English Acoustic 21c review
- Thread starter chiily
- Start date
Tony L
Administrator
Nice review. A few things I’d take issue with, e.g. the running costs aren’t crazy, I can’t remember off the top of my head but IIRC a Stereo 20 draws about 150W or so. That is less than a lot of class A solid state, e.g. my 30 Watt Pass Aleph 3 draws 250W. Even then it’s just a couple of old fashioned light bulbs and none of these are amps you’d stick on TV duty etc.
The price seems to have jumped massively. IIRC they were well under £4k when first announced, and that looks expensive compared to a lovingly restored original. It is annoying they didn’t mention Radford Revival who bring some perspective here when it comes to pricing. It is clearly possible! That said I’m totally happy with my obsessively self-restored Stereo 20 and TL12 Plus monos and a substantial stash of vintage Mullard valves. I’m done.
PS It is amusing how much of my various vintage systems now have modern equivalents; you can buy a brand new TD-124, J-shaped SME arm, Stereo 20, even Lockwood Tannoys! We just need a Quad 303 and JR149 revival!
The price seems to have jumped massively. IIRC they were well under £4k when first announced, and that looks expensive compared to a lovingly restored original. It is annoying they didn’t mention Radford Revival who bring some perspective here when it comes to pricing. It is clearly possible! That said I’m totally happy with my obsessively self-restored Stereo 20 and TL12 Plus monos and a substantial stash of vintage Mullard valves. I’m done.
PS It is amusing how much of my various vintage systems now have modern equivalents; you can buy a brand new TD-124, J-shaped SME arm, Stereo 20, even Lockwood Tannoys! We just need a Quad 303 and JR149 revival!
chiily
PFM Special Builder
I did post a comment on the video that they should contact Will at @Radford Revival to try either one of his new or refurbished builds.
Let's see.
Mike P
Trade: Pickwell Audio
I visited English Acoustics earlier this year when I went to pick up an old HP spectrum analyser that I'd bought from them. I meant to post about it nearer the time but never quite got around to it.
Peter Farrow was very friendly and generous with his time. I got the impression that he would have been happy to chat all day. We chatted about HiFi of course but he's also a big petrol head and we got chatting about cars too.
I was able to audition the 21c and there's no doubt that it's an excellent amplifier. It's always hard to make comparisons when you hear something in a different room and with different speakers etc but the impression I got was that the 21c was a little tighter and more punchy in the bass than the Leak Stereo 20 and perhaps a bit crisper throughout. It was driving some big Bowers and Wilkins floorstanders and sounded effortless at the moderate listening volume we had it at.
I understand the basic circuit is pretty faithful copy of the original but that's only part of the story since the the transformers are all new and built to Peter's design in the UK. Peter gave me the full story of the testing rigmarole and various prototypes they went through for both the mains transformer and output transformers. Peter clearly has high expectations and exacting standards. They had test transformers made by various famous UK transformer winders (I'm not going to say who) which were rejected on quality grounds until eventually they found a supplier that could deliver the goods (again I'm not saying who). Peter claims that their new output transformers have significantly better bandwidth than the originals and I have no reason to doubt it. Their mains transformer design is vented to allow it to run cooler than the originals, which known to have a tendency to run too hot if given half a chance.
Their office is above a Fiat franchise and paintwork for their amps is done in the dealers bodyshop to 'automotive standards' in a proper paint booth. That's why most of the colours they do are actually car colours. Peter told me it costs them £400 to have a chassis painted and that sounds about right to me. Good paint isn't cheap.
Personally I'm not a fan of some of the more gimmicky aspects of the 21c but there's no doubt in my mind that it's a superb quality product and the sound quality is as good as you'd hope. £7000 is a lot of money but comparable to high end amps sold by Accuphase and McIntosh etc and the sound quality of the 21c is right up there.
English Acoustics might be wise to offer a non custom model in a couple of standard colours that could be batch painted, as it would really help them to bring to cost down a bit. But perhaps that's not their target market.
And yes I totally agree that the Radford Revival amps are fantastic value for money.
Peter Farrow was very friendly and generous with his time. I got the impression that he would have been happy to chat all day. We chatted about HiFi of course but he's also a big petrol head and we got chatting about cars too.
I was able to audition the 21c and there's no doubt that it's an excellent amplifier. It's always hard to make comparisons when you hear something in a different room and with different speakers etc but the impression I got was that the 21c was a little tighter and more punchy in the bass than the Leak Stereo 20 and perhaps a bit crisper throughout. It was driving some big Bowers and Wilkins floorstanders and sounded effortless at the moderate listening volume we had it at.
I understand the basic circuit is pretty faithful copy of the original but that's only part of the story since the the transformers are all new and built to Peter's design in the UK. Peter gave me the full story of the testing rigmarole and various prototypes they went through for both the mains transformer and output transformers. Peter clearly has high expectations and exacting standards. They had test transformers made by various famous UK transformer winders (I'm not going to say who) which were rejected on quality grounds until eventually they found a supplier that could deliver the goods (again I'm not saying who). Peter claims that their new output transformers have significantly better bandwidth than the originals and I have no reason to doubt it. Their mains transformer design is vented to allow it to run cooler than the originals, which known to have a tendency to run too hot if given half a chance.
Their office is above a Fiat franchise and paintwork for their amps is done in the dealers bodyshop to 'automotive standards' in a proper paint booth. That's why most of the colours they do are actually car colours. Peter told me it costs them £400 to have a chassis painted and that sounds about right to me. Good paint isn't cheap.
