EAR 834 Integrated Amplifier

EAR 834 Integrated Amplifier

Parallel push-pull class A circuit

50 watts / channel into 4 / 8 / 16 ohm

Happy into any load; push-pull from input to output

Low overall feedback; output damping factor – 12 

KT66 or 6L6 or EL34 output tubes

2 – ECC83; 2 – ECC85

Self-biasing

Six (6) line inputs / 1 tape output

Designed in 1994

Winner of the Absolute Sound Golden Ear Award – 1999

Serial Number is 04 1296.

I had occasion to run into the designer himself … in the company of Dan Meinwald (the USA distributor of EAR products).  I had recently acquired a pair of rebuilt Quads Unlimited Quad 57 Electrostatic loudspeakers … wonderful speakers indeed, but a difficult impedance load to drive.  There is much debate about the best amp for the Quads.  So I asked, “Which of your amps do you recommend for a pair of Quad 57s?” 

The immediate answer from both gentlemen:  The EAR 834.

Those with some background in this hobby of ours know that Tim de Paravicini has long been an admirer of Quad Electrostatics, and was engaged by Quad to update the Quad II Classic amplifier (in addition to some other valve models.) 

This EAR 834 amplifier is in excellent condition.  It looks good (see pictures) and it sounds just superb.  It is very powerful … 50 watts per channel in triode is powerful indeed.  This EAR 834 comes with eight (8) KT-66 output tubes. (I love this output tube.)  It also comes with Telefunken small signal tubes under the hood. 

The amp drives the Quad 57s with ease … providing a well controlled, balanced, and tonally rich sound, with outstanding imaging.  The sound is big … even with Quads.  Moreover, with this amp the Quads provide bass of astonishing speed and accuracy down to 50hz.  I’ve also matched the EAR 834 with several dynamic loudspeakers … always with truly fine results.  The EAR 834 model is a winner of the Absolute Sound’s Golden Ear Award.  It is self-biasing.  It is dead quiet.  You turn it on and never think about it again.

Full Disclosure:  When it was shipped to me a little over a year ago it didn’t sound ‘right.’  It sounded OK but certainly not amazing.  The seller had represented that the amp was in perfect condition.  After about a week one of the channels stopped working.  Something was wrong (duh!).  I live in Southern California so I took it to Mitch Singerman (tech extraordinaire, provides warranty work for EAR gear, and a famous mod for the EAR 834 phono stage) and had Mitch give the amp the once over.  Mitch reported that one of the output tubes was bad … and had taken out a few resisters.  He reported that it’s not uncommon when units with sizable output tubes are shipped … that the output tubes are quite sensitive to the jarring and impacts, and that the internals occasionally ‘break’ during the shipment.  Then the buyer puts the output tubes back into the amp thinking everything is fine.  But if a tube is compromised during shipment, it will then fail with consequential impact to the electronics.  EAR amps are designed and manufactured to be very stable and this tube failure had little impact … Mitch was able to fix it easily and inexpensively by replacement of a few resisters.  I had him check everything in the amp and it received a clean bill of health … and when I took it home, it sounded incredible. 

The amplifier has the original tube cages in a separate box … I never used them.

Why am I selling?  Because I’m an audiofool and enjoy substituting different equipment into my different systems.   I have six amps right now … at least two amps too many.  So it’s time to pass this unit on to another audio guy.  This is a seriously musical amp … 

I’ve got perfect feedback here and on ebay under WKAngle.  If you’re in the Los Angeles basin, you should come down to Orange County and listen to the amp.

Amplifier is located in Orange County, CA and ships from 92806.