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

The talk of the build quality in EAR products might be the result of Paravicini's distain for audiophile-approved boutique brand "magic" parts. That's he talking, not I. Don't blame the messenger!

Rja, you are so right about Meinwald rep-ing great brands. Beside EAR, he does Townshend (the Rock turntable, etc.), Helius (pickup arms and table), and Marten (loudspeakers). His system is always one of the very best at Hi-Fi shows too.

Tim doesn't put "boutique" parts in EAR products not to save money, but because he doesn't find they lead to better sound or greater reliability. What he DOES do is use parts with voltage ratings that exceed the voltages the parts will see in the circuit they are used in.

Two other designer/manufactures who share Tim's view on this subject are Roger Modjeski and Frank Van Alstine, both known for offering products with very high price-to-performance ratios. There are some other companies selling higher priced electronics that never-the-less contain parts with voltage ratings barely meeting what the circuits they are used in call for, leading to those products less-than-stellar reliability record.

In the 1970's Frank Van Alstine had the stones to offer a slight redesign of the pre-amp everyone considered THE pre-amp to own, the Audio Research SP-3. In his writings he explained exactly what his circuit changes did (improved the SP-3's linearity, improved the phono stage's low-frequency overload characteristics and corrected it's slight RIAA EQ curve inaccuracy--- main priorities in Frank's designs), and why the SP-3 needed those changes. It proved that, though Bill Johnson was a fine designer, he wasn't omnipotent!

I talked to Tim at the recent T.H.E. Show, and he told me Mullard's are his favorite tubes.

Arsh---No, Mullards are no longer being produced (if they are, new ones are not the ones Tim was speaking of. He was very dismissive of current-production tubes in general), I don't believe. You have to get them from a vintage tube dealer if you want them. What tubes he puts in his player/DACS I don't know.