The Next Batch: EC/SS - (Eventual Impressions) - Page 2

On the TTVJ "order update" email that said it shipped, it said my order date was November 11, 2006

What a long time to wait....but I believe it'll be VERY worth it!

Can anyone provide a measurement of the EC/SS dimensions?

You can measure mine in 2 weeks at the Int'l Meet! I am really looking forward to hearing this little beastie with the new opamp and have been sorely tempted to buy some RS-1s because Craig and Todd have been saying how amazing they are with the amp.

Ryan and Absorbine Sr. -- After the big Meet, I'd be happy to arrange something with you guys if you want to borrow the amp for comparo and nobody close by has one. Let me know by PM...

Now, just how quickly could that package arrive...

Sorry Al, but I can no longer make it to the Int'l Meet; my parents decided to visit me that weekend, and it's not something that I can put off

I had an EC/SS for about a week or so, but never actually measured it.

EC/SS (rough visual guess)

6.5L X 4W X 1.75H

Hope this holds you over until someone breaks out the ruler.

Pretty close for memory! My original measures 7.25" long (including the power toggle in the rear and the knob in front), 4.75" wide and 2.5" high including feet.

Hope that helps!
A_Sr.

OK, mine arrived today. Plugged it in, let it warm up about an hour with music, then did some quick initial listening....bear in mind these are very short impressions, based on about 3/4 the CD of Ani Difranco "Up Up Up Up Up Up"

First immediate impression: GREAT detail and ability to bring the innermost information out to the listener. Does this without sounding harsh, though my Ultrasone Proline 750's were a tiny bit glaring. I listened with AKG 271S's with RAL cable, and no harshness.

Soundstage is pretty big, about the same or a slight bit smaller than the Heed I believe; may have to do some more listening on both to confirm.

Seems pretty neutral from top to bottom. Bass isn't as strong as the Heed, but is still good and very tight; it may actually be more realistic, as none of my other systems seem to have the bass the Heed does. Dynamics and impact very good.

This amp seems to take the whole picture in, and lay it out in nice detail. I heard some detail and spatial cues on the song "Angel Food" that I don't think I've heard before.

It's odd, sometimes I think this is a little more closed in and in your face, but then some piece of the song comes up and the soundstage seems huge.

Only about 35-40 minutes of listening, so a lot of burn in and more music and phones to try. If someone doesn't beat me to it, I'll try and get pics up tomorrow.

I think those who are getting these will really enjoy them!

More to come....

I didn't take into account the volume, connectors, and feet. I just visualized the chassis. Close, but no cigar!


Wow skullguise you got it super quick… Congrats!

Thanks for sharing those immediate impressions right out of the box. I can't wait to hear more of your thoughts after more time logged. PICS!

Pics.....

Here are some pics (stuff on volume knob is just dust). The dimensions are ~7.5" long (including volume knob and switches on back) x ~5.25" wide x ~2.25" tall (with feet).

The front/back/sides are a textured metal, quite smooth to the touch. I would say it is definitely black and gray, not really sure how the blue-ish tone came into TTVJ web site pics. It comes with a heavy duty wall wart, htough I THOUGHT is said 15V on the wart (and the back says 16V). Need to re-check that, but it's behind my equipment rack in the bedroom now so not quickly accessible.

Won't have much time today or tomorrow to listen, the wife made plans for us but I'll try and run some music through it to help burn-in.

Wow, that looks like a baby zana, very nice on the metal. The circuit itself looks pretty different from the original EC/SS run. The biggest difference is what appears to be a DC servo on the new version. I believe that was necessary to stabilize the use of the ad811 video amp, Craig has also mentioned that the best sounding opamps all have some DC offset issues, so basically this new version should be able to run whatever opamp you plug in hopefully. Here is a pic of the old version:

weird, my post doesn't show up from the initial amp forum - strange

What do those 2 LEDs in each channel do? Do they tell you if the opamp is in backwards or something?

My guess would be that they are configured as a constant current source or a voltage reference. If you put an opamp in backwards an LED isn't going to help.

Heard the new EC/SS with the AD811 video amplifier. This new implemented opamp does make a noticeable and positive difference. Take my previous impression ( and this shorter one ) now consider that the AD811 version provides better detail, resolution, separation between instruments, imaging, and PRAT.

A local friend purchased one so I am hoping to possibly get sometime with it in my rig. Probably one of the best SS I've heard under a grand and that it's priced somewhere around $400 is an absolute bargain in my book, especially considering it now sounds even better.

Source: Moth Hyper DAC
Headphones: L3000s, RS-1 (flats), & HD650s

It really drove and controlled all the headphones wonderfully, but particularly noteworthy the RS-1s' bass sound so articulate, tight, and not that boomy bloominess I've associated with them.