Much fuss and Stuff

It was thus that the ASR`s four parts arrived in the house at the end of the summer. They were unpacked and rigged up in a way that made sure I got space for everything. This is probably the "integrated" amp that is most space demanding of everything on the market. Or maybe not? The constructor does not call this product an integrated amplifier. And it is not particularly integrated to disseminate components on two separate supplies of electricity and a huge battery, in addition to the actual amplifier section. But space tech stuff, that's for sure. And then the rack (and the floor) has to withstand over 140 kg reinforced amps. It is difficult to get it to blend unobtrusively into the living room, so had it not been for the fact that my loudspeakers is even stranger, it would have made attention.

I placed the power supply boxes as far away from the amp that space and pipes allowed. This is, after all, the point of having separate electricity supply. And it also makes the ASR as silent as the grave - it is impossible to hear hiss of any kind, no matter how high you turned the volume control - if you do not have poor signal wires running close to mains wiring, it is.

Emitter has plenty of inputs, and there is also a balanced input, which I have not used by now.

The many heavy liftings means that you have to have a good time, and preferably you should have an assistent when this should rigged together. The enclosed cable should be unrolled and connected via extremely well sized and trustful contacts. I turned on the monster, and waited - it takes a few days before everything is stable. So it went hard on patience until I could support basic needs for quality sound.

But then, after three days, I took a chance on turning on the power plant. Actually manufacturer recommends a 100 to 200 hour break-in, especially because of the battery to supply the pre-amp part shall be properly stabilized.

The technical specifications are good, even if we do not rise our eyebrows as high as we did in the old times when there was talk of 2x500 watts at 4 ohms. That reinforced guy doubling in 2 ohms, and that it is supposed to tolerate one ohm, is maybe more interesting, actually.

Whwen it comes to power supply, this is specified at a total of 862,000 μF, and I'm the happy guy. My speakers are the most hungry ones I`ve ever experienced, and obviously the never get enough food. But I thinks Emitter 2 Exclusive did did feed them in a convincing manner.

We also mentioned the battery to the pre-amp part. This is over 400 000μF, most certainly sufficiant for low-level signal.

Otherwise, Emitter 2 also have an "eco mode", where you can play on only half of the supply of electricity. Turn the volume over "35", and the amp changes automatically to full power, and this sounds. On the powerbutton there is also a standby mode, as well as the option of dropping the eco-mode, and use full power-supply even at low volume. In this mode the volume can go up to 76dB, while it stops at 61 dB when we use the "eco-mode" setting. Eco-mode is completely okay - the only problem is that the "full package" is actually better ...

Sound

From the first moment it sounded very impressive - especially in the bass range. This is completely exceptional, something I remember from the distbutor’s demonstration room (Stereofil), where I heard the combination ASR /mbl for the first time. This was compared with both mbl-electronics, as well as the otherwise very basstrustful Rogue 180watts mono blocks, which now had to accept to be retired in a somewhat weaker division. ASR has probably also sligtly better bass than Manley Neoclassic 500, at least when it comes to control - but Neoclassic 500 is still an amplifier I will continue to hold as the absolute best I've tried, together with mbl 101E mkII when it comes to the musical part - and that is the most important task for a good system, I'll believe ..? The commitment, what I venture to define as "ngoma" is so very present when it replayed via the incredible, 20-KT88 beast. But now it was the ASR Emitter Exclusive 2 we were talking about ...

It took a while before Emitter 2 Ex had become a proper part of the interior. I think a certain time for break-in has to be expected. Maybe I also have to adapt myself to the new reinforced guy? But after four months had passed, I started to summarize my notes for evaluating qualities:

I had to revise the very first impression of a very powerful, but very controlled bass area. Not that I have to take back what I noted - ASR stands for the best bass electronics I've been introduced to, basement deep, explosive and completely controlled. But the thing is that the rest of the frequency range is the same way. Homogeneous to a degree that I can`t remember to have heard before. Completely transparent, with steel control of absolutely everything. And a gradation capability that covers absolutely every field, be it the micro-or macro-dynamics, three-dimensionality and the way the instruments bare placed in the concert hall, dissemination of body (chest) and soul to the singers, and not just voice. You hear how Harry Belafonte jobs in Carneige Hall, and you catch absolutely everything of complexity when it comes to Fritz Reiner Scheherazade, as well as Supertramp's best albums. But different from the Manley Neoclassic grace. Where Neoclassic can presume to be binge, and at times can be said to affirming music, Emitter 2 keeps on the formal and correct, but conveys the real, without exaggerating or underlining something to emphasize particular aspects of the music. I am inclined to like Neoclassic best, and I let myself be charmed by the marvelous musical style of fiddling. But if I should consider recording equipment or details of any kind, it is the ASR Emitter which keeps the head cool.

All sound pressure

And best of all, it enjoyes equally well playing if I'm lying on low or high volume. Basically, I felt that my mbls do their best when they could crank up a bit. This they certainly like, but they pactually sing on "reasonable" sound pressure too, if only the electronics can cope with it. The two best reinforced rob I've tried out - Manley Neoclassic and ASR - actually makes so that music reproduction gets a relative listening threshold, which can easily be adapted to the music at any given time plays. A contrast to the loudspeakers with high listening threshold, those who must play aloud to resolve the music. An example of such loudspeakers are Magnepan. I would like to try ASR together with the greatest models from Magnepan - maybe they also can play low with the right amplification?

Facilities

I have to mention that the Emitter has 2 more sensible functions. It is possible to adjust the balance. A little cumbersome, as a sub-function, but not difficult. The only host is that you adjust once for the room - and not for every record. Simple enough, and far better than no balance control at all, as many of the competitors are missing. It's also nice that the input level can be adjusted, so you can fine-tuned level at all entrances. When you avoid a very low signal from the vinyl, while for an instance radio signal is far too powerful. This can also be trimmed using the remote control and some careful reading of the manual.

For those who have extremely difficult loudspeakers - the Emitter has a fuse circuit, something I discovered when I was going to play very high. Yes, mbl 101 would like a thousand watts, but manages quite well with five hundred. It was loud enough to satisfy all kind of needs in my 41 m2 listening room, and I was alone at home when Emitter said that it was enough.

Final assessment, in early December, after four months of listening

Now there is much going on with the plant. It looks like all parameters has come to rest. I can use the ASR save mode when I play Spotify or in other situations when I am not critical to sound reproduction, but burning more power when I need proper quality. Listening to the combination of ASR / mbl is amazing. Fair enough, It can not be played so insanely high that I did with W4S its 1200 Watts mono blocks, and I am missing the wonderful ingratiating musicality to Manley electronics. In return I have with ASR opened a window onto the consert hall, without the slightest hint that the electronic "shine", as transistor amplifiers are known to do. There may be amps with better qualities somewhere out there - but when one sees what one gets when one invest in ASR, I is hard to believe there are better sound at a price like this.

Distributed through Stereofil (Oslo, Grensen).

More info at: http://www.stereofil.no/produkter/stereo/asr_emitter_ii.html

or manufacturer's pages: http://www.asraudio.de/