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I just wanted to share my build and experience with these EAR 834P Clone builds. I put it here since it's not a true DIY build but more of a highly upgraded/Mods build that you can use straight into a amp due to the Pot is has in it.But I wanted share a nice little device that has made my Phono preamp journey a lot shorter in times of break in, I didn't want to spin a lot LP's to burn in this really preamp. More on that in a few.
Just background, I have purchase the pre-built EAR 834P clone to see how it really sound, I had the chance to hear the REAL EAR 834P years ago and it was really nice but never really had the chance to have one in my system. So I have one completely built Clone 834P with separate Phono preamp and Power Supply chassis. Its sound good but there was some sort of messiness to the sound so I knew that was due to the components that came in place on the PCB's, chinese brand caps and components that may not have been up to snuff and had to go. Then I had purchased two additional Zhili bare PCB's. I originally purchased one PCB back when Covid just started and I had the time to start populating the PCG's but went back to work so never got the chance t finish so I just bought a completed one off Ebay.
So I upgrade and tweaked the Completed Clone unit but I built a 3rd Zhili pcb with all out parts from Mouser and Digikey (So hard to find components now). I Also put some Jensen Copper foil PIO caps and way better resistors. I also installed some really nice EPCOS Caps in the power supply and phono pcb. This 834P has a TKD VC and was way better than the ALPs it came with.
Last Friday I put the Power Supply in the Clone Chassis to make sure it worked properly before I installed the latest Phono Preamp with Jensen caps, Passed the smoke test and measurements. Installed the Phono pcb and that too passed all the measurements and tests.
So now to why I'm writing this post. I bought awhile back a Jim Hagerman iRIAA2 - Inverse RIAA Filter to speed up the break in process on my Phono preamps. This device is awesome and I have been running my streaming through it to the EAR 834P, it been crazy listen to it in real time through my system and hearing how it's started out to where it is today sound wise. At first the 834p Clone sound ok, but after a few hours I could hear the changes starting. But the next morning it was way better. So as of today this EAR 834P clone is really really sounding nice and finally have the phono preamp I always wanted but at a smaller price tag then what I really wanted was BAT VK-P10.
It really match up well with my other gear in my system. So I hope this may help out others that want a nice Phono preamp on the cheap and with some upgrades and mods can have a really nice sounding Phono preamp that can connect directly to a power amp.
here is a pic of the final PCB build that's about 80% complete to give an example of the build. When the break in process is complete I will take some more of the final build to share.
Edits: 12/09/24
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Topic - EAR 834P Clone Build. - Cougar 10:06:07 12/09/24 (61)
- I have to nitpick - Tre' 16:49:30 12/16/24 (6)
- I had to sleep on this one - 1973shovel 05:24:01 12/17/24 (5)
- RE: I had to sleep on this one - Tre' 07:56:30 12/17/24 (4)
- RE: I had to sleep on this one - Cougar 16:18:30 12/17/24 (3)
- Yes, the filter is very useful. - Tre' 19:55:40 12/17/24 (2)
- I had Jim's "FILTER"... - Cougar 15:29:18 12/18/24 (1)
- I believe that while Tre' does have a point - 1973shovel 06:39:40 12/19/24 (0)
- Isn't that phono still produced and protected under IP law? (nt) - Wojciech 11:57:27 12/15/24 (43)
