Octal EAR 834P phono preamp

During my visit to NYC earlier this summer, my buddy Ding loaned me his home-brewed octal version of the EAR 834P phono preamp using 3 x 6SL7 octal tubes. Powering the preamp is a General Radio 1201-B tube regulated power supply.

Ding is not into boutique parts. Instead, he used carbon film resistors, mylar coupling capacitors and electrolytic caps gathered from Hamfests and surplus stores. Proper grounding and parts placement ensured a very quiet phono stage.

Traditional tube phono stages like the classic Dyna PAS 3 and Marantz 7 employed active RIAA EQ networks inserted in the negative feedback loop from the final stage to the input stage. In the 834P, Tim de Paravicini used active RIAA EQ with a clever twist - the EQ network is fed from the cathode follower output back to the second stage only. IMO, the benefits of this topology are: a 1st stage unimpeded by negative feedback, low noise and low output impedance.

I've been enjoying this phono stage so much that I'm inspired to build my own version. Good job, Ding!

Oblong PTP Lenco

DIY details at Lenco Heaven

The latest incarnation of my Lenco L75... looks nothing like.  An L78 platter is now stacked on top... Speed controller soon to follow...

 by Jeremy V.

Homebrewer - Jeremy V.

...chef from Surrey, UK

Homebrewer - Ding R.

Homebrewer - inspired by Sound Practices!

It has been a while since I saw my good friend Ding R. in Staten Island, NY. Hanging out at his listening room and evaluating his or my projects was part of my routine every time I had a gig in NYC while I was still based in the USA.

A few of his recent projects...

Siemens Bayern drivers in open baffles

Altec 805 horn + 291 + 515

Gray 103s tonearm on a TD124

Ding at the attic in '09...see you again soon!