[Ric Schultz]

EVS is proud to announce new power amps based on the ICEpower® modules.  These amps are sold direct to the consumer for incredible value.  All have 3 year parts and labor transferable warrantee.  I have been modifying, tweaking and manufacturing high end audio gear for over 29 years. 

These new amps are based on the ICEpower® 200ASC and 1000ASP modules. 

The EVS100S stereo amp uses two 200ASC in true dual mono configuration (100 watts a channel into 8 ohms). There is three inches of space between the modules and separate power cords for each channel.  Because of this, mono blocks will not sound better unless you can separate them greatly for reduced speaker wire length.  The two supplied power cords are the Volex 14 gauge shielded ones so favored here.  The standard input jacks are OFC Sound Connections and the output connections are our exclusive binding post bypasses (we run the output wires through holes underneath the binding posts to the outside of the amp, tin the end of the wire, wrap it around the outside of the binding post and solder it to itself......this way the binding post is used only as a clamp and does not give any coloration to the sound...this type of wire to spade/wire clamp system will give better sound than any binding post there is).  The wiring is state of the art and the AC and input wires are only 2 inches long and the output wires are only about 4 inches long.   The amp is 16 inches wide, 8 inches deep and 3 inches tall.  It weighs about 6+ pounds. EAR feet are standard.  I can sell a mono block version for $500 each and envision these for people that need 3, 5 or 7 channels of super sound or already have their system set up for mono blocks.  I do give discounts for multiple amp purchases.  The mono block chassis are the same as for the EVS500Ms described below.

Prices for the EVS100S dual mono stereo amp are:
$800 for unbalanced inputs only
$880 for balanced and unbalanced inputs
$50 extra for extra set of output connectors (to make bi-wiring easier)
$200 extra for unbalanced Ultimate Attenuator
$35 extra for extra set of OFC input jacks for attenuators 


The EVS500M is our super high powered Ice mono block amps.  These amps use Ice Powers best and most powerful module (the 1000ASP) that puts out over 500 watts into 8 ohms and will drive anything there is. These amps will redefine high powered sound and value.  We are sending several amps (both stereo EVS100S and mono EVS500M) off for reviews.  The mono block chassis are available in two styles....the standard ones are similar to the Bel Canto REf1000s....that is, 8 inches wide, 12 inches deep and 3 inches tall.  This way a pair of them can sit next to each other on any shelf.  I can also sell the amp in a chassis that is 12 inches wide, 8 inches deep and 3 inches tall.  This chassis has more room on the back for added options like built-in Ultimate Attenuators, more output jacks, etc.  Input and output connections, wiring and feet are the same as described for the EVS100S above. They weigh about 7.5 lbs. each.  They are simply the best amps I have ever heard.

Prices on the EVS500M 500 watt mono blocks are:
$2000 for a pair with coax input only
$2080 for a pair with balanced and coax inputs
$50 extra for a second set of binding posts (to make bi-wiring easier)
$200 extra for unbalanced Ultimate Attenuators (volume control)
$35 extra for a second set of OFC jacks to use with attenuators.

Custom versions can be made (super nice chassis, etc).....however, they might not be returnable, depending on how "wild" they are.


We are shipping the first amps now.  I am now taking 50% deposits to hold your place for the next batch.  30 day money back guarantee.  I only want happy customers.  No restocking fees....you only are responsible for shipping and of course, they must be in resalable condition, if returned.

This info is not on my website but will be soon.

For more info or to place an order contact:

Ric Schultz
Electronic Visionary Systems
ricevs@hughes.net
408-399-9708...start to leave a message...I will pick up, if here.  I will call you back...on my dime.

Link to pictures of the amp chassis:
http://www.tweakaudio.com/EVS-2/amp_pics.html

I can have faceplates anodized in any color for $100 the pair extra.

[Lkdog]

Any comments about these products by a beta tester or any reviewer with an evaluation model for review?

Not exactly sure what differentiates the various models that all use the same modules.

Any other info is appreciated.

Thanks.

