This Class-A switched Single-Ended amplifier is the life's work of master builder John Eekels, and is a money-no-object mission in the tube field. This is a unique showpiece of which no second exists. This amplifier competes with the world's best from the stable of Audio Note, LAMM, Air Tight and Zanden. You are amazed that this amplifier with 2 x 15 watts can drive just about anything. Every component is meticulously chosen and sourced around the world. Commercially, such an amplifier is not profitable to produce, as a minimum would exceed 30,000.00. The construction took 10 months, and nothing at all was saved on parts, John Eekels was able to cherry pick the best parts, and worldwide. This man is first and foremost an exceptional craftsman. In parts alone, there is more than the asking price in it. This thing is absurd!
The very best tube assemblies, for example, NOS GEC 6J5GTs, Sofia Electric Blue bottles 6SN7s and Ulyanovsk military spec matched 6C33C-Bs. (We have a very nice extra set available as well.)
The volume control is a TVC (Transformer Volume Control). From a technical and quality aspect, this is the best volume control there is. However, they also have disadvantages; cost and complexity. This monk's work can be seen in detail in one of the photos. Even the volume knob is built in completely solid and bearings. If you feel this as an audio enthusiast you will feel the cheeks immediately lift up to create a wide smile.
The power tubes are the Russian 6C33C-B (Military spec). Connoisseurs know the story of the MIG fighter jet tube (google it) and its unique characteristics such as load capacity, build quality and sound quality. The disadvantage of this tube is the bias gradient and heat, but that is tackled by means of a discrete autobias circuit.
In fact, at power-up, the amplifier runs through a time-controlled protocol that preheats the tubes and slowly ramps them up to the desired voltage to ensure maximum life. This total turn-on process takes about 5 minutes and can be followed on the meters in the front panel (until 220mV is reached).
The power supply is a story in itself. The power supply is a sum of discrete paths and each function of the amplifier has a separate power source. The transformers and chokes are custom made variants by Polish artisan Ogonowski, and Claritycaps were used extensively as battery banks. Photos of the inside upon request. Here we have many of them.
Leaving nothing to the doubt is what they call it.... This also applies to the RCA connectors of Swiss origin, normally found only in the most expensive models from Nagra and Zanden, among others. Even the speaker terminals are of the highest quality (WBT's top line).
No savings were made on the housing, either. The construction has many similarities to the door of a Swiss bank vault. This extremely low-resonance design consists at its core of a welded (!) aluminum chassis, is plated with a 2cm (!) solid aluminum front and top plate for efficient heat dissipation and is complemented by beautiful American walnut side panels. Sublimely built in a barn in the Netherlands.
We can tell you that we rarely, if ever, have an amplifier in the shop that is this good. Unique because only one has been built, but also truly unique in display. We are dealing here with a viewing box.
Kudos to John Eekels.
