Electrocompaniet AW250R stereo amplifier is a hidden gem of an amplifier

DevAAudio

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Jul 25, 2018
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I have been highly impressed with the price to performance of the Electrocompaniet AW250R stereo amplifier. I have challenged this amplifier in many high end systems over the years and it always comes through for me. Read more about this “hidden audio gem” below:

https://www.devaaudio.com/blog/electrocompaniet-shhh-hidden-gem
 

danielk141

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Mar 13, 2012
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I'm going to second your opinion on Electrocompaniet amps. I live in the Phoenix area. Over the years my friends & I have searched for brands of class AB amps that sound as good as class A amps.
Heat is a very important consideration here when it's over 100 degrees. My reference for class A sound is Pass Labs, my personal favorite models being the Aleph 2 monoblocs and the XA-30.5 stereo amp.
There are 3 brands of class AB amps we have found that run cool, and sound very good: Jeff Rowland, Electrocompaniet, and YBA.
YBA has fallen by the wayside, Jeff Rowland is still around, (I sold my Pass Aleph 2s and Rowland Model 2 to fund the purchase of my Rowland 625).
I plan to audition an Electrocompaniet amp or monoblocs when I have a chance.

My main system speakers are B&W 803D3, Apogee Stage, or Avalon Avatar. My Rowland 625 drives them all easily in the summer. My Pass XA-30.5 drives them all during the cooler months.
 
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DevAAudio

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Jul 25, 2018
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I'm going to second your opinion on Electrocompaniet amps.
I plan to audition an Electrocompaniet amp or monoblocs when I have a chance.

You have a very nice system! I'm sure it provides a great listening experience...

I have always felt that Electrocompaniet doesn't get mentioned enough in today's audio conversations. It is such a strong value and sounds so musical. When you get a chance to audition them in your system definitely let me know... I am hoping to help build the fan base in the USA:)!!!

https://www.devaaudio.com/blog/electrocompaniet-shhh-hidden-gem
 

jep123

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Dec 23, 2012
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Electrocompaniet had difficulties and everybody thought that they were going out of business. It is still a little bit unclear what will happen and their website is down at the moment. I think they might start up again. It is a venerable brand with a good track record.

Most audiophiles here where I live has owned EC equipment in the past, I am no exeption. But that was many years ago.

JP
 

DevAAudio

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Jul 25, 2018
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Electrocompaniet had difficulties and everybody thought that they were going out of business. It is still a little bit unclear what will happen and their website is down at the moment. I think they might start up again. It is a venerable brand with a good track record.

Most audiophiles here where I live has owned EC equipment in the past, I am no exeption. But that was many years ago.

JP

Hello... I see you have Kharma speakers. I had an opportunity to hear those at Axpona this year. Very Nice! I also see that you are in Norway! I have always wanted to visit...

Regarding Electrocompaniet... I recently became a dealer for Electrocompaniet in the USA so I know they are not currently having any business issues. They are undergoing some webpage development but their older web pages are still available as links on their main page. You could also go directly to a workable page from here:

https://www.electrocompaniet.no/products/classic/

I also have links set through my webpage:

https://www.devaaudio.com/brands

If anyone needs help finding dealers in their area (In the USA) feel free to reach out to me and I will assist the best I can as I have direct communication with the USA distributor and with Electrocompaniet's CEO Peter Wellikoff. As a dealer I'm a bit unique because I am not motivated directly by sales. I have another job that keeps me financially whole. I'm just excited to help build excitement and awareness of special products like the Electrocompaniet AW250R stereo amp that I mentioned at the start of this thread. Happy to answer any questions. Happy listening!!!

https://www.devaaudio.com/blog/elect...hhh-hidden-gem
 

DevAAudio

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Jul 25, 2018
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Electrocompaniet has a new distributor. RED LEAF AUDIO. A very fine Canadian distributor. David Jensen is a true gentlemen to work with. Looking forward to seeing the US dealer network expand over the coming months/years on great products like the AW 250R stereo amplifier!

Best,
Deva
 

Kefacurus

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Jul 18, 2023
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I have always wanted an Electrocompaniet amp ever since I heard one at a dealer reproduce a cymbal strike so real I thought it was in the room. I have had a few amps that had similar power but up until I bought an AW250R nothing had the full list of transparency, power, bass and realism in the top end. I also have 300B monoblocks that are nice but they lack the transparency of the Electrocompaniet. I use a valve pre and a valve output Dac. I do get slight transformer hum which this model is noted for and I wish the company would address this - especially for the price! This is not through the speakers and I don’t t notice it at the listening position. I still enjoy listening for hours at a time with no fatigue.
 

Onepoint5

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Sep 23, 2011
47
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Recalling the Citation 24 power amps from the 70's designer, I think was Matti Otala, who also had a hand in the Electrocompaniet product a little before that. The Citations were awesome amps, quite out of reach for a struggling apprentice at the time, but eventually after 40 years onwards an opportunity for Electrocompaniet to enter the audio system came to fruition.

