# ESS made car amplifiers?



## EvilWagn (Jun 2, 2011)

Hi, long time lurker here. Just scored (maybe) a nice little amp.

ESS i know from the Heil tweeters and their ESS-500 amp, but I've got my hands on an ESS-100 Power Amplifier.

35wx2, has balanced/low/spkr inputs, an a STK4151V doing the work. Looks like each channel has it's own power, ground + fuse. The chip series i recognize from some old home all-in-one units, and it's still out there. .08%THD isn't that shabby... Made in korea, but not one of the current "ESS" companies - the real one in Cali.

Pics coming (gotta figure that part out) but has anyone stumbled across one before?


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## EvilWagn (Jun 2, 2011)

pics


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## sqshoestring (Jun 19, 2007)

No, but kind of looks like an old alpine sink. I have a blaupunkt and an ADS that use STK but not that one....one for each channel actually. I blew the blau running IB subs many years ago, it may have a SS in it because it worked really well. Finally fixed it and the other channel should be done too, but I have two more of them lol. Got the IC from a place in the UK.


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## EvilWagn (Jun 2, 2011)

sqshoestring said:


> No, but kind of looks like an old alpine sink. I have a blaupunkt and an ADS that use STK but not that one....one for each channel actually. I blew the blau running IB subs many years ago, it may have a SS in it because it worked really well. Finally fixed it and the other channel should be done too, but I have two more of them lol. Got the IC from a place in the UK.


Which a/d/s line was using the STK chips? 

The seller only put up one picture, and from that it kinda looked like a a/d/s p240 which was part of my motivation i must admit. Hearing it's using the same chip line makes me a bit more confident in it's sq. I can't imagine ESS selling something that doesn't at least fit their home market segment, which was of solid quality. I think... 

It's really in excellent shape, I'd just like to make sure it's not a unicorn before i start using it. I'm going to try contacting what remains of ESS this week, but I'm not going to be shocked if they're as clueless as me. 

Anyone else? Are there any other amps with the same odd dual-power terminals?


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## sqshoestring (Jun 19, 2007)

Just bought a ADS amp - diyAudio
I think its a P120 or 80 I forget, its a black 2ch with the rack looking handles on each end, all black.
I think it used stk084g or 086g/etc.
They work fine but do blow up, though I abused the * out of mine for years in a hot trunk before it roasted...running subs lol.

The alpine T757 has dual terminals, one is for running subs and it goes straight to the PS avoiding a filter and the fuses even. Not sure it matters much. Some put them on to daisychain other amps, since they were not big power anyway.


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## EvilWagn (Jun 2, 2011)

Finally getting back to this...

Interesting... I'm getting a better idea of when this was made at least.

It sounds like this amp might work out for me. Still no reply from ESS. The only question left is what it can take for input voltages. The search continues.


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## envisionelec (Dec 14, 2005)

That's a straight Korean amp from 1988-1992? I've never seen one marked ESS, but it is AKA a Pyramid Gold Series PB410, perhaps? I remember Pyramid rating it at 50W x 2 and it was only 4 ohms stable.

I was clued in by the red "POWER" lamp in the heatsink. It's actually a tiny incandescent bulb.


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## EvilWagn (Jun 2, 2011)

Doesn't seem to match that really either... still no response from the current ESS. 

Am i the only one who thinks the BOSS logo looks strangely simillar to ESS?


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## envisionelec (Dec 14, 2005)

EvilWagn said:


> Doesn't seem to match that really either... still no response from the current ESS.
> 
> Am i the only one who thinks the BOSS logo looks strangely simillar to ESS?


Really you found a picture of it? My Google-Fu must be lacking.

But my mind never forgets amp shapes and connections. It's not the ESS you are emailing. I would bet my next paycheck on that.


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## EvilWagn (Jun 2, 2011)

envisionelec said:


> Really you found a picture of it? My Google-Fu must be lacking.
> 
> But my mind never forgets amp shapes and connections. It's not the ESS you are emailing. I would bet my next paycheck on that.


I found a few pictures of something... not that model specifically, but a 610 and another or so from the series. It didn't match any of them remotely, but I've no reason to question your memory (mine works the same way. no clue what breakfast today was but i remember how i fixed the turntable that time back in 1987), and I've dug a bit but found pretty little.

The amp chip has a 2x50 variant, so there's another point for you.

And i have very little faith that I'll hear back anything from the ESS i emailed, but it is in the right locale...

Anything else you remember about the pb410?


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## envisionelec (Dec 14, 2005)

EvilWagn said:


> I found a few pictures of something... not that model specifically, but a 610 and another or so from the series. It didn't match any of them remotely, but I've no reason to question your memory (mine works the same way. no clue what breakfast today was but i remember how i fixed the turntable that time back in 1987), and I've dug a bit but found pretty little.
> 
> The amp chip has a 2x50 variant, so there's another point for you.
> 
> ...



They are beginning to recycle their model numbers, so that's no surprise to me that it wasn't close.

I can't recall the model for sure - Parts Express sold it in the 1990s and a local drug store chain sold them, too. I remember working on them - they were horrible. I remember they ran really hot and sounded like they ran out of steam before getting started. 

STK-based car amps, in general, are a waste of time with few exceptions. There were literally hundreds of types - most of which suffered at the hands of incompetent designers that couldn't carefully read the datasheet.

I don't feel like dragging out the CA&E directory to look it up. 

Ok, I did, but I'm not convinced this IS it (no picture, going from memory). PB400A - "Class A" operation, 100W x 2. $180 in 1995.


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