[Ric Schultz]

Finally got the faceplates finished and have posted three pics just to give you some idea of the actual look.  The screws on the top of the chassis will be eliminated within a couple of weeks (all orders from now on will get the new covers).  Also the screws on the sides of the chassis will be countersunk for a more refined look.  I will take more and better pictures soon (both front and rear) and also have the screwless chassis pictures online soon.  The link to the new pictures is in the original post above.  The top pic is of the 8 inch wide, 12 inch deep EVS 500 chassis, the next pic shows the 12 inch wide, 8 inch deep version of the EVS 500 chassis along with the 16 inch wide, 8 inch wide EVS 100S chassis.  The last pic is my EVS amp pyramid (all three chassis).

[Russell Dawkins]

Where are the pix posted, Ric?

[JLM]

Russell,  look for a link about half way into his first post.

[cab]

My understanding of the B&O usage agreement for OEM's prohibits modifications to the icepower modules. How are you able to modify them and still be in compliance?

[Joules]

just what do you do to the modules to improve on them?
This all sounds very interesting.

[Freejazz]

Re: Tweaking the Modules

cab,

This is not my area of expertise, but I think one is actually permitted to modify the modules, but if modified, the ICE/B&O warranty is invalidated and the modifier is on his/her own for repairs.  I think Ric deals with this in his "History with Class D ":

"Ice Power modules are warranted from the factory only if you do not mod them…This is one of the reasons why Bel-Canto, PS Audio, Roland, H2O and others do not modify the modules….if one breaks they simply get another one from Ice. Because I am modding the modules, I will have to warrantee the modules myself….if there is a failure, then I have to eat the cost….However, the Ice Power modules are super reliable and there is no way I can sell a stock module….once you hear what is possible you cannot go back."

My disclaimer - these are my Bel Canto amps that Ric is using to benchmark and I was, as described, the customer who sent a deposit that began this new project.  I was incredibly impressed by the Bel Cantos that use the stock 1000ASP module (in my experience, the 6moons review was right on target - in many ways the best sound I have ever had in my home system), but even more intrigued by what Ric could do to further refine the sound.

[lonewolfny42]

My disclaimer - these are my Bel Canto amps that Ric is using to benchmark and I was, as described, the customer who sent a deposit that began this new project.

Please keep us posted as to how it turns out Freejazz/Scott....thanks !!
Hope all's well !!!
     
      Chris

[Freejazz]

Thanks Chris ... will do. 

The purchase of these were part of my celebration for beating the "Big C" for the second time (and getting the insurance company to cover their so-called "experimental" treatments - thanks to my lovely wife on that one!)

[lonewolfny42]

Thanks Chris ... will do. 

The purchase of these were part of my celebration for beating the "Big C" for the second time (and getting the insurance company to cover their so-called "experimental" treatments - thanks to my lovely wife on that one!)

Use them in good health....thanks !!

[avta]

Anyone had a chance to compare the Bel Canto's or one of the other ASP1000 amps with Nuforce 9.02?
Guy

[Russell Dawkins]

I would go slightly further and wonder if anyone has heard Ric Schultz's ASP 1000s against the ref9 SE, particularly as regards power available (slam, grunt). I know what the specs say - 500 w and 150 w into 8 ohms - but I would like to know what the effective power is.

A response to a query about headroom to one class D designer returned the information that there was no headroom designed into his amp modules.

All other variables and considerations aside, I do appreciate the 20 msec power spec from NuForce. I would like to see, routinely, power specs from any amp in terms of continuous, 100 msec, 20 msec, and 5 msec just to begin to get a handle on dynamic capability.

When I see an amp rated at 150 wpc having more real world "guts" than another rated at 500 w (and I have seen precisely that comment made just recently in regards to these two amps) then I feel that more informative specs are in order, especially now that there are more purchasing decisions being made from information gleaned from internet sources such as this, as opposed to in-the-flesh auditions.

Finally, in the same vein, I would like to see amp distortion figures in the very low power ranges. I think this has a bearing on the way an amp reproduces ambience and suspect there is more variability in this region than in the higher power regions. By very low power, I mean well under a milliwatt.

When you think about it, at a listening level where the average power drawn is 1 watt (which translates to around 85 dB average at the listening position with 90 dB/W speakers - quite loud) then the reverb tails and ambience for classical and jazz are maybe 50 dB down from the average program level.

