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Iamp 600 - The Forgotten EA?

boogiebass

boogiebass

Aug 16, 2000
3,577
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#1
I've owned two of these babies over the years and hung onto one to use as a backup recently. I currently rotate between a Walter Woods Ultra and an Iamp 800 most of the time. But my band hosted a sit-in thing the other night so I broke out the old 600 and the EA CX310. What a surprise...

I forgot what a difference in sound this amp has compared to the 800! The 600 has major clarity, probably the best I've ever heard in that regard. Just almost clinically clean! Always a bit limited in headroom, it seemed to have no problem pumping out plenty of sound with the CX310 and an American P Bass. I had the input level set at about noon (with no pad) and the output was straight up, too. Effortless sounding, actually, with no strain or apparent lack of headroom. Tone is obviously quite a bit cleaner with everything set flat but, just like the 800, EQ options are numerous. Granted, the 800 is warmer and "fatter" but the 600 is just so articulate! And this is not with a fancy, high-end custom, active bass, either. We're talking a regular old '97 American Standard P Bass (great bass, BTW). I had forgotten how good this amp really is. It's a bit heavier than the 800, of course. But it sure seemed like the sonic equivalent of focusing a high-intensity light on your bass' natural tone. I could just hear every nuance of right hand inflections, dynamics, you name it.

Man, I'm glad I hung onto this amp...uh...Iamp! ;) Too bad the thing is discontinued! :( I might actually pick up another one...Oh Ebay... :D
 
#3
Big Joe said:
Boogie,
Would that be the 500W white-faced Ashdown-made version or something else? :eyebrow: :confused:
Click to expand...

Huh? :eyebrow:

No, it's the 600 watt Euphonic Audio Iamp600, now discontinued. You are confused, bro! ;)

I'll try to dig up a pic for you...

It's white but unless I've seriously missed something, I know of no connection between Ashdown and EA! :)
 
#4
boogiebass said:
Huh? :eyebrow:

No, it's the 600 watt Euphonic Audio Iamp600, now discontinued. You are confused, bro! ;)

I'll try to dig up a pic for you...
Click to expand...

I knew there were a couple earlier versions before the newer versions came out... I have what I think is the original iamp on the way, due tomorrow actually.

It's white-faced and made by Ashdown for EA. Listed as 500W @ 4 Ohms on the back but not tagged on the front as the iamp 500 or 600, only as iamp. I wasn't sure if the 600 came before or after it. I assumed after.

Digging up info on any early iamps has been kind of hard. EA used to have an archive section but I couldn't get it to open... :hmm:
 
#5
Big Joe said:
I knew there were a couple earlier versions before the newer versions came out... I have what I think is the original iamp on the way, due tomorrow actually.

It's white-faced and made by Ashdown for EA. Listed as 500W @ 4 Ohms on the back but not tagged on the front as the iamp 500 or 600, only as iamp. I wasn't sure if the 600 came before or after it. I assumed after.

Digging up info on any early iamps has been kind of hard. EA used to have an archive section but I couldn't get it to open... :hmm:
Click to expand...

Interesting! I had no idea anyone every made amps for EA. Learn something new every day, I guess. Here's a link to the old EA site with info. on the 600:

http://www.euphonicaudio.com/index.cfm?page=iamp600

The amp I have is definitely 600 watts into 4 ohms, just as depicted on this link.
 
#6
boogiebass said:
Interesting! I had no idea anyone every made amps for EA. Learn something new every day, I guess. Here's a link to the old EA site with info. on the 600:

http://www.euphonicaudio.com/index.cfm?page=iamp600

The amp I have is definitely 600 watts into 4 ohms, just as depicted on this link.
Click to expand...

Just what I needed. GAS for more EA gear... :p

Actually, looking at that link, I don't see where it mentions power handling? :eyebrow:
 
#9
1111622368688_eafront.gif

1112139240676_eaengland.gif
 
#10
Big Joe said:
Same face as mine on the way although mine says 500W RMS and 1000W peak @ 4 Ohms (min. impedance) on the back.

Boogie, does yours have two fans on the back?

Tom, I figured you'd show up a tsome point! ;)
Click to expand...

Never had it apart, no idea about the fan(s). I actually don't think it has a fan at all! :eyebrow:

Mine says:

600 watts RMS, 1800 watts peak on the back. It also says "Speaker output minium load = 4 ohms."

It also says "Manufactured in USA" and sports copyright owned by EA.
 
#12
Here's the back of mine. It has a fan (just turned it on and listened) but it's probably just one. My guess is there's some serious design differences between your Ashdown-manufactured amp and the 600 (That's not say yours won't be great, of course. Hope it is!). Anyway, here's the rear panel of the 600:

Invalid Link Removed
 
#15
Doug Nork said:
The early iAmp 600 were in fact made by Ashdown. It should say made in England on the case. This is by no means an Ashdown sound a like.
Click to expand...

Never ran across one. Both of the 600's I've owned were made in USA and the others I've seen (mostly at Bass Alone in San Diego when they were a popular amp for John D. in the early 00's) were all US-made, too.

Obviously, the amp Big Joe has acquired (clearly NOT an Iamp 600 but an Iamp) was made in England and looks like the first Iamp and the precursor for what would follow...but who knows? This mystery deepens by the minute...! :D
 
#17
Big Joe said:
It's white-faced and made by Ashdown for EA. Listed as 500W @ 4 Ohms on the back but not tagged on the front as the iamp 500 or 600, only as iamp. I wasn't sure if the 600 came before or after it. I assumed after.
Click to expand...

I have the same one. Never really checked to see if it's made in England--I'll have to look. Based on the specs and the photo below, I'm sure it's the same.

It's a great amp. Unfortunately I don't know much about the history of this particular version.
 
#18
Just as a point of fact. The 600 was never made in the UK. Only the original iamp (500 watts) was made in the UK, by Ashdown to EA's specs. All subsequent EA amps wer made in the US, by EA

As we redo the EA website, we will be adding back the Archive stuff. i just talked to the master webmaster Todd Vanselus ... and it will be done

Dimin
 

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