- How long do patents last? - Tre' 16:35:25 12/16/24 (14)
- But it's still offered by the maker and available from dealers no? - Wojciech 17:00:50 12/16/24 (13)
- RE: But it's still offered by the maker and available from dealers no? - Wojciech 17:14:04 12/16/24 (12)
- I thought you were talking about the EAR? - Tre' 18:00:41 12/16/24 (11)
- Of course we are talking about the EAR . I don't believe it was ever patented - Wojciech 18:41:15 12/16/24 (10)
- "trade and right of the maker laws" - Tre' 08:30:30 12/17/24 (9)
- I know that - Wojciech 08:53:20 12/17/24 (8)
- Isn't That EAR 834P... - Cougar 16:22:22 12/17/24 (4)
- There is hardly anything new in tube circuits for decades now - Wojciech 16:39:38 12/17/24 (3)
- And here is mine.... - Cougar 10:21:26 12/21/24 (2)
- RE: And here is mine.... - Wojciech 12:17:39 12/21/24 (1)
- There is two .... - Cougar 07:09:24 12/22/24 (0)
- "rip off" - Tre' 10:40:31 12/17/24 (2)
- is there anything patentable about Reference Audio research preamp ? - Wojciech 11:03:59 12/17/24 (1)
- I don't know - Tre' 11:53:13 12/17/24 (0)
- Which country's IP law? (nt) - AbeCollins 09:32:27 12/16/24 (27)
- Right ! there is only one country IP's law worth protecting - Wojciech 09:57:01 12/16/24 (26)
- Call the IP Police ! - AbeCollins 11:06:11 12/16/24 (25)
- Why would I call the police ? I have one (real knock off) as well - Wojciech 11:44:39 12/16/24 (24)
- And now you're the "taste police" too ? - nt - AbeCollins 14:54:01 12/16/24 (23)
- Nope , I just think that you're needlessly being a dick which is not in your nature - Wojciech 15:11:17 12/16/24 (22)
- And now the personal attacks and insults - nt - AbeCollins 07:10:26 12/17/24 (21)
- OK, I was wrong about you. - Wojciech 07:55:57 12/17/24 (20)
- Keep it up. You're doing great ! - AbeCollins 08:16:49 12/17/24 (19)
- I know I do. - Wojciech 09:16:48 12/17/24 (18)
- My reputation? Carry on with your insults - AbeCollins 09:53:02 12/17/24 (17)
- Boiling over? What? Your silly claims you can't support ? - Wojciech 11:07:49 12/17/24 (16)
- Keep it up! I'm enjoying your discomfort - nt - AbeCollins 14:27:44 12/17/24 (15)
- Nah, I ran out of ideas ;0) - Wojciech 15:10:45 12/17/24 (14)
- Don't concede now! We're just getting started... - AbeCollins 22:32:02 12/17/24 (13)
- RE: Don't concede now! We're just getting started... - Wojciech 05:50:37 12/18/24 (12)
- Sorry, but - E-Stat 12:56:58 12/18/24 (11)
- Nope - Wojciech 14:44:59 12/18/24 (10)
- I'm - E-Stat 14:54:09 12/18/24 (9)
- I'm getting tired - Wojciech 15:27:53 12/18/24 (8)
- Don't have an answer to the question - E-Stat 15:41:01 12/18/24 (7)
- You don't have to have an answer - Wojciech 15:50:29 12/18/24 (6)
- Are you daft - E-Stat 15:53:34 12/18/24 (5)
- What specific question was that? - Wojciech 16:52:32 12/18/24 (4)
- Ok - E-Stat 17:02:12 12/18/24 (3)
- Tony Evans , the maker of expensive phonostages - Wojciech 17:29:19 12/18/24 (1)
- Products survive - E-Stat 17:34:33 12/18/24 (0)
- Phono stages and line stages are full of tinny J-fets with logical color codes - Wojciech 17:14:52 12/18/24 (0)
- Updated Photo Of Completed PCB. - Cougar 07:31:21 12/11/24 (4)
- RE: Updated Photo Of Completed PCB. - AbeCollins 07:12:44 12/12/24 (3)
- After I bought the.... - Cougar 08:58:22 12/12/24 (2)
- RE: After I bought the.... - AbeCollins 09:09:50 12/12/24 (1)
- That was a really nice.... - Cougar 15:46:56 12/12/24 (0)
- Excellent! I once owned the EAR 834P MC/MM - AbeCollins 12:47:36 12/09/24 (4)
- The EAR I have done... - Cougar 13:09:52 12/09/24 (3)
- RE: The EAR I have done... - AbeCollins 17:59:36 12/09/24 (2)
- You are correct! - Cougar 11:15:06 12/10/24 (1)
- RE: You are correct! - AbeCollins 14:11:11 12/10/24 (0)