Project Ember II Discussion Thread

It seems the consensus is that folks agree the Lyr has more balls but the Ember has a better stage and resolution (I haven't jammed out to the Lyr or Lyr 2, so I can't say for myself). I'm still blown away by its instrument separation with my Hifiman headphones. While my amp coverage is admittedly limited, Ember hasn't been bested in this area.

With the HD6XX, it's easily on par with the Crack/Speedball. No doubt. Both have lots of oomph. I've found I like the Valhalla 1/2 better for separation though.

 

Oh! Haha glad you're enjoying it. My unit picks up some interference from the computer speaker or monitor (not sure which) it's next to, so yeah I don't think what you're experiencing is unusual.

 

Some more bits of thoughts (note I've owned only crappy DAC/AMP combo or low-ball portable amps):

- Ember II + HD650/TH900 is kinda akin to decent two-channel set-ups
- The most holographic out-of-my-head experience yet. Or in other words instrument plcement. (UERM is another kind of 3D presentation, very different)
- Depth and instrument separation
- Cymbal is pretty damn awesome. String nuance extraction is also pretty damn awesome.
- Piano sustain and decay. Opened up new experience
- Very very occasionally HD650 has the same bass ball as TH900. This might be my illusion due to long listening

 

What makes the Garage1217 tube amps so different in terms of design that they (I'm guessing) perform similarly to most other available tube amps yet only require one tube?

The Ember seems like the perfect amp for a tube noob like me, but I'm still hunting down comparisons between it and Project Polaris so thanks for impressions posted so far.

 

I've rocked both, rott.

The Polaris is awesome, as is the Ember II.

The Polaris is super versatile and came tame treble even better than tubes can (if that's what your after) with its bandwidth settings.

The Ember can sound slightly superior to my ears because of the tubes (though the Polaris sounds like a tube amp also) with the right tube.

I don't love the stock Ember tube, but do quite like the 6N6P Gold Grid.

I almost wish I stuck with the Polaris just so I didn't have to acquire tubophilia nervosa, but I do love the Ember and I use it at work.

 

hello to you all...

I also had the Ember 1 with supercharger +7193 tubes and i must say that this amplifier is astounding.... recently i replace it with an Hitachi receiver sr 904 (75 watts) and drive my HE 400 directly from the speakers taps... It was great BUT lack of the subtleties of the Ember .... When i apply the sorbothane mod on my he 400 they show the difference between the 2 amplifier, i put on sale the Hitachi and keep the Ember(a marvel for the price) The Ember put a more detailed soundstage than the Hitachi and finally i know that planars need more a good amp than rough power...

 

If I have a Liquid Carbon on the way (hopefully soon), I think it makes more sense to give the Ember a try for an alternative flavor (with tubes).

 

How do you guys clean the dust from the circuit board of Ember?

 

for me i simply blow air can sometimes...

 

I think this is (in part) due to the use of a dual triode tube, meaning both channels can pass through it. At least that's how I've understood it. The Crack vs. Valhalla, for example. The Crack utilizes both triodes in each tube while the Valhalla only uses one triode in each tube (meaning it needs 4, 2 input tubes and 2 power tubes).

I could be totally wrong. I only pretend to understand electronics...

 

Ooh, Garage1217 sale on a bunch of 6SN7 tubes.
Are any of these an upgrade (for HD800) over GE 6dj8?

- NIB Standard GE 6SN7GTB grey plate / side getter /
- Standard tested Zenith 6SN7GTB grey plate / side getter /
- Firewire GE 6SN7GTB tested grey plate / side getter /
- Unknown tested (assume motorola or Tungsol) black plate - mouse ear 6SN7GTB
- NIB NOS Westinghouse (russian) gray plate 6SN7GTB tested /
- Emmerson (russian) black plate 6SN7GTB tested /
- Sovtek gray plate 6SN7GTB tested /
- Raytheon black plate side getter 6SN7GTB tested
- Raytheon gray plate / tall bottle top getter 6SN7GTB tested
- RCA NIB Offset black plates cleartop 6SN7GTB tested

 

Rolled a Tung Sol 12AX7 (probably new production one) into the Ember II today and MAN!! This is a big, energetic sound! Maybe lacking the ultimate extension on both ends, and yes it's hissing a bit, but the attack and speed are freaking awesome! While still maintaining a good body, it hits with damn hard hack and slash! Also quite unique instrument separations, but at the price of inprecise imaging.

 

More reports - been using HD800A1 (Anax 1.0) from @Mikoss with Ember II on Amperex ECC88 and this is a sick combination for me personally. Sustain and decay are slightly prolonged, making non-acoustic things wonderful to listen to. Also A/B'ed HD800A1 with stock HD650 - that difference is there and to me, significant.

Alas, after all I seem not to be able to escape the labyrinth of HD800.

