Combo balanced inputs can be either XLR or TRS (Neutrik Jack). Single ended are RCA. The balanced have priority and are auto detected and will disable the RCA via relay if they are connected. This is to prevent overlapping inputs which may overload the amp.
There is no cooling fan - it is all natural convection and by conduction to the main chassis plate. Note the generous cooling vents on top. The chassis is 5mm thick CNC’d aluminum all around.
There is no cooling fan - it is all natural convection and by conduction to the main chassis plate. Note the generous cooling vents on top. The chassis is 5mm thick CNC’d aluminum all around.
X, for what it's worth here's my review after a few weeks of EP600.2SE ownership. I'll be sending it to Walter as well in case he wants to use it. Thanks to you and the team on such wonderful work!
The first thing I immediately noticed after installation was the tightness of the bass. This is my first foray into Class D amplification and the tales of its tight, clean, and authoritative bass are definitely true. After a short listening session my wife offered her unsolicited opinion which primarily included soundstaging that was wider and deeper than the PASS Labs X5 that it replaced. (Thanks to Walter she has now declared herself to be an audiophile!) In addition, from my perspective, it was also blacker (quieter) which meant the lower noise floor revealed more musical detail on familiar passages.
After a week in solid state mode I engaged the tubes. Not having experienced tubes since the 1970s when I had a Harman Kardon integrated amp as a teenager I wasn’t sure what to expect. What I heard was not dramatic but it was noticeable. Musical passages were slightly softer, that is to say rounder. The tube stage seems to make the biggest difference with female vocals, giving a bit more air and presence to them.
The more I listen the more I feel vindicated in replacing the PASS Labs X5. Not only is the sound better overall but its 15 lb weight versus the 85 lb X5 means my back won’t suffer if it needs to be rearranged in the equipment rack. There are a couple of minor caveats. One is the On/Standby light that is way too bright. I’ve ameliorated this by some judicious application of theater lighting gel that changes it to a more tolerable blue (from white) and tones it down somewhat. I know other reviewers have mentioned this as well. The second is a very loud thump when the amp is turned off with the tube stage engaged, however, this can be worked around by taking it out of tube mode before turning off the amp.
I could happily listen to this amp just in solid state mode and I’ve noticed that I tend to use the tubes only for extended music listening sessions. To that end I would suggest that Walter consider a solid state-only version by removing the tube stage and the VU meters (which seem to need a lot of power to get moving anyway) and offer a (hopefully) less expensive version that could be considered the bigger, more powerful brother to Walter’s 150 watts/ch LSA Warp-1 or even the 350 watts/ch LSA Voyager GAN 350.
System Equipment
Power conditioning:
Core Power Technologies Deep=Core 1800
Core Power Technologies Equi=Core 1800 Mk III
Puron Power Conditioner
Swiss Digital Fuse Box with Super Sluggo (copper in gold immersion)
Amplifier:
Emerald Physics EP600.2SE (set to 22dB gain versus factory 28dB setting)
Preamp:
Audio-GD Master 9
Sources (Digital Only):
Audio-GD R8HE MK2 DAC using Invictus.Audio Palladium ACSS cable to preamp
Panasonic DP-UB820 DVD player
Sony DVP-C650D DVD-CD player used as transport only
LG G2 TV
Speakers:
DIY 3-way using Madisound 10208 10” woofer, Vifa D75MX 3” dome midrange, Vifa H26TG 1” horn-loaded tweeter, Dynaudio Variovent aperiodic vents
DIY quarter wavelength transmission line using Madisound 6102 6.5” woofer, Audax 4x6 coax mid/tweeter
The first thing I immediately noticed after installation was the tightness of the bass. This is my first foray into Class D amplification and the tales of its tight, clean, and authoritative bass are definitely true. After a short listening session my wife offered her unsolicited opinion which primarily included soundstaging that was wider and deeper than the PASS Labs X5 that it replaced. (Thanks to Walter she has now declared herself to be an audiophile!) In addition, from my perspective, it was also blacker (quieter) which meant the lower noise floor revealed more musical detail on familiar passages.
