Does EAR324 phono stage sound like tubes ?

Opus88: Yes, the user's manual is in lack of some useful information usually provided by other manufacturers.

Nolitan: the internal SUT proves to be a decent one. I used it for MY Sonic Lab Ultra Eminent BC, ZYX Omega-S Low, Shelter 901, Denon DL-103SA,etc, with rather satisfactory results. Comparing to other exotic SUTs (may cost more or less another 88PB now!!)and to be very very picky, the internal SUTs in 324/88PB is marginally weaker in bandwidth, detail retrieval, micro-dynamics, soundstaging...but, pls remember, it's NOT fair to compare this way. EAR's internal SUTs "usually" delivers a tad of transformer's warmth, a bit more body of instruments, particularly suitable for LOMC carts which sound just a little bit cool or thin, IMHO.

Shsohis: Agree. 324 is definitely a solid state phono, revealing but never analytical and harsh in the systems I heard. I believe Lyra Helikon with 324 should be a very happy marriage;)

VBR
Dan

Dan

Many thanks for the post. I think you answered most of my concern. Its really now a matter of going w/ either the tube or solid state counterpart of the EAR.

You are welcome. But remember my opinion is just another opinion. There are a lot of decent phono amps on the market. As long as you understand their strengths and weaknesses, sonic signatures or compatibilities(no matter how you call it), I believe you will soon get what you are looking for.

Good luck
Dan

i agree dan-i think it boils down to synergy

I came across this thread because I have been interested in the EAR 324 for use with a myriad of vintage MM and MI cartridges that I want to audition. The front panel controls for capacitance and resistive loading would be very useful in that regard. In reviewing published reviews of the 324, I came across two "disturbing" comments: (1) John Atkinson measured rather poor overload characteristics for the inputs at frequencies below 100Hz (distortion went sky high at inputs above 5mV, which would easily be reached by any MM cartridge), and he suggested that an MM cartridge might well overload the stage and induce such distortion, and (2) after praising his demo unit, Ken Kessler let it drop at the end of his review that he thought the 324 was a tad "grainy". Have any of you guys experienced either phenomenon, or do you know whether or how TdP addressed the overload "problem"? Thanks.

By the way, a 7DJ8 is naught but a 6DJ8/6922 with a different filament voltage requirement (7V instead of 6V), as far as I know.