Personally I'm not a fan of some of the more gimmicky aspects of the 21c but there's no doubt in my mind that it's a superb quality product and the sound quality is as good as you'd hope. £7000 is a lot of money but comparable to high end amps sold by Accuphase and McIntosh etc and the sound quality of the 21c is right up there.
English Acoustics might be wise to offer a non custom model in a couple of standard colours that could be batch painted, as it would really help them to bring to cost down a bit. But perhaps that's not their target market.
And yes I totally agree that the Radford Revival amps are fantastic value for money.
Last edited:
brecklandboy
pfm Member
To really stay true to 'Made in Britain' sales tag, can I propose that E.A should launch a limited edition version sporting NOS Mullard valves. I think that it would definitely outperform the 'standard' production version.
I absolutely adore the 'Stonehenge Silver' paint option b.t.w..
Dear Santa ......
I absolutely adore the 'Stonehenge Silver' paint option b.t.w..
Dear Santa ......
Tarzan
pfm Member
Mike Hughes
pfm Member
This looks a good fit for my downsizing/uptick in quality quest. One of the written reviews I’ve seen paired it with a Chord Hugo TT2, which I have. My speakers are 16ohm Zu So a little loss of power but more than enough.
Two questions then. At this point has anyond heard it, and, i can’t see anything on how you’d bias the tubes.
Two questions then. At this point has anyond heard it, and, i can’t see anything on how you’d bias the tubes.
Mike P
Trade: Pickwell Audio
I heard one when I visited English Acoustics a while ago. It sounded excellent.
It's based on the Leak Stereo 20, which is a self biasing circuit. There is no need to bias the valves manually.
Mike Hughes
pfm Member
Thanks. I was aware of the background but couldn’t find anything about bias in any of the small number of reviews out there. Suspect reviewers forgot that not all readers will be familiar with the original Leak. The more I’m looking at them I am torn between the 21c and the 41c for an audition. Latter has unbalanced inputs and extra power. The Zus are very sensitive/efficient but still love extra power and with 16ohm speakers and an 8ohm amp a little extra might help.
Biggest thing now is getting an audition. Difficult when I’m north west and they’re all southern. The more impressions I can get the better so when you say “excellent“ I am especially interested in the strength of the mid range and its ability with genres outside of acoustic, classical and jazz. I love all 3. I just need it to be able to do more than that.
Mike P
Trade: Pickwell Audio
I heard the 21c at English Acoustics in their demo room, which was very well damped with lots of soft furnishings. The speakers were some big high end Bowers and Wilkins (I forget which model, sorry). I usually find B&W speakers a bit forward and bright but I didn't hear that in this case, perhaps because the room was so well damped. The midrange was clear and clean and the bass nicely taught and firm. Overall I felt it was excellent.
I'm very familiar with the original ST20 as I own one myself and have restored many. It's hard/impossible to make comparisons between the 21c and the original when I only heard the 21c with different speakers and in a different room but if I was pushed to make a comparison I'd say the 21c perhaps had slightly tighter bass.
You might want to consider trying an original Leak ST20 too. A properly fully restored one would change hands for about £1250. Don't think of the original as 'old technology' and the 21c as new and advanced, they're essentially the same circuit and will sound very very similar. Peter Farrow told me that his output transformers give a little more bandwidth and I have no reason to doubt that. Their power supply transformer is also vented to allow it to run cooler than the original, which is known to run a bit on the warm side.
I'm very familiar with the original ST20 as I own one myself and have restored many. It's hard/impossible to make comparisons between the 21c and the original when I only heard the 21c with different speakers and in a different room but if I was pushed to make a comparison I'd say the 21c perhaps had slightly tighter bass.
You might want to consider trying an original Leak ST20 too. A properly fully restored one would change hands for about £1250. Don't think of the original as 'old technology' and the 21c as new and advanced, they're essentially the same circuit and will sound very very similar. Peter Farrow told me that his output transformers give a little more bandwidth and I have no reason to doubt that. Their power supply transformer is also vented to allow it to run cooler than the original, which is known to run a bit on the warm side.
Mike Hughes
pfm Member
Thanks Mike. Your comments support the reviews i.e. runs 20 degrees cooler; slightly tighter bass and improved upper end plus lots of sensible safety features. I’m definitely ruling out the original but the EA 21c and 41c are beginning to look like something I need to audition.
Mike Hughes
pfm Member
Tarzan
pfm Member
Is The Enleum that small amp with the three huge feet what did you not like about it?
Mike Hughes
pfm Member
The tiny oil rig.Is The Enleum that small amp with the three huge feet what did you not like about it?
I loved everything about it except that it was musically unengaging and had clear quality control issues. Most reviews talked of a wide and deep soundstage; mesmerising vocals and a wonderful midrange. Two reviewers - GoldenSound and ConvinceMeAudio - were less convinced and described a V shaped sound signature. Lots of detail but no engagement. Initially I just assumed the minority must be wrong or had a faulty box (they reviewed the same box/shared it between them). I was wrong. They were right.
Mike Hughes
pfm Member
Quick question then. 2 reviews tall about using the 21c with a Chord Hugo TT2 in pre mode. Does that mean you’re using the ball to control volume or are you setting a specific gain and controlling volume from inside something like my Innuos Sense app?
Mike Hughes
pfm Member
Home demo tomorrow cancelled as I have bronchitis/acute respiratory tract infection which came on very quickly and is stubbornly refusing to leave. Not conducive to a day of listening to a valve amp. To be rearranged.
Mike Hughes
pfm Member
Thought I was finally clear. First bout of Covid last year followed by pulmonary embolisms out of the blue. Compounded by pneumonia, which took 3 months to clear. Just getting back into the swing of things and… this.