 

If you want to try for more soundstage, more accurate sound, clearly you need to consider the dual 6J5's or the 6L5G's moved up from dual 7193's and like this best so far. 9 pin tubes were okay, 6SN7's including the Ken-Rad black glass VT-231, was better still, but tried the dual 7193's and moved passed the single tubes. Now with the 6J5GT's I think (make that hope) this is the best this little amp will do. The clarity just jumps out at you with good source material. Using with 650's and am happy with this. Would like to try this with the 800's but will have to wait till I use up my 2 650's

 

In case people are interested in an old review I did Ember 1 without SC and 12au7 tube I think

I have tried this setup as well:

a DIY DAC worth $300-400 or so. Don't remember the name
HD 650
Custom cables
Beta22 3ch upgraded/modified VS Project Ember stock (0.1ohm, High gain, Input capacitors bypassed) (Don't remember the tube, perhaps Siemens 6922 or Telefunken 12AU7, not sure)

Both drove HD 650 very very well. There was no veil at all. In fact, we had a third preamp used as a headphone amp which had a veil, so driving HD 650 isn't that easy.

Ember was crisper and more aggressive, more forward.

Beta22 sounds a bit duller, perhaps more realism or perhaps a different sound signature, difficult to tell. It was more dynamic but not hugely more so. The soundstage was perhaps wider.

Both were very good but had different sound signatures, the difference in signature and presentation was huge. However, I am not sure which was better or worse, they were very different. I did prefer the Beta22 a bit, but that could be because I regard it as more expensive. And since the signature is different, different people might have different views and preferences

Beta22 was indeed a bit lusher, but that also depends on ember's tubes and settings which I didn't fiddle with.

Both were capable of being louder than recommended, much much louder. However, Ember was capable of being louder than Beta22 I think.

1. Ember was crisper and more aggressive, more forward. Beta22 sounds a bit duller.

Beta22 was duller. But it was a bit sweeter and that is what I mean when I say lush. But Ember had more sparkle and crispness to it.

2. The difference is huge. But it was a different sound signature. I didn't spend enough time to tell which sound signature I would prefer in the long run. Beta22's sound was different. Just because something is different doesn't make it better or worse. I need to spend a lot more time to tell which I prefer. But it is like comparing SS to Tube, different need not be better or worse

3. I couldn't take more tubes. I was given a very limited time with Beta22 and with trying Ember on his system. The guys did a favor on me. I couldn't ask for more favors because he wouldn't allow me to keep changing the tubes, besides I was given very limited time. Anyway, I took one of my favorite tubes. It is possible that different tubes might have made a difference but I didn't get to test that.

4. Beta22 didn't have as much sparkle.
But it was sweeter and more mellow sounding.
Ember had sparkle and crispness.
Beta22 drove it effortlessly while the Ember could drive it louder.
Both were excellent but it depends on your taste.
As far as being dynamics is concerned, the difference between the loudest and softest points in Beta22 was more pronounced than with Ember.

5. I didn't play with output settings because I am too lazy to do that

6. Everybody agreed that this was a bargain under $500 and something which few/no other amp can manage at this price point.

Thank You so much for hearing me out.

Thanks a lot!

Aakshey

TAGS

Beta22 VS Project Ember
Beta22 vs Ember amplifier
Beta22 3ch V/S Garage1217 Project Ember Headphone Amplifier
Project Ember vs Beta22 3ch
Hybrid tube amp VS Beta22 3ch
Garage1217 amplifier Vs Beta22 3ch

 

It's been 3 months since I owned the Project Ember II. Money and a sense of grain pushed me to send the review unit back to its home.

I later purchased the Project Sunrise III. Loved it. It's my work system's amp.

Bought/sold half a dozen amps since and at least as many dacs.

Decided perhaps I didn't give the Ember the chance it deserved because the main dac I used it with was the Schiit Bifrost Multibit. After hearing the Sunrise with the MHDT Labs Atlantis, I decided I needed to give the Ember another try.



Initial impressions after listening to the MHDT Labs Atlantis -> Project Sunrise III (6n6p tube) at work while using a 12bh7 in the Ember is that it's a bit bright and not as smooth sounding as the Sunrise.

Rolled in an RCA 12au7 clear top and things are a little mellower.

Have a 6n6p coming in tomorrow and will get it in there as soon as it arrives.

I know the Ember is going to be more dynamic and the Sunrise is going to be softer. Hoping I haven't become so accustomed to the euphonic smoothness of the Sunrise that I don't want to listen to the Ember!

 

Ember + 6N6P = win.

Some tube smoothness without losing clarity.

Also curious about your headphones and amp settings. So many options...

BUT, if you didn't like the Ember with the Bifrost Multibit, then it may just not be the amp for you. That's a pretty great match, in my opinion.

 

Would that happen to be one of those Jeremy was selling at $16.95 per tube for 16 on Garage1217?

 

He has them for 19.99. You can check the current list on his facebook page.

 

Oh I'm not too worried about the price in particular. It's just that I bought up four of the five remaining stock recently as spares for my Valhalla 2, so unless Jeremy's restocked Luckbad's got the last one from him for a while.