Never Judge a Book...

[SteveH1960]

I bought an EAR 834P clone which needs 200 hrs burn in!!! So I wanted another phonostage to keep me going, so I bought this.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200612/c49aa1c12b28f035cce7a2688b3b3b53.jpg
Looks a bit of mess, it’s a Little Bear that has undergone a lot of of mods, I opted to buy it and then thought what have I done???? How wrong can you be, it’s a sweet sounding phono, I’ve had a few stages lately but this is a little gem.


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[Opti-cal]

Indeed some of the DIYers have really gone to town on the 'little bear' stage. If properly done (as it sounds like this one has been despite the looks!) they can really hold their own against some more exotic competition. Was this the one with all Mundorf Evo (white) caps by any chance?

I also have an EAR clone. Done the caps in that and put some proper tubes in and I'm more than happy with its performance.

Good find.

[scotty38]

I'm not being funny but why would you not just listen to the EAR from the start?

[SteveH1960]

It is the one with the white caps, it is so quiet. Just sorting out a new case for it. Did you have to burn in your EAR?


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[Opti-cal]

It is the one with the white caps, it is so quiet. Just sorting out a new case for it. Did you have to burn in your EAR?


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Burn in is a phenomenon, more on some equipment than others. It sounded good straight out the box, it was still enjoyable so worth listening to I would say. Maybe 20% more so after 20 hours or so. Might just have been me getting used to the sound of course.

To be honest I sent it off to Mr Firebottle for some very worthwhile tweaks early into my tenure anyway so wasn't really thinking about it.

Putting an ECC82 (12au7) in V3 position on the board is very worthwhile too.

Here she is running Ei 12ax7's and an RCA 12au7 in V3 position.

https://i.ibb.co/GsbwMJY/IMAG2618.jpg (https://ibb.co/mvMsyBZ)

[SteveH1960]

I’m very dubious about burning in, 200 hrs is a long time, could take me all year, the amount I use my main system, it doesn’t sound great at the moment, the chap who built it is adamant it needs the 200 hrs?? I’m sure there’ll be tweaks along the way.


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[Opti-cal]

I’m very dubious about burning in, 200 hrs is a long time, could take me all year, the amount I use my main system, it doesn’t sound great at the moment, the chap who built it is adamant it needs the 200 hrs?? I’m sure there’ll be tweaks along the way.


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Yes I understand the skepticism totally. Like I say I've heard it (or thought I have!) with some components and zilch improvement with others.

Hmmm, if it doesn't sound that good in your system from the get go I would be surprised if it improved to a satisfactory level assuming it even does 'burn-in'.

Sorry that's probably not what you wanted to hear but I've owned a couple of the EAR clones and I was amazed how they sounded out the box. Even though it is highly modified and probably sounds great I'd be surprised if a good EAR clone didn't best the 'little bear' or at least get close to it.

You say someone built it? I've only bought them factory assembled and then modified from there so possibly not comparing apples with apples here.

Is it the classic clone like this:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32811145998.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.3a29330 6CHSkRx&algo_pvid=a1063282-4824-420c-9a4e-36bca1dcbedd&algo_expid=a1063282-4824-420c-9a4e-36bca1dcbedd-44&btsid=0be3746c15919780021496747ecba9&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb 201603_

Or the updated version like mine here:?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Finished-MM-RIAA-Turntables-Ear834-Tube-Phono-Amplifier-12AX7-O-trannsformer/192265300740?hash=item2cc3e7ab04:g:puUAAOSwhURZggY R

[struth]

my quad vena required some burning in; especially the dac section which changed from mediocre to bloody good in a couple of months of running the whole amp

[SteveH1960]

Mines like the second one, but with the switch at the back, it’s vey veiled. I use a chap who sorts out my guitar amps, he’s the same, if it doesn’t sound good now, it won’t sound good in 200 hrs. I suppose I’ve got to go along with his advice. It’s a very well made piece of kit. I’ve ordered a reverse RIAA unit so I can run a CD player through it to sort it out !!!