After a week in solid state mode I engaged the tubes. Not having experienced tubes since the 1970s when I had a Harman Kardon integrated amp as a teenager I wasn’t sure what to expect. What I heard was not dramatic but it was noticeable. Musical passages were slightly softer, that is to say rounder. The tube stage seems to make the biggest difference with female vocals, giving a bit more air and presence to them.
The more I listen the more I feel vindicated in replacing the PASS Labs X5. Not only is the sound better overall but its 15 lb weight versus the 85 lb X5 means my back won’t suffer if it needs to be rearranged in the equipment rack. There are a couple of minor caveats. One is the On/Standby light that is way too bright. I’ve ameliorated this by some judicious application of theater lighting gel that changes it to a more tolerable blue (from white) and tones it down somewhat. I know other reviewers have mentioned this as well. The second is a very loud thump when the amp is turned off with the tube stage engaged, however, this can be worked around by taking it out of tube mode before turning off the amp.
I could happily listen to this amp just in solid state mode and I’ve noticed that I tend to use the tubes only for extended music listening sessions. To that end I would suggest that Walter consider a solid state-only version by removing the tube stage and the VU meters (which seem to need a lot of power to get moving anyway) and offer a (hopefully) less expensive version that could be considered the bigger, more powerful brother to Walter’s 150 watts/ch LSA Warp-1 or even the 350 watts/ch LSA Voyager GAN 350.
System Equipment
Power conditioning:
Core Power Technologies Deep=Core 1800
Core Power Technologies Equi=Core 1800 Mk III
Puron Power Conditioner
Swiss Digital Fuse Box with Super Sluggo (copper in gold immersion)
Amplifier:
Emerald Physics EP600.2SE (set to 22dB gain versus factory 28dB setting)
Preamp:
Audio-GD Master 9
Sources (Digital Only):
Audio-GD R8HE MK2 DAC using Invictus.Audio Palladium ACSS cable to preamp
Panasonic DP-UB820 DVD player
Sony DVP-C650D DVD-CD player used as transport only
LG G2 TV
Speakers:
DIY 3-way using Madisound 10208 10” woofer, Vifa D75MX 3” dome midrange, Vifa H26TG 1” horn-loaded tweeter, Dynaudio Variovent aperiodic vents
DIY quarter wavelength transmission line using Madisound 6102 6.5” woofer, Audax 4x6 coax mid/tweeter
Hi Craig,
Thanks for your review! Nice system you have there and I am pleased to hear that you like the sound. It is indeed a quiet amp. The tube stage is very subtle. It is an analog sound processor that imparts slightly more second order harmonic distortion vs the SS route which is third order dominant (sound with more bite - less rounded). Overall THD does not change much if using J&J E88CC tubes which are stock.
I will take your suggestion for an all solid state version into consideration. The buffer that is on the Warp-2 can easily be used to drive the 1200AS2. But there is start up and shutdown sequences that need to be followed.
Thanks,
X
Thanks for your review! Nice system you have there and I am pleased to hear that you like the sound. It is indeed a quiet amp. The tube stage is very subtle. It is an analog sound processor that imparts slightly more second order harmonic distortion vs the SS route which is third order dominant (sound with more bite - less rounded). Overall THD does not change much if using J&J E88CC tubes which are stock.
I will take your suggestion for an all solid state version into consideration. The buffer that is on the Warp-2 can easily be used to drive the 1200AS2. But there is start up and shutdown sequences that need to be followed.
Thanks,
X
The 6N1P’s have a slightly sweeter more organic sound. The J&J E88CC’s are closer to solid state but add that touch of SET sound signature (dominant second harmonic vs lower third harmonic distortion). Not sure what you mean by current or earlier production - of J&J tubes? The 6N1P’s are all Voshkod NOS from Russia. Both are great. Depends on what signature you prefer.
