EAT E Glo I Integrated Amplifier - Macasar Side Panels

Two Amplifiers in One Chassis, Chosen by a Toggle

The E.A.T. E-Glo I is an all-tube integrated amplifier from the Austrian company better known for turntables and phono stages. Tubes do the work at every stage, not just the output. Four KT88 power tubes are joined by one 12AX7 and two 12AT7 small-signal tubes.

A front-panel toggle switches between ultralinear and triode operation while the music plays. Ultralinear gives 35 watts per channel. Triode gives 18. Both figures hold into 4 ohms and 8 ohms, with separate taps on two sets of speaker posts.

Flip to Triode When the Room Goes Quiet

The two modes are genuinely different characters, and you do not have to commit to one at purchase. Auto bias with cathode feedback keeps the KT88s in range on their own, so there are no meters to read and no trimmers to adjust as the tubes age.

Five line-level RCA inputs on gold-plated connectors handle the sources. A remote control comes in the box. E.A.T. covers the amplifier for two years, with 90 days on the vacuum tubes.

Built to Be Looked At, Not Hidden

This is a large component. It measures 435 x 170 x 485mm and weighs 26 kg, which is a little over 57 pounds. This listing is the version with Makassar real wood side panels.

Why the Volume Knob Cost E.A.T. So Much

Most of the engineering budget went somewhere you cannot see. Instead of a potentiometer, the E-Glo I uses a relay attenuator built as two independent blocks, one per channel. Gain moves in 1 dB steps across a 63 dB range.

E.A.T. quotes tracking between left and right channels within 0.05 dB. That figure is the point of the exercise. When the two channels stay matched at every volume setting, the stereo image stays where the recording put it.

Where the Output Transformer Earns Its Keep

In a tube amplifier the output transformer sets the limits. E.A.T. winds this one with several bifilar windings arranged in sections to widen the power bandwidth, and the circuit combines wire-to-wire connections with PCB construction.

The measured results follow. Frequency range runs 10Hz to 50kHz within half a decibel at 5 watts. Distortion sits below 0.05% at 1kHz. Signal-to-noise is quoted above 95 dB, which is quiet for a valve design. Input sensitivity is 500mV into 30k ohms.

What Reviewers Are Saying

Ken Micallef reviewed the E-Glo I for Stereophile on December 2, 2020. He wrote that it "gets so many things right in such a balanced, forceful presentation that I'd say it's worth its asking price", and closed with "Enthusiastically recommended."

Ken Kessler reviewed it for Hi-Fi News on November 2, 2020. He described "inherent, undeniable warmth and truly vast soundstage properties" and summed it up as "old-school, warm 'n' cuddly valve magic, more so in triode than ultralinear mode".

One practical warning is worth carrying. Kessler noted that "Care needs to be taken with the very sharp edges of the valve cover", particularly when lifting 26kg out of the box.

Who Is This Integrated Amplifier Best For?

• You want to hear the difference modes make — ultralinear and triode on a toggle, switchable while the music plays.
• You own efficient speakers — 35 watts suits sensitive designs, and both 4 and 8 ohm taps are provided.
• You do not want tube maintenance — auto bias with cathode feedback handles the KT88s without meters or trimmers.
• The amplifier is part of the room — real wood side panels and an exposed valve stage, built to be seen.
• If you play records, the E-Glo I has line inputs only and no phono stage — E.A.T.'s own E-Glo Petit 2 is the matching tube phono preamplifier.

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Match your speakers to the 4 or 8 ohm taps and connect them to either set of posts. Sources go to the five RCA inputs. A turntable needs a phono preamp first, feeding one of those inputs like any other line source.

Give it room to breathe and room above it. Then choose your mode and leave the remote where you sit.

Two amplifiers, one toggle.

Pairs Well With

Building a system around the E-Glo I? Start here:

• Bookshelf speakers — sensitive standmounters suit 35 tube watts: bookshelf speakers.
• Floorstanding speakers — check sensitivity before you commit: floorstanding speakers.
• Turntables — E.A.T. built its name here: turntables.
• Speaker cables — two sets of posts, so plan the runs: speaker cables.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between triode and ultralinear mode?

They are two ways of running the same output tubes. Ultralinear gives 35 watts per channel, triode gives 18. The toggle switches between them while the music plays, so you can compare on the spot.

Can I connect a turntable?

Not directly. All five inputs are line level, so a turntable needs an external phono preamplifier. E.A.T.'s E-Glo Petit 2 is the in-house tube option.

Do I have to bias the tubes?

Auto bias with cathode feedback sets the operating point for the four KT88s, so there is nothing to measure or adjust as the tubes settle in.

Which tubes does it use?

Four KT88 output tubes, supplied as Electro Harmonix or E.A.T. branded, plus one 12AX7 and two 12AT7 small-signal tubes.

Will 35 watts drive my speakers?

It depends on sensitivity more than size. Speakers rated around 88 dB and up are the safer match, and both 4 and 8 ohm taps are provided so the amplifier can be matched to the load.

What warranty does it carry?

Two years parts and labor on the amplifier, and 90 days on the vacuum tubes.

See It in Action

Audio Reference sets the E-Glo I against the Audio Research VS-i 75 in a side-by-side listening comparison. The commentary is in Spanish.

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