Anyone heard the E.A.R. "Acute"?

Anyone with experience regarding newer Acute models ?

Thanks Jafant. Do you think the problems with EAR are more current or historical?

Thanks a lot Calvinj and Pdreher. Pdreher, which version of the Acute do you have? Would you mind sharing a bit more in terms of your listening impressions? Thanks again.

Thank you all for the information. I appreciate it and would like to hear more of the experiences of EAR owners. I have a great dealer (Jim Pendleton) here locally, and he has arranged an audition for me. He says that Dan Meinwald of EAR USA has always been very helpful and responsive. I called Dan as well, and he called me back promptly.

Thank you all for the information. I appreciate it and would like to hear more of the experiences of EAR owners. I have a great dealer (Jim Pendleton) here locally, and he has arranged an audition for me. He says that Dan Meinwald of EAR USA has always been very helpful and responsive. I called Dan as well, and he called me back promptly.

Thanks. Interested to know what you think. Were you unhappy with the stock tubes?

Thanks Rja!

Would you guys favor the one-box Acute spinner (there is supposedly a new one in the works) or the separate Dac4/Acute4 combo?

Rja and Calvinj, thank you for all that information. It is extremely helpful to me. I am excited about my audition of the DAC 4 in my system tomorrow. I will let you all know how it sounds. I am still struggling with whether to go with a separate DAC and transport or the one box piece. Assuming I like it, I could go with the DAC 4 and my current transport (Musical Fidelity A3.2). Then if I wanted to, I could get the Acute 4 transport later. Alternatively, the cheaper option would be to wait for the new one box player, but the timing of production and availability are not yet definite (hopefully before the end of the year).

Also, I wonder whether tube rolling is as much of an issue with their newer products?

Thanks Calvinj. Glad you are enjoying the new tubes! I guess I will need to learn a bit more about tube rolling if I get the EAR.

Thanks for the suggestion, Calvinj. Where do you get your tubes?

I tried the EAR DAC 4 in my system this weekend, compared to my TriVista21. That EAR does sound more analog. Areas in which it improved over my Trivista include bass articulation and tone, forward movement or pace of the music, involvement in the music, and purity of voices. I do still very much like my Trivista , but I can hear that the EAR is definitely better in those areas. Soundstage was similar. Slightly better resolution of fine detail with EAR. In my system, the EAR sounded more like my analog front end (comparing vinyl and cd of same music) than does the TriVista.

Thanks Calvinj and Rja. Much appreciated.

I have Transparent Ultra interconnects. I have just ordered the new Acute "5"/"Classic. Assembly has begun on this new CD/DAC, hope to get it by November. Once I have it and have lived with it a while, I'll start thinking about tubes. Any advice on cables for your Acute?

Thanks Rja. Will let you all know how it sounds once I have it.

Thanks Calvinj. Stay tuned.

I would also like to learn more about the tubes that have been tried in these CD players. Thanks.

Thanks BDP24. That is good to know! Also, I am learning a lot from the information regarding tube rolling. Thanks All.

Are Mullard's what he puts in his CD players/DACS?

Ok, thanks Bdp24.