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Reviews For: Emtron DX-2

Category: Amplifiers: RF Power - HF & HF+6M

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Review Summary For : Emtron DX-2
Reviews: 15MSRP: 3299.00
Description:
Legal limit amplifier using 4CX1600B PA tube.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.emtron.com.au/amplifiers.html
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00154.2
VK3TEX Rating: 2020-04-20
Still going strong!! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
20/4/2020
Now 14 years since owning amp and still goes like a swiss watch.
Thanks Emtron for a fine product that will outlive me!!

Les VK3TEX.



Had it seven years now still going strong never missed a beat.
That's one fine quality product!!
Les, VK3TEX.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by VK3TEX on 2005-09-19

Having an Yaesu FL2000b for several years, it finally packed it in and i decided a new amp was needed.
Decided to buy local, because if things went wrong i would not have to deal with overseas Manufacturers.
Conctruction and quality is first rate. Very easy to tune and load. Mine uses the pair of GU-74b tubes, which should be readily available, as this is the same tube used in many European Amps (Acom).
You have to be patient when they build this Amp for you, but the end result is worth the wait.
Only one small complaint is the blower is a bit noisey, but in all fairness, if they could have made it quieter, they probably would have!
Good one Rudi, and Emtronics.

73, Les, VK3TEX.
VK3KTT Rating: 2019-09-20
great amp you wont regret it Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
a quick overview i found this and by all looks it had been hardly used 2 tube model . very happy with performance only issue is noisy fans other wise well built with great safety shut out for the dumb stuff you do when chasing dx. only regret no 6m but i'll live :D new
very happy
VK4FO Rating: 2014-05-09
Great Product Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Have owned my DX2 now for over 6 years and it's still performing like it was brand new.
Been a ham for around 40 years and of all the amplifiers I have owned in that time, the DX2 is miles in front.
A real quality product.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by VK4FO on 2008-12-10

Ordered my DX2 from Emtron for completion in six weeks and received it on time.

Unit was delivered (by Rudi to a predetermined location) inside a substantial box. Inside the box the amplifier was packed in thick foam rubber and accompanied by the operator/service manual.

Initial inspection revealed some loose screws etc., which in my view can be expected in most deliveries of this type and is not peculiar to this particular piece of equipment. After a short time on air the thermal overload engaged and the amplifier shut down for approximately one minute. Examination of the specifications indicated that the idle current on the GU74B's was high and after this was adjusted no further problems have beem evident.

Inside the amplifier is neat and well constructed, the tank being silver plated. The modular construction means that in the unlikely event of failure, a replacement module can be ordered and installed quickly. It's also pertinent at this stage to mention the four year warranty (excluding tubes which is 1 year). The digital front panel display gives all the information necessary to operate the amplifier, and then some.

I have been using the DX2 for a year so have had enought time to evaluate it. Any initial inconvenience has been well and truely offset by the brilliant performance of this amplifier.
M0CUS Rating: 2013-11-25
Excellent piece of engineering Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I purchased the amp from ebay and to be honest I had never heard of Emtron. When I saw it for sale I only had about 6 hours before the bidding ended so I had to make a decision quickly after trawling the web for info. I am very pleased with my purchase. I am a professional electrical engineer and engineering quality is very important to me. The Emtron did not let me down. I have been using the amp for about 12 months and I am really impressed. It is better built than my Acom 1000 and performs better as well. I cannot comment on dealing with the company as mine was a private sale but so far so good anyone want to buy my Acom?
ZL4IV Rating: 2009-08-27
Mine! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
A very good amp, well built apart from replacing the clitch resistors. Multiple resistors cascade fail, better fit on large one, they are never ment to be fuses. Nothing is perfict but this amp is close. I have the DX-2a version because I like the meters rather than LED's. Tried out my NOS spare tube after conditioning, put it back in the box as the original tube after ten years still puts out full power. I drive it with my exciter in class 'A'. Cant say enough about the amp. Why would you need to pester Emtron to do simple service? You did sit the exam's? They are not rocket science just well thought out. The only amp that would be better would be the DX-3.
G0KAD Rating: 2009-05-25
OK But.... Time Owned: more than 12 months.
No suppport from Emtron. Telephone calls are dismissed quickly. Valve sockets are not designed for PCB mounting but for wired connection. The result is stress on the socket and failure. New sockets are not cheap. Construction looks good but not well thought out. Hard to service. When it works its great. Look at other options long and hard.
PA3DUV Rating: 2008-09-21
Reliable workhorse Time Owned: more than 12 months.
One of the HF amplifiers I own is a DX2, the twin tubed GU74B tetrode amp from Emtron, Australia.

