What do I take from those experiences? When it comes to batteries, size matters but the results can be remarkable, especially when it comes to the areas of tonality, harmonics, musical fluidity and delicacy. Look at the battery supply that comes with the ASR and it’s immediately obvious that ASR has expended considerable time and effort on its development, with the result that it’s huge, sophisticated and effective. With a capacity of 1,385,520mF, it also incorporates 40V Elkos capacitors to further smooth and stiffen the supply. The result should be a driver stage that is both quiet and extremely responsive to input, allowing it to pass low-level information and textural and harmonic detail, while its linearity and massive capacity underpin a clean, fluid response to dynamic demands. Successfully implemented, that gives the Emitter II the ability to convey musical detail, intimacy and temporal flow, devoid of edge or glare, yet combined with a seriously powerful, capable AND beautifully balanced output stage. Somewhere in the chain, there’s a degree of softness, a lack of suddenness in the dynamic response – probably either in the driver stage itself or the output stage’s initial inertia – but you hear it as that slight warmth: crucially, there’s no time-lag in the centre of notes or the pattern of musical energy. Listen to the Emitter II and there’s none of the clumsy dynamics or leaden pacing which bedevil so many high-powered amps, none of the leading-edge exaggeration or clipped harmonics that attempt to speed those amps on their way.
With a natural tonality and sense of presence and scale, the ASR Emitter II has that happy knack of allowing you to focus entirely on the music and ignore the system. It’s enthusiastic response to the signal’s dynamic demands – whether the micro-dynamics that go with vocal expression, or the major dynamic swings demanded by jazz or classical orchestras – invest the performance with a convincing impression of live and physical presence. The set-back, not quite mid-hall perspective will appeal to many listeners and suits many modern speakers, making it a forgiving partner in both musical and equipment terms. No matter the nature of the material you play, the ASR will willingly embrace the music’s demands. I have amps that offer even greater detail and insight, amps or systems (in the case of the Trio G3) that are more intimate and that can hit even greater dynamic heights. But every one of those amplifiers or amp and speaker packages isn’t just more expensive than the Emitter II, it’s many times the price.
I can’t think of a single €30k line-stage and power amp combination that can match the inviting musicality and sheer power of the ASR, while I’d also take it over any of the so-called Super-integrated amps I’ve heard. Of course, those expensive integrated units are far more compact and often offer digital inputs and decoding too, which brings me back to where this review started. Don’t think about this amplifier as an integrated. Don’t pay attention to (or judge it on) its price. Most of all, don’t try and slot it into a neatly defined product category. The Emitter II Exclusive HV (with Battery) might be quite a mouthful, but it’s also quite an amplifier. This mouthful respects neither norms nor expectations. Give it a listen, sink into its immersive musical attractions and you might well wonder why it’s flying under the radar. Sure, it lacks the novelty of the shiny and new. There’s nothing high-tech, fancy or innovative about the approach: after all, it basically dates back nearly 40-years. But that approach has been seriously refined, is outstandingly musical and is configurable and capable enough to succeed in a whole host of different system contexts. They say that there’s no substitute for experience. Experience the Emitter II and you are enjoying the benefits of exactly that. What started as an already great idea has grown over the years into something genuinely special.
