PetRat HiFi

[jandl100]

Thanks for that, Peter.
I get the picture.

You'd probably prefer the EAR, Jerry

From both your and Jake's description of the Shindo, and my prior ownership and enjoyment of an EAR 802 pre-amp, I am sure you are right.

[User211]

I believe is has the same circuitry as the EAR 868PL I had Jerry. Should sound very similar.

I didn't keep the EAR 868PL as it wasn't ultimately to my tastes. Good preamp, though. Sure some would love it.

[petrat]

I believe is has the same circuitry as the EAR 868PL I had Jerry.

Nope, not quite ... see post 277.

[User211]

No SUTs in the 912's phono stage then? I just went to the website and it says very little.

EDIT - nope - it has SUTs as I thought. Cross post with below.

Anyway, enjoy. Looks awesome.

[petrat]

No SUTs in the 912's phono stage then? I just went to the website and it says very little.

Yes, Justin, the 912 has the MC4 SUTs built in (the 868 has the MC3s). The 912 has a different (all valve) phonostage to the 868's hybrid circuit. I owned an 868 for several years, so have experience of both. As I say at the bottom of post 277, the internet myth that the 868 is just a less-featured and repackaged 912 is not quite accurate. The line stage is the same, but the 868 has the hybrid (FET/valve) phonostage of the 88PB, whereas the 912 is a specially designed all-valve job. The EAR line-up can get rather confusing, not helped by a general lack of technical details on their website.

[Parkie37]

Well, firstly, the EAR is at the top of its product range, whereas the two Shindos I've had are bottom of their's. If money were no problem, I'd certainly be sat here with a top of the range Shindo system in front of me, as I love everything that they do. Unfortunately, I could never find, or afford, the Shindo power amp I craved .. or the speakers .. or the turntable

Basically, the challenge you have set is to describe two different 'house' sounds in words From everything I have heard, I think the way the two designers have 'voiced' their products is pretty consistent across their product lines, but they do have slightly different perspectives on what constitutes a 'correct' presentation. Of course, the 912 and the Monbrison are at about the same price point, and whether you chose one over the other would, as always, really be a matter of personal taste and system-matching, as they are both rather good.

You'd probably prefer the EAR, Jerry ... studio heritage gives it a slightly more analytical / forensic approach, together with a a more obvious engagement with the dynamics of the recording. The Shindos were a bit more subtle and holistic in their presentation, majoring on 'rightness' of tone/timbre, with a musical 'flow' that often just made me forget about the hifi. The 912 has a few more features, and has more flexibility for matching with other components (switchable SUTs, mono switch, isolating input/output transformers, XLRs, multiple outputs, etc), and maybe appeals more to the hifi enthusiast. Anyway, these last few weeks, I've been listening to more music than ever, so the 912/861 combo is clearly doing things right for me. I am also finding it is very catholic, in that it doesn't have me favouring certain genres and recordings ... sounds great whatever it is fed Yes ... finally ... end of the road

Wow, Peter that is great! End of the road....that is exactly what I am feeling at the moment with my new (old) setup. The flexibility and features of the 912 is quite impressive. I can imagine that that would really allow users to fine tune their setup to get the most out of it. Also, you mentioned the purchase as being cash neutral; that is exactly what I did in order to buy my setup. I had nothing remaining but speakers, turntable and DAC/Transport. I had even sold each and every interconnect to pay for it! But....in the end, you have ended up with something that "sounds great whatever it is fed". That sure sounds like and end game goal to me

[struth]

Be interesting to do a poll on members who feel they are at the end of their quest system wise.

[walpurgis]

Well I've not felt the need to change anything in the system for a few years. I know Hi-Fi and have heard much very expensive and acclaimed Hi-Fi, but I'm very happy with what I hear from my system. I very much doubt anybody else has the same setup or can guess the standard it achieves (apart from a mate who has a rather similar system....and who should be a member here, but won't bloody join).

[jandl100]

Be interesting to do a poll on members who feel they are at the end of their quest system wise.

Aye - it's something you read quite a lot on the hifi forums .... and then, often enough, the next bit of kit arrives.
For those of a boxswapper mentality, I think it is often part of the euphoria of the honeymoon period with a new piece of gear that works well. .... Wow, can it get better than this?! -- of course it can!

I seem to recall a thread called "I think I am finished". That was started some while back, and there have been about a zillion changes to that individual's system since then.
Some folks like to settle down with a system while others like to change it around a bit to experience different presentations. Nothing wrong with either approach, imo.

And sometimes even a rabid boxswapper reaches the end of the road for a certain component. My MBL speakers are that. I just can't imagine that happening for my whole system, though.

[petrat]

Well, I've had both my CD player and speakers for over 5 years now, so there's hope!

I think the main system is pretty much finished now. I really can't afford the only real upgrade that I crave ... an Io Ltd ... and, although reel-to-reel keeps calling my name, the lack of software puts me off. I suppose a possibility might be a decent streamer/dac thingy, but I'm in way too deep with CDs and LPs to bother.

A lot of people seem to end up satisfying their box-swapping urges by playing around with a second system ... myself included. But, given my rapidly diminishing and finite time on this planet, I'm beginning to wonder what is the point of listening to an inferior system, when there is a better one in the other room?

Maybe time to get another hobby? I noticed quite a few of the original Wammers took up photography once they'd reached the end of the road with their hifi (or the end of their budget ) ... same potential for equipment swapping and hoarding, I guess? I suppose it could be a healthier hobby, as at least it gets you out and about? OTOH, maybe nowadays it mostly consists of staring at a computer screen, playing with photoshop?