Previously I've owned two Acom2000A's. The reason why I sold the Acom2000A's and purchased amongst others the Emtron DX2 is that the latter is more reliable in a M/M contest environment.

The DX2 is build with excellent craftmanship, wire looms are well dressed, colour coding is consistent and the tank circuit is a beauty.
Mine was supplied with a big boy Multi-Tech Model 86 bandswitch.

The power-to-weight ratio of the DX2 is an important feature for me.
Since the amp is used in a semi-permanent contest setup it must be easy to transport.

The amplifier is build entirely with discrete components, no microprocessors, SMD components or difficult to get stepper motors are part of the design. This makes the amp very easy to service if the need arises.

The amp is easy to operate and is just steamin' along under contest conditions @1800-2000 watt pep (from a stiff 230 VAC mains) without overheating or other issues.

The cooling system is more noisy (due to: more air) compared to the Acom2000A, but also better since the amp never tripped on high temperature under contest condition.

The GU74B tubes are cheap and easy to get if a replacement is needed.

Recommended

73, Dick
PA3DUV
W6DUV









PA3FUN Rating: 2008-09-07
Never again Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Ordered my DX-2 Nov 5 2007 and was so stupid to pay for it in advance. The amp was delivered 7 (seven!) months and several intercontinental phone-calls later. More than half a year between order and delivery?! Every time I rang Rudy up I heard another excuse. "No tubes in stock". "No transformers in stock". Will spare you the rest of them. And when the Amp finally arrived, it showed that shipment had been done in a single (!) carton. Even worse: the transformer was not shipped seperately, but mounted IN the amp. The obvious result: serious damage to the cabinet. Again multiple phonecalls to Australia. ""Will ship replacement shortly" was the first statement. After two weeks "no hear" I rang a second time. "Sorry, no tubes, will send one without tubes". And another week later: "Sorry, will take more time". Another week later: "Return the damaged Amp, I will repair it and send it back". I decided not to risk another seven months waiting. And proposed Rudy sending me replacement platework, and doing the repair myself. Rudy agreed and promised a spare control-board as compensation for my patience during the more then eight months it had now taken for me to get a working Amp.
I got the replacement platework very quickly. I repaired the Amp and sold it. You can guess the rest of this story - the controlboard is still under way.
Rudy is a very nice person and I really mean it. He just lacks any skills to run a company. My advice: think twice before you buy an Emtron. If for whatever reason you must have one, buy it only cash-and-carry.
K9KXQ Rating: 2005-04-27
just plain good Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This dx2 has the 4cx1600b tube. Talk about loafing at legal limit - this tube truly does.
At max ratings it is capable of about 4600 watts input.

The amp is so well protected that it would be nearly impossible to hurt it. I expect the amp and tube to last a life time.

It tunes easy and the metering is intuitive. There is a separate band switch position for 9 hf bands.

The air flow from the fan is noisy. It is the air flow, not fan bearing noise though. This could be easily fixed with a reostat pot or a suitable resistor.

The amp is beautiful to look at and functions like it should. The construction is first rate.

I have owned man amps, high quality and otherwise and this one is as good or better than anything you can buy.

W4PIG Rating: 2003-03-10
GREAT AMP!!!! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
THE EMTRON DX-2 IS A GREAT AMP LOW DRIVE GIVES FULL LEGAL LIMIT OUTPUT. FAN IS QUIET AND VERY EASY TO LOAD UP ON ANY BAND. GOOD SUPPORT SERVICE FROM RUDI AT EMTRON. WANT GREAT AMP BUY A EMTRON YOU WANT BE SORRY!!!!