Founding EAR
Esoteric Audio Research Ltd was established in England in 1976 with the EAR 509, a 100 watt valve monoblock power amplifier. The product was a balance of performance, reliability, size and cost which is why it is still in production today. The power amplifier left a solid foundation to design future EAR products. Since that time, there has been a full range of product built under this original philosophy. Ranging from studio recording equipment that captures the sound, through to recreating that sound in your living room.
Heritage
Built on the founder’s values, EAR products have a history of winning a long list of awards in a range of different product categories. These accolades are through the high-level care towards design and building of products. Values that have never changed. Leaving lasting products that customers have enjoyed over the years. Designed for those who want the very best in sound, these luxurious products have gained a great reputation on merit and are back up with great servicing and repair. The iconic vision that Tim has succeeded in creating has a strong presence, reaching all corners of the globe.
Tim de Paravicini
Bio – Tim starting work in custom designed products for rock and roll bands from as early as 1965, where he gained direct experience to the audio world. He spent time his early adult life developing, modifying and repairing existing studio equipment and audio products. Some of that time was spent in South Africa before having an opportunity to work in Japan for Lux Corporation in 1972. During his time at the Osaka based brand, Tim developed C1000/M6000 pre/power amp combination as well as the 3045 valve mono block with a custom output valve the 8045 power tube.
Along the way, he has picked up a few awards including a Grammy for sound quality and has been highly recognised by the audio community for his work in the audio industry.
Handmade in England
All products are assembled at our production facility in Cambridgeshire, England which enables us to have full control over production quality. Production engineers are highly familiar with the products with the average experience exceeding 10 years with EAR Yoshino. Each product is built from start to finish by a single engineer, fabricating a personal touch to the product that is closer to reassembling craftsmanship than the anonymous mass produced objects we have all become too familiar with. EAR’s high-end products are built from the finest materials and supplies possible. We strive to source parts locally as it enables us to partner closely with suppliers and have tight control on quality, all while reducing our transportation impact.
Valves or Vaccum tubes can be fickle things but with our extensive experience we believe we have a better understanding than most. When designed carefully they can produce a great deal of joy from their output whilst maintaining high reliability. Allowing users to leverage the great sound they produce without the drawbacks normally associated with valves. Being a mature developed technology, they are much more timeless that you would normally associate with electronics. We like to think they are more related to mechanical products like a finely crafted swiss watch.
