Earmax Silver Edition

[Kate]

Hi everyone,

I'm planning to get the Earmax silver edition and need some recommendations on what range of headphones go well. Don't want to bother the saleperson to let me try aimlessly from A - Z.

Thanks!

One more thing, does the Earmax heats up quite a bit? Because I couldn't feel much heat at the store and I'm not sure if it was due to the air-con or what.

Kate

 

[vcoheda]

at what store can you audition an earmax silver edition?

 

[fkclo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kate /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi everyone, I'm planning to get the Earmax silver edition and need some recommendations on what range of headphones go well. Don't want to bother the saleperson to let me try aimlessly from A - Z. Thanks! One more thing, does the Earmax heats up quite a bit? Because I couldn't feel much heat at the store and I'm not sure if it was due to the air-con or what. Kate

My Earmax SE sounds very very very good with Grado HP1, HP2, RS1, MS2,; ATH-W5000, HD650. All other phones I have also sound very good. And this is only with stock tubes ! Spend a few more bucks and I firmly believe this will go even better. As soon as my modified PSU is back home, I will start tube rolling and get ready for some heavenly music

This also depends of what type of music you are listening. For 95% of the time, I am listening to jazz and instruments, and classics (ensembles, orchestra, but little vocals), and slow pops.

The EM-SE PSU gets warm but not hot to the touch. The base on the amp does not get hot. The tubes are obviously, hot.

F. Lo

 

[vvs_75]

My very first serious amp was EArMax Pro. If I recall correct SE have just a bit better parts and better power supply. If so I doubt that it can drive the HD 650.
Anyway I would suggest you just to search and read around here first for few weeks!
IMO there are better amps for the price your going to pay. Even my Morgan Jones with feedback, which cost fifth of the SE price, beats my Earmax Pro hands down.
Plus, if you pay full retail and then change you mind you won't return your money back .

Good luck!
P.S. Don’t forget to come back and tell us what you ended up with!

 

[fkclo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vvs_75 /img/forum/go_quote.gif My very first serious amp was EArMax Pro. If I recall correct SE have just a bit better parts and better power supply. If so I doubt that it can drive the HD 650.

The Earmax Silver Edition is a bit more than that. Here is a good listing of key technical data of the Silver Edition vs. the Pro version.

http://www.audiophileclub.co.uk/earmax.html

Yes, it is expensive, especially given the weak US$, but it is a very unique amp,. and one of the smallest yet elegant amp from a designer that may qualify for the audio hall of frame.

While there are quite a few Earmax and Earmax Pro available in the used market, the Silver and Anniversary Editions are pretty rare. I thought I bought the only used Silver Edition (220V) surfaced in the FS forum in the last 2 years.

F. Lo

 

[HiFlight]

My Earmax Pro drives my HD650/Revelations just fine. Never past the 1PM position on the volume knob. Does not get hot, but warm, as the tubes are run at quite a low voltage.

I have not changed the tubes from stock in the Earmax, but I have tried a variety of different tubes in my Dared MP 5.

My Earmax Pro outperforms the Dared by a considerable margin, and is dead black silent without a signal.

 

[edisonwu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HiFlight /img/forum/go_quote.gif My Earmax Pro drives my HD650/Revelations just fine. Never past the 1PM position on the volume knob. Does not get hot, but warm, as the tubes are run at quite a low voltage.

That's too loud for me. I listen almost all music at just 9AM.

 

[Marco2]

I use my RS1's the most with my Earmax SE. It also works well with my HD650's and HD600's too.

IMO there are no problems in its ability to drive any of the mentioned headphones. It has plenty of volume.

It does not get that warm at all in operation. I have mine quite near other equipment and the neighbouring equipment does not get warm at all. The glass shelf above it on my rack also does not get warm at all and that shelf sits not that much higher than the amp itself.

 

[Dept_of_Alchemy]

Welcome to head-fi.

Is there a particular reason why you're choosing your headphone based on your amp? Usually it's done the other way around where people would find a headphone they like and then build a system around it.

That said, the Earmax SE is definitely one of the prettiest amps out there. It will help us to recommend you a headphone if you tell us a little about what music you listen to and what sort of sound you'd prefer.

 

[Kate]

vcoheda: I live in Singapore and there is a headphone store up north in Woodlands that stocks the full range of Earmax. Maybe I'll bring my camera to shoot a picture of the store the next time I drop by. They have a website http://www.stereo.com.sg

fkclo: I've tried the MS-2i and I prefer the Grado RS-1 over that anytime, plus the MS-2i is quite heavy to wear. I also audition the AKG K701 and I think its so far the best match but I'm open to suggestions. I'll remember to try the HD-650 and W5000.

I intend to put the Earmax SE beside my bed and hope it's not too warm.

HiFlight: You're right on the dead slient background, I was worried it would hiss and gald it didn't.

Dept_of_Alchemy: It was fate.

Really. I happen to be in the store when some guy was auditioning the Earmax SE and Anniversary with the AKG K701. Shortly he walked off with the Anniversary( yes he did, which spark my interest why would someone pay so much for a headphone amp...) and I was given the opportunity to try the SE with the K701. My hubby had the Grado RS-1 with the Musical Fidelity X-Can3 and it was no where close, this was far more musical (Sorry, I can't describe sound in detail). Thinking it would had been the K701, I ask if I could try with the RS-1 which I was more familiar with, sounded just as good except in classical I like the K701 better.

The store setup on that day was a CD player( CEC TL-53Z), Earmax SE and AKG K701.

 

[Elephas]

That seems like a nice headphone and audio store, they even have Eddie Current.

Maybe you can ask about the Zana Deux?

 

[vcoheda]

sounds like a great store.

 

[Kate]

Good news and bad news.

Good news: Finally got the Earmax SE and the AKG K701, sound great with almost anything I throw at it.

Bad news: The combo didn't sounded quite as good with the Rega Apollo I got. At first I though was the AKG K701 not burn it but once it ( my set) was connected to the CEC player in the shop, I knew what was wrong....

The saleperson loan me a few interconnects from Taralabs, QED but didn't quite do the job. Should it change my CD player?!!!

 

[vcoheda]

if you love the Earmax SE and K701, then maybe you should. it seems in that combination, the player is not a good match (weak link). plus it sounds like you could audition players until you found one you liked. or maybe just buy the CEC.

 

[fkclo]

I too think the CD Player is become a weak point and the Earmax SE and K701, with the combined resolving power, tend to expose these weakness.

You may want to go after a CD player which are relatively clean, resolving and elegant sounding. These should match well with the warm and engaging signature of the Earmax SE. What comes to mind is the Meridian G08 or the Marantz SA11S, or SA7S1. My Musical Fidelity kW SACD sounds extremely well with the Earmax SE & K701 combo, and that was using the stock tubes!

F. Lo