[robinje]

The Ear+ Purist HD kit in the queue is mine! I can't wait to get it and start putting it together. The instructions appear to be VERY thorough, which is good because I have no kit building experience. The most electronics work I have done is solder some pickups into an electric guitar. I could have afforded to have Lloyd assemble it, but I wanted to experience the "putting it together" process. If it doesn't work I will rely on my existing Ray Samuels HR-2 to get me through while Lloyd fixes my mistakes! Anyway, I ordered red with black side panels, so it should look pretty cool!

 

[DonSherman]

I got my amp a few days ago, and love it with the supplied tubes.I use it with Beyer DT880's and listen mostly to classical muic. Now(today) I am on 2 weeks vacation, and did not take the amp with me! So I listen to music on my notebook computer, using its not too bad headphone output. My next amp may be a portable amp, but since I take my notebook computer with me when I travel with my digital camera,I may just stick to my very small notebook computer(Fujitsu P5010) as a sound source and diigital photo computer. Not sure how much a portable amp may offer when I travel.I hope you all enjoy your Mapletree amp as much as I do.

 

[tuatara]

Quote:

Originally Posted by augustwest There is also a gold model shown there too, which looks quite stunning. < http://hollowstate.netfirms.com/mapletreebranches1.pdf > - augustwest

Shows how old and slow I'm getting. Stated in an earlier post that my HD100 was yellow, but its gold as in the version in the link above but with the dark oak panels, and yes it does look quite stunning.

Re 5751 tubes, I've been using an RCA Command the last few weeks and quite happy with it until a copy of Linda Perhacs cd Parallelograms arrived and I struck some problems with a slight harshness on some of the higher vocal notes. I ended up switching to the 225s from the RS1s to be more comfortable with the sound but the other day switched the RCA tube for a Tung Sol 5751 and problem solved. Vocals edges now gone but the highs seem just as extended as before. The bass if anything feels to be deeper but still tuneful and controlled while the mids are just beautiful..the acoustic guitar and vocals very seductive.
I wasn't expecting such a difference as the Command series has a good reputation, however I'll suspend final judgement on the Tung Sols all over value until I've thrown abit more music at it.
There's certainly nothing fancy about the Tung Sol, just a 2 mica grey plate but maybe one to keep in mind if you enjoy female vocals, acoustic music.

Looks like I'll have to start rolling some more of the tubes I've stacked away and see what other delights are awaiting.

 

[scrypt]

Though I'm the owner of the original EAR+ with separate balance and volume, I did have Dr. L. perform special upgrades and restorations just before Ye Olde Warranty petered. Since my geezer now contains Auricaps and Black Gates which are comparable to your young'un's, perhaps I'll peel off a few dusty recollections from my otherwise fossilized lobes.

The EAR series was thought to pair well with Grados partly because they favored low-impedence phones. Lloyd has always argued against this idea; so have I (though, admittedly, I haven't experienced the vaulted Antique Soundlabs synergy with Senns). I do love RS-1s with the EAR; on the nether hind, MS2s become urethra-shreddingly bright.

As a preamp, I find the EAR+ to be perfect for lusterless solid state amps. It brought such sparkle and clarity to my then-pedestrian Technics integrated that I couldn't believe my good fortune when I first brought it home from the Poke Orifice.

Sadly, I can't say the same for its synergy with brighter solids and speakers, especially my Arcam A85 and B&W 602s: I've assigned the EAR to the Arcam's tape out for most sources. Though I listen to my turntable through the EAR without Arcam's intervention, its current preamp skills languish (sputter, creak).

In terms of color schemes for the EAR, I tend to favor the red. Someday, my beaty-blushed wood-pre will reside comfortably in my Stendhalian bedroom (with its theme of scarlet and black). Until then, it manages to fascinate most of my clients by glowing and gilding my otherwise sallow living room. (Budget studio musicians take note: the ruddiest-hued EAR pairs well with Tannoy Reveals aurally and visually.)