There's an AW250R new since Aug-16, 2023 due to a broken Accuphase P-4200. The Accuphase will be repaired, but in the meantime, the AW250R will stay in place in the main system. These days of uncertain expectations with regard to delivery, I was lucky in there was one new AW250R in the country!
The sound character is much the same as the P-4200, with a lot more power, (250W vs 90W) and where did the dynamics come from in recordings that were played quite a few times over the years. The increase in dynamics doesn't come at the expense of distortion, the music is clean, yes, transparent with great imaging qualities. This AW250R is paired with KEF reference 205/2, pre is Accuphase C-2420. It is rare for an amplifier to specify the output impedance and current capability, as far as numbers go, this amp is a rubber stamp of approval.

Still running in, but what music comes out, this amp just gives and gives as the loudness increases. Things must have changed, over progressive models, this one doesn't hum at all. Despite Class A, the amp runs *just* warm to the touch, a recent Yamaha AV receiver runs a lot hotter in comparison, so not an issue even in hotter climates. An Ethergen is difficuilt to hold for more than 2s, it's that hot, the AW250R is nowhere near this ferocity.

Highly recommend this amp, if you're into mono blocks, I'm sure the upper power models will provide many a great listening session for years to come.
 
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audio.bill

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May 27, 2013
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The Electrocompaniet AW250R is not a Class A bias design, it's Class AB. It's rated power is 250wpc into 8 ohms, 380wpc into 4, 625wpc into 2 and 1,100wpc into 1ohm so it can provide plenty of current.
 

microstrip

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May 30, 2010
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(...) Highly recommend this amp, if you're into mono blocks, I'm sure the upper power models will provide many a great listening session for years to come.

I second your recommendation - for a long time I kept a AW250 DMB for the hot summer days. It needs a good preamplifier to show its sound quality - the Electrocompaniet preamplifiers IMO are too lean sounding for it - and reacts fairly well to a good power cable. The AW250 DMB are in fact two monoblocks in the same case.

A great amplifier for hard to drive electrostatics - the Martin Logan Prodigy's sounded much better with it than I could imagine.
 
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Onepoint5

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Sep 23, 2011
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The Electrocompaniet AW250R is not a Class A bias design, it's Class AB. It's rated power is 250wpc into 8 ohms, 380wpc into 4, 625wpc into 2 and 1,100wpc into 1ohm so it can provide plenty of current.
Typo fixed on the output power into 8 ohms.

Class A, I stand by this. From the manual (AW250_Manual_R2.indd 12.10.2017 12:13:02) page 4:
1692489184721.png
From the levels I listen to, Class A it is. I don't know what the high level of Class A is defined as, however, the power consumption specification that the amplifier draws at no load and with signal is the same, 230W. This figure tells me, Class A, the power consumed is the same at any operating point. From the same manual, page 5.

1692489373306.png
 

Audiohertz2

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Jun 8, 2023
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Typo fixed on the output power into 8 ohms.

Class A, I stand by this. From the manual (AW250_Manual_R2.indd 12.10.2017 12:13:02) page 4:
View attachment 115322
From the levels I listen to, Class A it is. I don't know what the high level of Class A is defined as, however, the power consumption specification that the amplifier draws at no load and with signal is the same, 230W. This figure tells me, Class A, the power consumed is the same at any operating point. From the same manual, page 5.

View attachment 115323

Based on Idle draw, class A Bias and operating class A power is approx 20 watts per channel @8 ohm ..!



Regards
 

Audiohertz2

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Jun 8, 2023
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The Electrocompaniet AW250R is not a Class A bias design, it's Class AB. It's rated power is 250wpc into 8 ohms, 380wpc into 4, 625wpc into 2 and 1,100wpc into 1ohm so it can provide plenty of current.

All Solid state Audio Amplifiers are class A, AB , the level of class A bias determines if its high or low Bias for class A , but all will eventually transition to Class B ..!
 

SVS

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Jan 19, 2020
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sound-design-atelier.com
Generally speaking an amp described as being "Class A" maintains Class A bias to its full rated power into 8 ohms.
A class A amplifier consumes the same power in silent mode and at maximum power. In class AB, these numbers are different.

This amp sounds pretty good, but one of my customers replaced it with tube monoblocks https://sound-design-atelier.com/amplifier-2 in their main system. But the speakers had a sensitivity of 94 dB.
It was a little inconvenient because of XLR sonnectors, but the result brought satisfaction to the owner.
 
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Audiohertz2

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Jun 8, 2023
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Generally speaking an amp described as being "Class A" maintains Class A bias to its full rated power into 8 ohms.

Only a handful in history do 99% of those claiming Class A today don't and if over 100 watts absolutely they don't and will only do so at 8ohms ..!
 
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sigbergaudio

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DasguteOhr

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Sep 26, 2013
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Only a handful in history do 99% of those claiming Class A today don't and if over 100 watts absolutely they don't and will only do so at 8ohms ..!
When you want big class a power amaudio italy, you can choise 50%or 100% class a on the back power saving mode. Exsample pic a 130 reference.
The a-300x goes up to 1000watt class a at 2 ohms.
a130refs2large5.jpg a130refs2large1.jpg


 
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