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[Opti-cal]

Might be worth looking at the tubes in it too as these will definitely need to burn in if they are new.

I had one turn up with JJ tubes which were fine but were improved upon quite easily and another which had cheap chinese tubes in. Needless to say these went straight out.

If someone has built it for you I imagine he would have picked some okay tubes? Do you know what they are?

As I mentioned replacing V3 position with a 12au7 drops the noise floor significantly as well as other sonic improvements. I've had 'cheap' Electro Harmonix ones in there and they sounded great. NOS RCA's sound better though.

[Opti-cal]

my quad vena required some burning in; especially the dac section which changed from mediocre to bloody good in a couple of months of running the whole amp

I can well imagine that Grant. A modern integrated could well sound better after the various parts 'open-up' a bit since there are tons of caps/resistors etc in there which would all have been brand new (presumably).

[SteveH1960]

Struth, that helps, I don’t understand how electrical components need burning in,can you imagine the RAF taking delivery of new aircraft, sorry lads you need to run it for 200 hrs before you can take it out properly!!!!
I’ll stick with it, hoping it will be worth it.


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[SteveH1960]

Scotty, sorry missed your question, it’s sounds terrible. All the detail seems to be there, but with a thick blanket covering it, if that makes sense??


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[struth]

Might have a fault if as bad as that.

[walpurgis]

I had an 834P, a proper EAR one and wasn't that struck by it. I later bought a Graham Slee Era V Gold and tried that alongside it and the Slee ran circles around the EAR, which was then sold.

[SteveH1960]

I suppose I’ve got to put 200 hrs in it before I say it’s rubbish?


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[walpurgis]

I suppose I’ve got to put 200 hrs in it before I say it’s rubbish?

By the time you've put 200 hours on it, you'll have forgotten what anything else sounds like. :)

[hifi_dave]

Exactly.

In all my decades of using tens of thousands (maybe more) new pieces of equipment, I've never had anything which was so bad that I couldn't listen to it. If I did, it would be going straight back to whence it came. IMO, burn in improves things slightly, never night and day, so if it sounds kack from the start, it won't improve that much.

[enrae8]

I must say the little Bear punches above its looks:)

[enrae8]

Forgot to say the Clone needs something :scratch:

[SteveH1960]

I think I’ll take it to the electronics wizard I know, he’ll check it out for me. I have to say I tried it again on Saturday and it was better than the week before, I’ve had it switched on for a week with nothing connected??


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[struth]

positive sign it sounds a bit better

[scotty38]

Scotty, sorry missed your question, it’s sounds terrible. All the detail seems to be there, but with a thick blanket covering it, if that makes sense??


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No Worries Steve, I missed your reply :-)

I'd have been in the camp that if it sounds bad to start with it isn't going to miraculously become a world beater, I'd expect subtle change at best. I say this as I've seen your later posts saying it's getting better so fingers crossed for you...

[SteveH1960]

Well the clone has been happily burning itself in with my flac player, left on for 24/7 with music playing for about 75% of the day. The slight improvement hasn’t changed and will probably be that for the rest of its days, trying the return route on eBay, the builder is not pleased,” You didn’t buy to try it!” No, but I did buy it, and was told it would open up after 200hrs, it hasn’t!!!
You were right chaps!!!!


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[Macca]

Scotty, sorry missed your question, it’s sounds terrible. All the detail seems to be there, but with a thick blanket covering it, if that makes sense??


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If it was an EAR clone maybe that's how it's meant to be? I know that all EAR amps are supposed to be very different from each other but the two I've heard have been into blanket territory. Not a thick one though, they weren't that bad. But they were a bit syrupy. A phono stage was the same too.

[SteveH1960]

The EAR has been returned after much debating.
Thanks for your input.

Steve


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