Helix E400 Esprit

[Nathan Daniel Galen]

Just got one on crutchfield for my buddy, wish I had the money for my own but someday, for now its kenwood kac and an excelon sub amp

heres the specs in a pdf https://a248.e.akamai.net/pix.crutchfield.com/Manuals/975/975E400.PDF

top

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30704028@N02/8681560899/in/photostream/

adjustments inputs and outputs

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30704028@N02/8681559617/in/photostream

insides left

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30704028@N02/8681556205/in/photostream/

insides right

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30704028@N02/8682666706/in/photostream

the tube preamp stage

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30704028@N02/8681558029/in/photostream

All I can say is the heatsink is amazingly thick aluminum on the one side and everything is well done, gotta love german made

[8ight]

Wow, that thing is badass. Super clean and tight all around. The output section is so simple and beautiful, and it looks like the windings on that transformer would just blow out if they were any tighter. All of that and they blow it with the cheap set-screw terminals where I would have much preferred a barrier strip. Under no circumstances should you be shoving bare wire into an expensive piece of equipment like that. Smexy amp you're lucky you got the chance to play with it much less pop the hood.

[Nathan Daniel Galen]

Wow, that thing is badass. Super clean and tight all around. The output section is so simple and beautiful, and it looks like the windings on that transformer would just blow out if they were any tighter. All of that and they blow it with the cheap set-screw terminals where I would have much preferred a barrier strip. Under no circumstances should you be shoving bare wire into an expensive piece of equipment like that. Smexy amp you're lucky you got the chance to play with it much less pop the hood.

I can't wait until he gets his next paycheck, he's getting a temporary set of speakers until he can get some real good components for his jeep

I'm mad now because they were temporarily not available on crutchfield, but now it's back ( and not on sale anymore, full $800 now) so I'm guessing there isn't a newer model and they were just trying to kick start a sale or two because its had no prior reviews, hell I've only found a rare few results on google for pictures of it and an occasional german site that sells it

summer time might be the time to attempt some good lawn work without college classes, maybe I can manage to nab one again for me

also wondering what is a barrier strip because I've only seen the fork terminal setup and the set screw style on amps

and here's the link for anyone interested in this amp

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_975E400/Helix-E400.html?tp=115#overview-tab

[8ight]

I think you are thinking of a barrier strip when you say fork terminal. Terminate everything to spades and these terminals are your best friends.

[Nathan Daniel Galen]

oh well now I learned something new, I never knew what those were called, although I have 4 pairs of fork hook-ups for my speakers right now

I'm actually surprised that they used through hole screws considering it's a speaker amp and in most cases wouldn't be bridged with it's already high power output

it would have been cleaner looking and the wires are less likely to come loose ( as long as the crimps are well done, no great crimp is done without at least 2 squeezes)

but I will say that I find the through hole more convient for bigger wire sizes 12 gauge and up