EWA amps and cables

[wee tee cee]

The Scottish troops had a get together at Ali Tates place on Sunday a fine meeting it was too with good music/company and food courtesy of Michele .
Im was lucky enough to have taken stewardship of Colin Wonfors TQ Claymore amp over a year ago and haven’t looked back. Fantastic amp with the best Dac ive tried and an excellent phono stage.

I have dappled with TQ cables for years and anything I have bought I have kept, all my blue and black is still in use and like the amp is in keeper territory.
The get together was made a bit special by Colin Wonfor attending with his good lady and bringing some of his latest designs of pre amp/power amp/power cables/speaker cables.

Ali runs a complex digital crossover open baffle speaker set up so invited the troops to bring along conventional speakers so they could get a handle on what the amps and cables did with speakers they knew. Both Alis front ends digital and analogue(didn’t try the reel to reel) are top notch, so a nice opportunity to hear what Colins designs would do.

I took along my Frugel 3s made by Steve of Electric beach. Ive had them for a couple of years-again keepers. They are full range horns with a bit of transmission line assistance designed by Scott Moose. Ive amped them with digital/valve/valve hybrid and solid state so know them reasonably well.

Colin had brought the EWA entry level Q-20P PRE AMP/ Q 20 POWER AMP/HB-100 MONO POWER AMPS. He had brought LS25 cable and power cords.
The Frugels got plumbed in and magic happened….

Initially the Q 20 PRE was in play with the HB-100 mono blocks, EWA wires both speaker and power feeding the amps and speakers.
I know what the Frugels can do..or thought I did!!!

The Monos have an ability to control a conventional driver speaker the likes of which I had not experienced. No harshness, unflustered instant grunt and instantaneous attack. A tremendous delicacy backed by spot you in your tracks dynamics.

Strange phenomenon I have observed with top notch hi fi –its playing really loud(much higher than you would at home) but you can have an unforced conversation with the guy next to you..wierd!
One of the troops commented on how fast the Frugels where-it was the amps. I was seriously impressed but worried one of the troops would be killed with a blunt trauma injury by alpairs driver.

The Q20 power amp was partnered up with its pre and we got listening.
I managed to commandeer Alis digital controller and spooled up some John Martyn/Keb Mo/Jamouriqui.
I couldn’t trip them up, they didnt get flustered no matter how hard they were driven. We checked-they didn’t get warm either.
Sonically, they just amplified music-no colouration I could detect with a naturalness that genuinely raised the hairs on my arms a couple of times.

The cables were invisible in the sonic picture-probably the best compliment I can give them…they added or subtracted nothing,(as it should be)!

The entry level 20 amps partnered with a suitable speaker could quite happily be the center of a music lovers main system for life.

I spoke to Colin…a DAC is on the horizon.

Judging by what I and others heard EWA could provide a fully synergised system only needing a pair of speakers that suit your domestic and sonic needs.

My observations are from my experience with the frugels, other speakers and owners were present and may comment on their interpretation.

[mikeyb]

Those are pretty much my thoughts on the day too, my PMC's didn't show their best being out in the open ( sounded great when I hooked them back up at home, nearer the rear wall ), but they held their own.

I would have liked to have tried the Pre at home to get a comparison in my living room with Ali's Slagle.

I think the most impressive thing was hearing Tony's Frugels being driven with the Q20 pre and Power Amp. A setup just people would be delighted with and very much wife friendly with the amps measuring roughly 6 inches square. Even my wife liked the look of the Frugels but I'm not sure if they'd cope with my volume levels, they were driven pretty hard mind you and never sounded forced.

[wee tee cee]

They go to Disco levels no problem....

[mikeyb]

They go to Disco levels no problem....
Is that so, a very impressive speaker then.

[wee tee cee]

The Q-20 power amps ability to drive them hard without clipping really suprised me. I think they are about 87db so not the easiest load. I have witnessed my kel 84 mono blocks and temple mono blocks struggle with them when really cranked up. Even my berrhinger 500 went a bit weak at the knees when pushed.

I asked Colin how they would cope with my 57s as they are a horrible load with impedance all over the place- he assured me as with the Claymore they would take it in their stride.

[Ali Tait]

The Alpair driver is not the most sensitive, but it is an easy load, so not difficult for an amp to drive. The Frugals sounded great on the end of Colin's amps, as did the AN's I thought.

[wee tee cee]

Did you get the chance to try them with your OBs?

[mikeyb]

Did you get the chance to try them with your OBs?
Fraid not, Ali said it would have been a bit of a task to swap all his active gear out.

Plus, his labourer was hopeless and would have killed something 😉

[Colin Wonfor]

Hi All,

I would like to thank you all for making Maria and I feel so welcome, Michele and Ali the reception and hospitality you show us two strangers was magic many many thanks. BIG HUG.
We got back Friday at midnight a crap trip back and I thought many times about turning around and coming back to Scotland and leave the crap drivers a stupid roadworks and thoughtless people behind.
I did take a few photo and when I can will post them.

Mike, thank you also for you welcome at your home and I love the dog tell you daughter.

Nat in Edinburgh after a long time now speaking and chatting with you without ever meeting, you made Maria and I feel like we were old friends, please also pass my kind regards to Mum.

Well now to unload the car with Sam three year worth on Uni stuff and for his mum lots of washing.

Photo,s up soon.

[mikeyb]

No worries Colin, a pleasure to meet at last. With all our blethering I forgot to let you hear your amp in my setup at home Doh!

Next time eh 😉

Just to update my setup I now own the EWA Prototype M50 amp that Colin loaned me, it really does make my PMC's sing, even at low levels it's excellent.

It's actually making me question my sanity in trying those NS1000M's I'm still trying to arrange to collect 🤔 😁

Wife is going to hate them, still, you only live once.

[Floyddroid]

Nee pictures like?

[wee tee cee]

I only had a few hours to hear Colins creations....had to skulk off to sleep before a run of nightshifts. One aspect of Colins TQ claymore that has enchanted me throughout ownership is the head phone section. I reckon the the Q20 pre could be rather special in this respect(never mind the M-50).

Would love to try it with cans.

Reckon the forthcoming dac may well be a bit special.....