Speakerlab Super 7

Just picked up today is this audiophile rarity, Speakerlab Super 7. Wow! On a Single Ended tube amp Audio Nirvana.

Pretty nice line up, Speakerlab Super 7, EMI 630 and Speakerlab Model 3.

More on these later, I have music to escape into.

Electrohome Lorainne 40 Push Pull EL84 tube amp

Another piece of fine audio equipment came home from the same place as the EMI 630 speakers, this 20WPC Electrohome Lorainne 40 push/pull tube amplifier.

This unit has had some previous work done to it with separate volume pots, handles on the side and feet attached to the bottom.

The 12AX7 tubes are Mullard/Amperex tubes that flash upon start up.

So I now have the best of both worlds with an Electrohome Marseilles Single Ended tube amp and this Electrohome Push/Pull.

On first impressions the Electrohome P/P is much louder and can drive all my speakers to a pretty decent decibel level where as the Electrohome SET can only push my most efficient speakers to the 98-100db level, which is plenty loud.

I was expecting more bass from the  and the bass that is there is well controlled, the mids and highs are clean and transparent along with the imaging. Where I find the biggest difference is the open and luscious mid range and highs that the Electrohome Single Ended offers up, it just can not be beat. Once the mids and highs are this good the three dimensional imaging is spot on with a single ended tube amp.

There is a fantastic write up called "Single Ended vs. Push Pull: The fight of the Century" by Eddie Vaughn, it is a good overview of both amplifiers.

Just like the analogue vs. digital, New England vs. West Coast, solid state vs. tube and single ended vs. push pull you will get diehards defending either argument.

So, where does my bias lean towards? I seem to like the pure Class A sound of a single ended tube amp more than the Class A/B of the push pull, both are great but the Single Ended just nudges out the Push/Pull with the open mid range and sparkling highs.

EMI 630 Speakers

A rare sight to find these England made dual concentric speakers in the used market, these speakers or EMI speakers have been rumored to have been used in recording studios in England.

These speakers were designed around the use of tube amps and are very efficient. Smaller than the Isophon PH2132E speakers with a little more bass and the mid range set back just a bit.

Interesting to see the inductor coil wrapped around the capacitor in the crossover.

These speakers sound magnificent and image really well.

Plenty of further information can be found through the Ebay site on EMI and these speakers.

These speakers from my research seem to have a cult following in Asia, Japan and Honk Kong these speakers seem to command a premium compared to the North American market.