The EMAC 'Better than SET' solid state amp

I became really interested in the Electro Magnetic Amplifier Co. 535SE solid state amp upon the launch of its Indiegogo campaign at the first part of this month. Although I had known of it since being on an email distribution announcing it this past summer, it wasn’t until I saw an actual photo of the amp that I realized what a gorgeous presentation the amp had.

Since I fancy myself a 'function over form' kind of fellow to guide my purchases, with performance and quality being primary considerations, and appearance playing very little role in my decisions, I was nonplussed to find myself actively coveting this 535SE. However, I did my due diligence over the next few days, reading up on its circuit design philosophy on the Audio Guild website (The Journal):

http://www.theaudioguild.com/the-journal/electro-magnetic-amplifier-co-model-535se-headphone-amplifierpreamplifier

The 535 is purpose-built to capture the engaging SET tube amp sound that has remained popular since enjoying a French and Japanese renaissance around the 1980s. The euphonic sonic quality of the SET amp is thought to be a result of the retention of the immediate higher order harmonic multiples of the fundamental frequency, although considered distortion, are still close enough to the fundamental to be heard as a single tone, called “masking”, giving it that elusive mid and upper range richness. Its designer, Steve Eddy, found that he might be able to improve on the classic SET tube sound in dividing the triode tube single active device gain circuit into complementary functioning JFET and BJT transistors, and removing the potentially sound degrading air gapped and iron core output transformer, replacing it with a sonically superior nickel core input transformer for voltage gain, analogous to a phono stage transformer. The output circuit instead employs an electrolytic coupling capacitor for DC blocking, with its bias voltage high enough (16 Vdc) to retain its linear output signal characteristics.

The 535SE is unfortunately presently in kind of a Catch 22 situation, whereby it needs funding to go into production, but audio purchases being generally contingent on complimentary reviews of production units and peer acceptance. Hence the Indiegogo campaign to garner recognition and a critical mass of preorders. There is, however, the recently issued very favorable review of the 535SE on Headfonics:

http://headfonics.com/2017/01/the-emac-535se-amplifier-by-the-audio-guild/

And an earlier poster’s glowing review on Head-Fi:

http://www.head-fi.org/products/emac-535se-headphone-amplifier-line-preamplifier/reviews/17710

I have been assured by Steve that all amps which are preordered (including mine) will be built, regardless of the outcome of the Indiegogo campaign, even though there is a production cost economy of scale in play, with around a 5 unit minimum and a 20 -30 unit first run optimum to realize some standing 535SE inventory for future orders and review/demo units.

This amp represents a bit of a paradigm shift, with its retro styling presenting a kind of a “object d’art” audio décor and its purpose-built circuit design implementing an admittedly colored specific audio sound (SET). This combination is, if not unique, rare in its price range. I see the amp as a very attractive desktop adornment, offering rich and engaging musical reproduction, while still remaining true to high fidelity.

 

This amp already has a dedicated thread...

 

In the vendor's subforum. I thought that the amp deserves better visibility and easier access during its critical and time sensitive Indiegogo campaign. This forum does get a lot of viewing.

Ideally, the thread in the vendor's forum should be deferred to this one.



Reddy abides.