recstar24
Can Jam '10 Organizer
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2005
- Posts
- 3,450
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- 126
Within the past couple of months, I have had the opportunity to hear a lot of amps. While they all sounded good in various ways, there was always something about the sound that I could pinpoint and criticize. It doesnt do dynamics, the midrange is not as present, the highs are etched, bass is not tight enough, not enough depth and air in soundstage, etc. etc. I felt that no matter how good an amp could sound and excel in certain areas, it seemed inevitable that there were bound to be compromises in one or more key areas. With each and every amp that entered my rig, I felt i was getting more and more critical and analytical about the gear, and the music was getting farther and farther away from me...
...until the EC-01 came. I recently did a review on the EC-01 with 6moons, and I can honestly say that it was the most enjoyable experience that I have had with an amp. As a reviewer. I have to put on the critique hat more often than not, but the EC-01 forced me to take it off and just enjoy the music again. The EC-01 was utterly distracting, whose sole purpose was for me to enjoy the music. No it is not perfect and I am sure there are better amps out there, all I can say is that the EC-01 brought me closer to the music, which had been lacking for a long time. I also realized that when a component comes into your rig that brings you closer to the music, you keep it where it belongs, and I ended up buying the review sample.
During the review process, I had asked Craig about what he thought about the comparison between the EC-01 w/ EC/DC and his discontinued HD25. Craig had stated that the EC-01 w/ EC/DC was smooth and accurate, whereas the HD25 was punchier, more dynamic, and played with authority. Craig had also mentioned to me that the HD25 seemed to bring him closer to the music than the EC-01 w/ EC/DC, and was rivaled only by his Zana Deux. Craig feels that the difference between the EC-01/EC/DC and the HD25 is similar to the HD25 vs. Zana, in that each jump brings you closer to what enjoying music is all about.
Ever since my joining these boards, not a week went by where I didn't check out the Eddie Current website and admire the HD300 and HD25. They seemed to have it all - cool retro looks, great design, great sound, great price, what else could you ask for? A personal audition with a HD300 confirmed that Craig knew a thing or two about great tube amp circuit design and how to do it without breaking the bank. Yet I never bit, and I have no idea why. Was it the lack of user impressions/reviews? Was it not glitzy enough, did it not have enough options? with the HD25, we had a tube amp that could drive all impedances with authority, that offered 3 inputs, a tape output, and a preamp output, all for 595 (one of the reasons for me not wanting to go with the HD300 is because I am a grado-head). Craig had mentioned to me that a whole year went by without a single sale of the HD25, and increasing manufacturing costs with lack of support caused him to discontinue it.
I was able to score an audition with a HD25 from a local headfier, and have been listening to her for the past 2 weeks. All I can say is that I knew this thing was not going back. I find myself immersed in the sound. One second I am rocking out, feet tapping and arms flailing wildly, the next second eyes closed, hands conducting with the emotion of the music perfectly intact and filling me inside with its warm embrace. I was an idiot for not getting this amp when it was available, and sometimes I guess it is true that we do not realize what we have before us until it is gone. I consider myself lucky that I was able to even find anyone with this amp more or less a local headfier who let me audition it, and on top of that letting me make him an offer to let it stay here where it belongs and allow me to call this beautiful amp one of my own. The HD25 is punchy and dynamic, with just the perfect amount of harmonic fullness, midrange lucidity, and soundstage immersion that seems to be consistent with properly executed tube amps. Right now I am listening to a live choral concert recorded by my choir with the Grado HP-1000's and G08 through the HD25, and I swear I can hear each and every single one of my student's voices clearly and precisely, yet the cohesiveness of the group and the clarity of the whole musical message is perfectly intact.
Thermionic emission is the real deal folks, and the HD25 serves up a buffet of musical pleasure and enjoyment like no other. I can only wonder and imagine what joys a Zana Deux would bring
But for now, I am content knowing I have found my "reference" amp upon which I shall judge other amps upon, not based purely on techincal merits or various audiophile traits and characteristics, but by the ability to suck a listener into the music and keep him there, unable and unwilling to do anything else, and forcing the listener to sit back and enjoy where the gear is secondary to the primary objective of musical enjoyment.
...until the EC-01 came. I recently did a review on the EC-01 with 6moons, and I can honestly say that it was the most enjoyable experience that I have had with an amp. As a reviewer. I have to put on the critique hat more often than not, but the EC-01 forced me to take it off and just enjoy the music again. The EC-01 was utterly distracting, whose sole purpose was for me to enjoy the music. No it is not perfect and I am sure there are better amps out there, all I can say is that the EC-01 brought me closer to the music, which had been lacking for a long time. I also realized that when a component comes into your rig that brings you closer to the music, you keep it where it belongs, and I ended up buying the review sample.
During the review process, I had asked Craig about what he thought about the comparison between the EC-01 w/ EC/DC and his discontinued HD25. Craig had stated that the EC-01 w/ EC/DC was smooth and accurate, whereas the HD25 was punchier, more dynamic, and played with authority. Craig had also mentioned to me that the HD25 seemed to bring him closer to the music than the EC-01 w/ EC/DC, and was rivaled only by his Zana Deux. Craig feels that the difference between the EC-01/EC/DC and the HD25 is similar to the HD25 vs. Zana, in that each jump brings you closer to what enjoying music is all about.
Ever since my joining these boards, not a week went by where I didn't check out the Eddie Current website and admire the HD300 and HD25. They seemed to have it all - cool retro looks, great design, great sound, great price, what else could you ask for? A personal audition with a HD300 confirmed that Craig knew a thing or two about great tube amp circuit design and how to do it without breaking the bank. Yet I never bit, and I have no idea why. Was it the lack of user impressions/reviews? Was it not glitzy enough, did it not have enough options? with the HD25, we had a tube amp that could drive all impedances with authority, that offered 3 inputs, a tape output, and a preamp output, all for 595 (one of the reasons for me not wanting to go with the HD300 is because I am a grado-head). Craig had mentioned to me that a whole year went by without a single sale of the HD25, and increasing manufacturing costs with lack of support caused him to discontinue it.
I was able to score an audition with a HD25 from a local headfier, and have been listening to her for the past 2 weeks. All I can say is that I knew this thing was not going back. I find myself immersed in the sound. One second I am rocking out, feet tapping and arms flailing wildly, the next second eyes closed, hands conducting with the emotion of the music perfectly intact and filling me inside with its warm embrace. I was an idiot for not getting this amp when it was available, and sometimes I guess it is true that we do not realize what we have before us until it is gone. I consider myself lucky that I was able to even find anyone with this amp more or less a local headfier who let me audition it, and on top of that letting me make him an offer to let it stay here where it belongs and allow me to call this beautiful amp one of my own. The HD25 is punchy and dynamic, with just the perfect amount of harmonic fullness, midrange lucidity, and soundstage immersion that seems to be consistent with properly executed tube amps. Right now I am listening to a live choral concert recorded by my choir with the Grado HP-1000's and G08 through the HD25, and I swear I can hear each and every single one of my student's voices clearly and precisely, yet the cohesiveness of the group and the clarity of the whole musical message is perfectly intact.
Thermionic emission is the real deal folks, and the HD25 serves up a buffet of musical pleasure and enjoyment like no other. I can only wonder and imagine what joys a Zana Deux would bring
