emp bookshelves with tube amp

[KEW]

Pics of the amp innards

The power cord is much lighter than what is typical (though I am unfamiliar with tubes). I'm not sure I've ever seen a cord that did not indicate wire size using the AWG convention. For reference, AWG 20 = 0.518 sq. mm and AWG 21 is 0.41 sq. mm.

I just wanted to be sure you appreciated the great personal risk I took to provide these pics!! j/k

Sorry, but I'm not one to dig too deep. I didn't remove circuit boards. Especially since I hadn't even confirmed that it worked.
Here is the overview with the bottom plate removed.

The aluminum bar bent over the connector(?) looks wrong to me. There are two like that.

And the Tube.

I was pressed for time this evening.
Speakers came in RBH boxes, the amp came in a generic white box.
I have to say the style of the amp looks like Shanling, but whether it is an imitation of Shanling, or an actual Shanling made to not look too much like a Shanling is anybody's guess.
My first impression is that this amp sounds better pushing the 41-SE/B than the Wharfedale 9.1 speaker I tried out. Hopefully that means the 41-SE/B speakers are pretty darn good; but it could be that the amp and speaker are tuned to each other.
I did verify that the speakers' mid drivers have phase plugs and not dust caps.

 

[krzywica]

Sooooo sexy......I'm jealous.

 

[touchzen]

the tube amplifier looks like Qinpu A-6000 MKII

the tube amplifier looks like Qinpu A-6000 MKII

 

[KEW]

the tube amplifier looks like Qinpu A-6000 MKII

Excellent catch!
It does indeed.

 

[majorloser]

We had a chance to play with that amp at the Oregon Coast GTG this past weekend. It was used to power a bunch of different speakers, including towers. According to Shan Rich from RBH/EMP the amp was specifically designed with a hybrid tube pre-amp to help smooth the sound of compressed music. It has a 1/8" stereo jck input on the back where we were playing around with music from my iPod and an iPhone. It sure did sound great with those berylium drivers on the small bookshelves. Good enough for me to order the set.

I also saw the EMP had another deal with that amp and some Destination Audio towers. I just can't find the link right now.

 

[majorloser]

the tube amplifier looks like Qinpu A-6000 MKII

I'd have to say it was made at the same factory.

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/qinpu2/system_2.html

 

[majorloser]

I just got my set today (thanks Shane).

I haven't had much time to play with it. Just got it hooked up on my computer desk at home. I was going to bring it to my office, but I just know somebody will monkey around with it when I'm out. Besides, it just looks so cool on the Silestone desktop.

I still have to hook up a subwoofer and hide it this weekend after I make up some more cable runs. I was playing it this evening with an EMP E10s subwoofer to start with. I think I'll end up using my Canton AS25 subwoofer since it does so much better with music content.

pictures to follow...

 

[gene]

Dave;

I've had my system hooked up for 2 days now and I can't stop listening to it. I am floored and to be honest I almost don't want to review it b/c I fear I may gush too much. These speakers image like bastards! The amp sounds excellent as well. Plenty of power for an office environment.

 

[majorloser]

Dave;

I've had my system hooked up for 2 days now and I can't stop listening to it. I am floored and to be honest I almost don't want to review it b/c I fear I may gush too much. These speakers image like bastards! The amp sounds excellent as well. Plenty of power for an office environment.

Heck, we were powering some of the tower speakers in Oregon with that little amp. Plenty of juice as long as you're not trying to drive loud pipe organ music.

It did really well driving the EMP E5Ti Impression towers. But it wasn't till sunday that Shane went ahead and hooked it up to their new "soon to be released" SX-4T's. (Loserwife was mad I didn't order those for her).

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showpost.php?p=635285&postcount=9

YOU NEED TO GET THOSE IN YOUR HANDS FOR REVIEW!!!

 

[KEW]

Dave;
I've had my system hooked up for 2 days now and I can't stop listening to it. I am floored and to be honest I almost don't want to review it b/c I fear I may gush too much. These speakers image like bastards! The amp sounds excellent as well. Plenty of power for an office environment.

I've really been enjoying mine. I don't really have anything fair to compare them to. The only definitive comment I can make is that the they easily beat out my Wharfedale 9.1's in all respects.
The Wharfedale 9.1's use the same tweeter as the much more expensive Diamond models, and I believe it is an exceptional tweeter compared to the normal offering on a $350 MSRP ($250 street) pair of speakers. The tweeter is the standout feature of the 9.1's, IMHO.
The tweeter of the EMP is much better. I'm not talking "listen carefully" differences, I'm talking "can't help but notice" differences.

 

[Haaspac]

I have been listening to mine for about 3 weeks or so, almost 8 hours a day 5 days a week and they are nothing short of tremendous. I don't believe they have weaknesses. Oh and the svs sub I use with them is a big help on the low end.