near the end of his career; but who will fit in with the team in the position where there is weakness, and really give the team a solid boost. Shades of "Moneyball". Meanwhile, keeping most of the money in the bank for that next star player that you really need. Hey, all in fun. Regards, |
