Ear 834 with Harbeth P3ESRs

[IHP]

Hi All,

Not posted for a while, been distracted from Hi Fi for a bit !

Just wondering if anyone has any views on the EAR 834 integrated, particularly with the Harbs as above ? It certainly looks pretty !

Thx.

[hifi_dave]

Works really well as a combination and why not ?

[petrat]

I had a pair of the previous generation Harbeth P3 mini-monitors for a few years and tried all sorts of amps with them. By FAR the best partner was a 40 watt valve push-pull amp, which delivered staggering results from such small speakers. In my case, it was a Croft series 4 amp with 6550 valves, but although I no longer have the Harbeths or the amp, I do run an EAR534 (power amp version of the 834) and can confirm it would be a lovely match. TdP's implementation of EL34s gives a tad less of the 'mid-range lushness' sometimes associated with EL34 valves, and is a bit tighter and drier, whilst still giving that 'palpability' thing with voices. A couple of tips, if I may .. biggest improvement was using open-frame stands with the Harbs (Something Solid, high enough to bring up to ear level, and only contacting on the corners of the speaker) ... and be sure to try both the 4 and 8 ohm taps on the valve amp.

[IHP]

Thanks both. Interesting comments Peter. Looks like I'm going to be fortunate enough to borrow before I buy.

[petrat]

So, you keeping it? :eyebrows:

[IHP]

So, you keeping it? :eyebrows:

Hi Peter,
Yes, I’d agreed to buy it within 3 hours of plugging it in. It is wonderful, I can’t do reviews but it sounds bang on (there’s your review !). I will say that part of the reason I bought it was the price, it was a comparative steal being sold on by a friend in the spirit of all things Hi-Fi and friendship.
The only other truly stunning amplification I’ve had with the Harbeths was a Croft 25R pre and 7 Power. Now is the EAR better than this combination at twice the RRP ? In my humble no it is not, both are wonderful in their own right, and do slightly different things.
In essence I had the Harbs and a Leak 20 (with Eastern Electric Minimax pre) which just didn’t quite have the juice to do the speakers justice. Then the EAR popped up and all is happy. Had the Croft combination turned up instead I’d have pounced as quickly. The thing is neither turn up on the used market very frequently, always a bit of a marker that !
Anyway, wonderful amp and I’ve always hankered after owning an EAR and got very lucky. Good supplementary heating source too. Sorry I’m unable to do the review thing, words are just words anyway, if it sounds just right then you know, and it does.
I’ll bear in mind your stands advice Peter. I’ve gone quite the other way and have a pair of rather nice looking 300mm square oak beam sections.

[petrat]

Hey, that sounds like a result!
I mentioned the 4 and 8 ohm transformer taps because the Harbies I had were rated as 6 ohm, and I found that on some amps they were better on the lower setting, others the higher ... there seemed to be no rhyme or reason iirc ... probably more about the transformer quality than the power rating maybe.
Actually, I still miss the little blighters.
Must not start a second system, must not start a second system, must not ... :nono: