The Berning EA-230 is not your run-of-the-mill tube amp—it's a David Berning creation, which means it follows none of the usual rules. If typical tube amps are vintage roadsters—charming but temperamental—then the EA-230 is a high-performance sleeper car that looks unassuming but runs circles around the competition. This 30-watt-per-channel push-pull tube amp is packed with quirks, surprises, and a cult following of devoted audiophiles who swear it punches well above its weight class.
At first glance, the EA-230 looks deceptively simple, but under the hood, it's anything but. Berning ditched the usual EL34 or KT88 output tubes and instead went with 6JN6 sweep tubes—originally designed for TV sets, not high-end audio. Why? Because Berning never does things the conventional way.
This amp runs these tubes at a low idle current (~3mA per tube!), meaning they last forever compared to most tube amps that burn through their glass bottles like a rockstar on a bender. If you hate the constant cost of retubing, the EA-230 is your best friend.
And, of course, there’s the output transformer debate—except in this case, Berning does use one (unlike his later OTL amps), but it’s still a uniquely engineered beast that doesn’t behave like traditional transformers.
- Condition
- 9/10
- Serial No.
- 82883
- Orig. MSRP
- $990
- Restoration
- 30WPC @ < 2% THD+N
- 2 x 12AT7, 1 x 6SN7, 2 x 6JN6 per channel
- Replaced 2 electrolytic caps and 1 bad resistor
- NOS RCA 6JN6 output tubes installed
- All tubes test strong
- Factory Specs
Dimensions: 19 in wide, 5-1/4 in high, and 8-1/2 in deep
Power consumption: 60–160 watts
Frequency response: 5 Hz–60 kHz, +0, -3 dB
Output impedances: 4, 8, or 16 ohms, strap-selected
Main-loop feedback: 6 dB
- Liner Notes
Like Berning's TF-10 preamp, the EA-230 is almost perfectly neutral in perspective, having neither the forwardness of typical tubed equipment nor the slightly laid-back character of good solid-state amplifiers. Because of this, it avoids one of our major criticisms of most audiophile-type audio systems: Their tendency to sound recessed and more distant than most recordings are supposed to sound (in view of their miking). That same characteristic of reticence (audiophile call it richness) is also often accompanied by a certain darkness or heaviness -- a common criticism of the Acoustat Fours and many other large electrostatic systems.
In other words, this is THE amplifier of choice for driving electrostatics. Without strapping, the EA-230 delivers just the right amount of output to drive the original Quads to full output without danger of overload damage. Strapped, it will allow the Acoustats (or Audio Labs or Trans-Statics) to fill a large room cleanly at very respectable (up to around 97dB levels) levels. And a single EA-230 provides the best driving amplifier we have ever encountered for use with the Rogers LS-3/5A speakers.
Finally, parenthetically, we should add that, despite its much lower power capability, the EA-230 has finally unseated our long-time favorite power-amp: The Infinity HCA. We feel almost disloyal about having to say that, for the HCA has been a joy to listen to for a number of years. But times change and technology does sometimes move ahead, so it had to happen eventually. We just never expected the massive, 80-pound HCA to be outperformed by a pair of relatively-diminutive 28-pounders.
-Stereophile
- Packing
- Prepare to be impressed. We have arguably the best packing process around. We use our InstaPak machine and white open cell foam to build a custom enclosure for your piece that ensures that it's stable and secure. If it is particularly fragile or heavy, we typically opt for private courier delivery. Depending on where you are in the country, that may cost a bit extra. We also take great care to protect the tubes. When sensible, we will pack the tubes to prevent any movement. Other times, we'll individually wrap the tubes and mark their corresponding socket to preserve the bias. You can be confident that your piece will be snug as a bug in a rug.
- Shipping
- This piece ships to the contiguous United States for a flat rate of $125, which includes our packaging and our insurance. Of course, we'll ship anywhere in the world, just drop us a line and we'll give you an estimate – even if you're just curious.
- Stock No.
