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Thread: Latest arrival - Miyajima ETR Mono step-up transformer, and musings on the EAR 912

  1. #11
    Join Date: Mar 2016

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    I'm Adam.

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    Quote Originally Posted by montesquieu View Post
    Well I couldn't resist .. Miyajima ETR-Stereo SUT, arrived Saturday ready for me to play with on my return from Italy later that day. (Thanks Hugo for shepherding this through to me so quickly after ordering).



    Comments to come

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  2. #12
    Join Date: May 2014

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    I'm Martin.

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    Thanks Tom for such a fascinating read.....................although I would kill for just the 912 on its own.
    Pity in some ways that my Hovland MC is MC only as I think the MM version and a first class SUT would be able to extract far more from my modest Benz
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  3. #13
    montesquieu Guest

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    Have done a mini-review of the ETR-Stereo on its own thread https://theartofsound.net/forum/show...27#post1011427

  4. #14
    Join Date: Sep 2010

    Location: Nr Ashbourne, East Midlands, UK

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    I'm Mike.

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    Nice review Tom.
    Obviously with the wide range of cartridges the versatility of this is really helpful, and I guess this has more options than the settings of the EAR 912?
    Whilst the products from Miyajima are certainly good I don't think the KSW was a good match for any of the stereo cartridges, are you finding the versatility of the settings is allowing a more suitable match or do you suppose the Tx are potentially better?
    Any thoughts on how it would compare with the HM7s on the equivalent settings?
    Re pre amps there are a couple of models though from memory the interesting one didnt have CE certification (from memory)
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  5. #15
    montesquieu Guest

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Adams View Post
    Nice review Tom.
    Obviously with the wide range of cartridges the versatility of this is really helpful, and I guess this has more options than the settings of the EAR 912?
    Whilst the products from Miyajima are certainly good I don't think the KSW was a good match for any of the stereo cartridges, are you finding the versatility of the settings is allowing a more suitable match or do you suppose the Tx are potentially better?
    Any thoughts on how it would compare with the HM7s on the equivalent settings?
    Re pre amps there are a couple of models though from memory the interesting one didnt have CE certification (from memory)
    Yes it does have more options than the EAR - the EAR has four:

    x 30 step-up, giving a cartridge loading of 52 ohms into a 47k ohm phono stage (labelled 3 ohms, for low impedance cartridges)
    x 24 step-up, cartridge loading 82 ohms @47k (labelled 6 ohms)
    x 18 step-up, cartridge loading 145 ohms @47k (labelled 12 ohms)
    x 10 step-up, cartridge loading 470 ohms @47k (labelled 40 ohms)

    This is complemented by the attenuation option, which isn't really a setting, so much as a way of making sure the phono stage doesn't overload given the potential for massive gain.

    The ETR-Stereo (and the ETR-Mono, though with different values) by contrast has 4 input options and four output options giving a total of 16 possible combinations, that's before you add the trimming available from adjustable impedance and capacitance.

    I think the improvement I'm hearing is a combination of being able to tweak to find the 'perfect' match, and the fact that these dedicated SUTs are very high quality.

    As for the Hashimoto question, I'm hoping Adam (who bought my HM7s) will bring his over at some stage for a shootout.

    The preamp I'm looking at is the EC5 which has three phono inputs, two with trimmable input impedance - yet more options to play with ....

    Since your comments were really about the ETR-Stereo I'll copy this into that thread too ...

    As an aside BTW there's frequently a lot of nonsense talked online about the EAR 912. First of all that it's the same SUT as the EAR MC4 inside .. it isn't, the gain values are different for a start. Second that barring the adjustability it's the same internally as the much cheaper EAR 868P preamp and 88PB phono stage - this has been propagated by some quite illustrious commentators online, but is also wrong. The 868PL is a tube-FET hybrid along with the inductor in the phono stage (four tubes, two each section) the 912 has five tubes and an all tube + inductor phono stage. The phono sections are different designs.
    Last edited by montesquieu; 12-09-2018 at 10:38.

  6. #16
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Norwich

    Posts: 1,064
    I'm Mike.

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    That last para. about 912 misconceptions was worth knowing, Tom, as I thought the phono trannies were essentially the same as the MC4 (because I've read the same). What bothers me a little is that you're taking on board a seemingly very sophisticated and versatile stage where one of the great benefits of the 912 is the inclusion of two recognisably excellent ones. Presumably you're using a line in on the 912.

    After Superline and all the trimmings plus 552, I really cannot imagine another pre. which would (a) remove so many expensive boxes and cables, and (b) give such an uplift to so many sonic aspects on the three upper m/c cart's I've used with it. Even the 'umble VMS20E I've had knocking about for donkey's years was a revelation, even at 1g in a 14.5 g mass 12" tone-arm !

  7. #17
    montesquieu Guest

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Reed View Post
    That last para. about 912 misconceptions was worth knowing, Tom, as I thought the phono trannies were essentially the same as the MC4 (because I've read the same). What bothers me a little is that you're taking on board a seemingly very sophisticated and versatile stage where one of the great benefits of the 912 is the inclusion of two recognisably excellent ones. Presumably you're using a line in on the 912.

    After Superline and all the trimmings plus 552, I really cannot imagine another pre. which would (a) remove so many expensive boxes and cables, and (b) give such an uplift to so many sonic aspects on the three upper m/c cart's I've used with it. Even the 'umble VMS20E I've had knocking about for donkey's years was a revelation, even at 1g in a 14.5 g mass 12" tone-arm !
    One of the great benefits of the 'all integrated' EAR 912 is just how quiet it is for a valve preamp being fed by step-up transformers... the SUTs are integrated within the chassis in such a way that they are absolutely dead silent. It takes some very good cables and careful placement to approach this with any external SUT including the Miyajimas.

    It has indeed come as a surprise to me that it could be bettered upon, when I first got it it was that synergy as a single multi-capable device that sold me on it as much as anything else and I'm quite surprised at myself for heading in the other direction. Yes I am using the MM phono section of the EAR which is pretty special in its own right.

  8. #18
    Join Date: Feb 2013

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    I'm Grant.

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    Good write up Tom... much of it over my head and all over my payscale tho.

    You have some quality gear mate..
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  9. #19
    Join Date: Jan 2009

    Location: Essex

    Posts: 31,775
    I'm openingabottleofwine.

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    So will you be keeping the mono SUT for use with your mono cartridges, or will you use one channel of the stereo unit?
    Barry

  10. #20
    montesquieu Guest

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    Quote Originally Posted by Barry View Post
    So will you be keeping the mono SUT for use with your mono cartridges, or will you use one channel of the stereo unit?
    Two arms one for mono one for stereo, two SUTs, two inputs on the EAR.

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