[Uncledan]

After a long wait, I finally get the EarMax Pro!!! It is a pretty risky move to buy a old design amp, since there are lots of new amp such as: singlepower, Prehead II, Ray Samuels Emmeline ..etc. In my price range there are lots of choices, and I only need to spend $100 more, I can get a MPX3. I have been reading a lots of good comment about this tiny amp and I really want to try it myself. It is hard to get a used EMP, so I decide to buy a new one.

I use the EMP with zu cable HD650 and Marantz SACD player (the headphone burn-in around 150hrs). First, I use the stock tube, it sounds OK, it sounds a little bit better then my Audigy2 ZS

. Then I put some NOS tubes to the amp (Jazz, THANKS!!!

). WoW, it suprise me!! It sounds excellent!! Tight bass, warm, clean and "tubely". Maybe the sound of amp depend on the tube we use, so a GREAT tube will make this tube amp sing!

My comment is: now I understand why we don't see EMP offen in buy/sell forum!!

 

[Jahn]

Grats! I tried one of these at the NYC meet hooked up with a Benchmark DAC as source, and it really smoothed that source out - i liked what i heard with both the HP-1 and HP-2 very much! I'm sure you'll enjoy it! I think Redwings also said that he liked the tubeyness of that amp versus the Solid State Solo in stock form. I personally can't ever own that amp (exposed tubes bad for curious kid) but it sounds like a winner!

 

[JaZZ]

Hi Daniel

I'm glad you like it.

I think the HD 650 needs a further 150 hours though (and don't be shy with the volume!

).

 

[Uncledan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JaZZ Hi Daniel I'm glad you like it. I think the HD 650 needs a further 150 hours though (and don't be shy with the volume! ).

Yes, I think the HD650 need more time to burn-in. By the way, I read some post said EMP is not loud enough and luck of power, NO WAY!!! The EMP is loud enough for normal ppl, I usually set it around 10 o'clock.

 

[JaZZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncledan Yes, I think the HD650 need more time to burn-in. By the way, I read some post said EMP is not loud enough and luck of power, NO WAY!!! The EMP is loud enough for normal ppl, I usually set it around 10 o'clock.

Yes, it's loud enough (except for markl) -- for me anyway; I never drove it to its limits and never heard it distort, not even with K 501 and DT 880.

 

[sacd lover]

Congratulations! Just dont let those tubes put you under their spell.

Tuberolling is so fun but it does serious harm to your wallet.

 

[TrevorNetwork]

Certainly the Singlepower amps and RS Stealth are not new designs. In fact, they are not even considered a high-end design by a friend of mine that I consider the tube king.

 

[Puddleglum]

What does he consider high end then? Is he thinking headphone amp or something else?

 

[markl]

Quote:

Yes, it's loud enough (except for markl)

LOL. No EMP worked great for me with the Senns, it's the little brother, the standard Earmax that wouldn't cut it.

 

[Kurt]

Congrats!

I heard JaZZ’s and liked it a lot.
I should get mine, bought on e-bay, in about a week. Today I received the dampening rings from herbiesaudiolab and yesterday a few Electro Harmonix 6922 Gold Pin’s.

What tubes are you using?

 

[TrevorNetwork]

Quote:

What does he consider high end then? Is he thinking headphone amp or something else?

Unfortunately I cannot say much more than that at the moment. The forum will find out shortly.

 

[saint.panda]

I also liked JaZZ's Emp quite a lot, which eventually gave me a push towards getting a tube amp myself. However, I'm not quite sure whether I'll get the emp or something else, have yet to try out some other tube amps (maybe a Singlepower?).
With the right tubes, the emp sounded very organic and just lovely.

 

[daycart1]

Is the EMP still in production? It used to have an excellent rep around here, but has been overshadowed by the Singlepowers and the counteless new SS amps (OK, not countless, but lots).

 

[Anders]

EMP is still in production and costs about 500 Euro in Germany (probably only available there for 230V). It might have a longer life span than some of the new amps!

 

[Hirsch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by daycart1 Is the EMP still in production? It used to have an excellent rep around here, but has been overshadowed by the Singlepowers and the counteless new SS amps (OK, not countless, but lots).

The EMP is sold in the US through Audio Advancements. I believe the price is around $750. The Limited Anniversary Edition is twice that (and there's a very nice case and special base available for extra cost, which can bring the total over $2K). The "bad" news is that the upgrades are clearly an audible improvement over the stock EMP