- 8925909024989
The Berning EA-230 is not your run-of-the-mill tube amp—it's a David Berning creation, which means it follows none of the usual rules. If typical tube amps are vintage roadsters—charming but temperamental—then the EA-230 is a high-performance sleeper car that looks unassuming but runs circles around the competition. This 30-watt-per-channel push-pull tube amp is packed with quirks, surprises, and a cult following of devoted audiophiles who swear it punches well above its weight class.
At first glance, the EA-230 looks deceptively simple, but under the hood, it's anything but. Berning ditched the usual EL34 or KT88 output tubes and instead went with 6JN6 sweep tubes—originally designed for TV sets, not high-end audio. Why? Because Berning never does things the conventional way.
This amp runs these tubes at a low idle current (~3mA per tube!), meaning they last forever compared to most tube amps that burn through their glass bottles like a rockstar on a bender. If you hate the constant cost of retubing, the EA-230 is your best friend.
And, of course, there’s the output transformer debate—except in this case, Berning does use one (unlike his later OTL amps), but it’s still a uniquely engineered beast that doesn’t behave like traditional transformers.
Condition
9/10
Serial No.
82883
Orig. MSRP
$990
Restoration
- 30WPC @ < 2% THD+N
- 2 x 12AT7, 1 x 6SN7, 2 x 6JN6 per channel
- Replaced 2 electrolytic caps and 1 bad resistor
- NOS RCA 6JN6 output tubes installed
- All tubes test strong
Factory Specs
Dimensions: 19 in wide, 5-1/4 in high, and 8-1/2 in deep
Power consumption: 60–160 watts
Frequency response: 5 Hz–60 kHz, +0, -3 dB
Output impedances: 4, 8, or 16 ohms, strap-selected
Main-loop feedback: 6 dB
Liner Notes
Like Berning's TF-10 preamp, the EA-230 is almost perfectly neutral in perspective, having neither the forwardness of typical tubed equipment nor the slightly laid-back character of good solid-state amplifiers. Because of this, it avoids one of our major criticisms of most audiophile-type audio systems: Their tendency to sound recessed and more distant than most recordings are supposed to sound (in view of their miking). That same characteristic of reticence (audiophile call it richness) is also often accompanied by a certain darkness or heaviness -- a common criticism of the Acoustat Fours and many other large electrostatic systems.
In other words, this is THE amplifier of choice for driving electrostatics. Without strapping, the EA-230 delivers just the right amount of output to drive the original Quads to full output without danger of overload damage. Strapped, it will allow the Acoustats (or Audio Labs or Trans-Statics) to fill a large room cleanly at very respectable (up to around 97dB levels) levels. And a single EA-230 provides the best driving amplifier we have ever encountered for use with the Rogers LS-3/5A speakers.
Finally, parenthetically, we should add that, despite its much lower power capability, the EA-230 has finally unseated our long-time favorite power-amp: The Infinity HCA. We feel almost disloyal about having to say that, for the HCA has been a joy to listen to for a number of years. But times change and technology does sometimes move ahead, so it had to happen eventually. We just never expected the massive, 80-pound HCA to be outperformed by a pair of relatively-diminutive 28-pounders.
-Stereophile
Packing
Prepare to be impressed. We have arguably the best packing process around. We use our InstaPak machine and white open cell foam to build a custom enclosure for your piece that ensures that it's stable and secure. If it is particularly fragile or heavy, we typically opt for private courier delivery. Depending on where you are in the country, that may cost a bit extra. We also take great care to protect the tubes. When sensible, we will pack the tubes to prevent any movement. Other times, we'll individually wrap the tubes and mark their corresponding socket to preserve the bias. You can be confident that your piece will be snug as a bug in a rug.
Shipping
This piece ships to the contiguous United States for a flat rate of $125, which includes our packaging and our insurance. Of course, we'll ship anywhere in the world, just drop us a line and we'll give you an estimate – even if you're just curious.
Stock No.
8925909024989