This translates to 1/100th of a miliwatt - 0.00001 watts.

Some amps perform poorly in this zone, but you woulld never know it because it's hard to get to see the specs.

[sunshine]

An interesting comparison to me would be the EVS500m to the Red Dragon Leviathan (sonically and as to the extent of the mods to the 'ice modules'). Anyone?

[Joules]

I guess ol'e Mr Schultz dosen't work week ends
we'll have to wait till monday for a responce

[Ric Schultz]

The first amps are shipping this week so will be awhile before you hear about A/Bs versus this and that.  I'm sure you will hear lots of feedback over time of how the EVS500M and the EVS100S sound versus other amps. 

The EVS 500M amps are certainly very powerful.  I am sure there are more powerful amps available.  But, do you need even more power?  With a 30 day money back gaurantee you can try them on any power hungry speaker at whatever level you play at.  The only thing that should matter is, will it play my speaker in my room at the volumes I listen to?....this can be determined by the end user.  So, in the flesh auditions are available and versus other amps.  In this day of internet and direct sales and local dealers who will loan equipment, it makes sense to buy/borrow the two or three best amps you think are the best (make sure they are all burned in first) and A/B/C them and return the ones you do not like.  A less powerful amp might sound better in your system and maybe you don't really need all that power.

Distortion figures have never proved to be effective at telling how an amp will sound at any power and listening levels.  There are some amps like the Halcro that measure super low at every level....the Halcro is also suppose to have great low level quality....are they mutual?...hard to say.  I am not against measurements and sometimes lowering the measured distortion in a particular discrete circuit (class A or A/B) can make an amp less hard, and more clear.  However, if you substitute a "lower distortion" op amp in a particular circuit you don't necessarily get any better sound....in fact, many would say that the best "sounding" op amps are the ones that run at the highest current (more class A) and have the least open loop gain and therefore use less feedback and therefore do not have as low as distortion measurements as the high gain/high feedback/low bias opamps.  You could change one part in an amp to a less transparent part and the low level detail would all go away.  Coupling caps, resistors, power supply capacitors, wires, solder, etc. all have different levels of detail retrieval and yet all measure the same distortion wise.  People who tweak and modify equipment know this directly.  If you have never changed parts or tweaked anything then looking for the "spec" that might tell you which one is better is natural.  When you have spent even a small amount of time A/Bing various parts/grounding/damping/shielding/execution, you come to realize that there is much more to this game then measurements....way more.   So, the only thing to do is listen.  Again, borrow/buy with money back gaurantee the amps you want and find the one that does what you want in your system. 

All amps that use the 1000ASP modules will sound different from each other....even if they were all stock, the connectors, wires and case used would all slightly change the sound. Bel Canto is using the modules bone stock....PS Audio adds a gain stage in front and Roland adds a transformer in front....so even there you will have differences in sound.

Many of the clients who are buying the EVS 500Ms already have good amps....Spectron/Rowland/Pass, etc. They are purchasing the EVS 500Ms with the hopes of better sound in a smaller, lighter (sometimes more than 100lbs lighter), less heat/electricity using, less expensive product....In some cases, if they keep the EVS500Ms, they will be able to sell their existing amps for much more money than the EVS's cost, therefore pocketing some nice change.

[Lkdog]

Anybody able to comment about these amps yet?
 

[JDUBS]

Anyone heard from Ric in a while?  I've tried contacting him a couple of times over the last week to no avail.

I'd really like to use his 500M's with my NuForce S-9s.

-Jim

[matix]

Hi Ric,

Is it true that for ICEpower Class D amps,  it is no good to use network cables types like MIT and Transparent?  Hope you don't mind tapping your expertise in this area.  thanks. 

[TAFKA Steve]

Matix,

FWIW, I have been running the EVS 500M monoblocks into my VMPS RM/X's since last Friday.  They are hooked up biwired, with Polk Sound Cable (eight paralleled sections of 2.5 ft length) on the ribbons and NBS Signature on the woofers.  The significance is that Polk is probably the highest capacitance, lowest inductance speaker wires ever made.  The amps have not overheated or shut down, and there is no harshness indicating oscillation.  I'll reserve further comment on the sound until I'm sure of the results after break-in, probably in one month.

Steve