EMC made some interesting gear during the 70′s… and had something truly amazing, a lifetime guarantee! Of course being they went out of business prior to 1983 the lifetime part ended up being pretty short.
The S300 Guitar Amp had the following specs:
- 125 Watts RMS
- 5 band EQ
- Reverb
- Portable.. yep, it only weighed 90lbs!
EMC was located at
21819 Royalton Rd
Cleveland, OK
Per google maps, the current building at that address is huge. Either they were really that big, or they just rented a portion of said building.
Beyond the S300, they also had a G200 and a line of PA systems.
In my first band, we had a EMC Gemini PA system, it was a 6 channel unit, and it had to 2 columns with 4 eight inch speakers in each one. It sounded ok, but when we paired it up with some homemade clones of a Peavey SP3, it could really rock.
Granted, such a unit was of no comparison to the next group I was in where we had 4000Watts triamped, and 4 speaker columns reaching nearly 15 feet high… yet, for the average bar or small club, the Gemini did a super great job.
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I have a EMC PA600 and can find no info on it.The unit is pretty big with 2 towers holding 2 15s in each and 2 big horns and a big amp board
hi iam writting from canada a lol hay i just bought a emc aries amp and i would like to no if you have any info at all thanks ps sounds sweet model 3183
I’ve been trying to get some offline info out of Cleveland. So far no success, but I will keep at it. I’m hoping to track down some ex-employees, even if they are grey haired now, they could provide some really cool input.
My neighbor just gave me his EMC PA350, it also comes with two cabs which appear to have one 15″, two 10″s and a horn you can turn on/off. 6 Channels I believe. Hooked it up last night for the first time and had my band mate play keys/synth through it, the EMC performed great, sounds killer and gets very loud with lots of bass response without being too farty. The reverb on it is OK at lower volumes but clangy if you turn it up. Finally we have a PA that can keep up with my guitar setup which consists of a Sunn Beta Lead through a Sunn 4×12 and a Music Man Sixty-Five with 1X15 MM cab. I play with lots of fuzz/distortion through my space echo and my synth player has never had a rig that could keep up with me. So excited to really be able to hear him even while my gear is cranked!!! We did run into one problem where the thing wouldn’t power up after moving it to a different outlet. I thought the two prong power cord might be loose on the plug so I pushed it down hard on the outlet and sparks started shooting out of the end of the plug but then it worked just fine
I suspect the power cord needs to be re-terminated, hopefully I can find somebody who can install a grounded plug.
I have stumbled across an EMC amp! It says S110. It has two speakers.It is black and white.2 input/outputs, 8 knobs,and 2 light switches and a red light. The front of the speakers, has vertical black columns, maybe 6. it says 300 watts too… It was a very quick gander. I think it is a tube amp… I can not seem to find any pics or info on this amp. Any info would be awesome!
I’m still looking… I thought perhaps I could find some listings in the Cleveland Times Plain newspaper, such that a name or two might show up. Sadly, they are way behind the game as far as digitizing old copy. Alas, I shall keep looking.
Hi, Ron: I used to work at EMC. Their first place was in Wickliffe, Ohio. At one time most of our band worked there. I played drums, and assembled/tested cabinets. Al Globokar played guitar and did testing, too. And Michael Marinucci, singer, worked there, too. I think I have a few old mainboards around somewhere; I don’t recall if they are guitar or PS amp boards, though. All in all everything they built was pretty darned good. Our main competition back then was Peavey, which was just starting out. I believe the place would have lasted much longer if they had backed a name band with equipment, but for whatever reason they didn’t. One of the two owners played sax, and for a while he was working on an electronic unit that would play an octave above or below what was being played, although I don’t know if they ever sold any. EMC was one of the first places to make electronic amps using MOFSETS in the preamp section. I fondly recall hooking up an 8 inch speaker to a bass 400 amp and strumming the guitar….. quite amazing how it would dance before it went up in smoke. Nice seeing people still talking about the old EMC’s, and even more astounding that there are still some around. I guess it shows how well they were made. They used custom wound Eminence speakers for most everything, but worked well with better speakers of the correct ohms. Get back when you get the chance. later…. John
A PS about EMC stuff: The electric cord was just a two prong, which was common back then. There was a sticker on the amp, or a card on the cord that instructed you to unplug the cord, turn it 180 degrees and plug it back in if you had “hum” when it was turned on. It shouldn’t be too difficult to install a three-prong cord. Just install the cord in a way that gives the least amount of hum; make note of which side of the plug/cord was in the “long” slot of the receptacle, wire the new cord the same way, then crimp on a ring-type connector to the ground wire on the cord and fasten it under one of the metal chassis screws on the inside.
Wow, thanks for some great info! If by chance you have any literature or photos, I’d be glad to scan them in and publish them. It is so cool to connect up with you here!
As far as the 3 prong conversion goes, it probably would be good to add in a phase reversal switch, being wiring polarity can be pretty random. If by chance anyone knows who made the rocker switches, perhaps we can find a 3 way, such that it could handle the on-off-on polarity switching common in more contemporary amps. I’d be more than willing to write something up, but not knowing who the OEM switch manufacturer was, its a bit of a big in a poke as far as ease of swapping goes. (ie rocker switches can vary a lot in physicial size and mounting configuration).
Hi, Ron: I was just thinking of old bands and thought of EMC, so I decided to do a search, which is how I found your site. As for the literature and such, I found a site which has some so I signed up for the forum there which, I assume, is needed to see the stuff. Here’s the web addy: http://www.vintaxe.com/catalogs_ampgear_emc.htm As soon as the Admin. there gets back to me and activates my submission, I’ll download them and send you copies if you’ll let me know where to send them; but, lets make sure I can get them first. Who knows…. maybe there’s some people or other stuff there you might be interested in. I’ll let you know asap when I hear from them.
For the rocker switches, I just wrote that to make it relatively easy for someone to wire in a 3-prong cord for a bit of extra safety. Yes, you’re correct….sometimes recept wiring is a cap shoot, especially in older buildings. On the other hand, I doubt there’s many people with EMC’s that would be interested. However, it would be easier to mount a common toggle switch than it would be a switch similar to the ones used on the OEM amps (round hole versus a rectangular one). I believe a standard double pole, double throw 120Volt 6amp would do the trick. As mentioned, when I hear something I’ll let you know. Later. John
PS: By the way, I’m now living in northern Wisconsin, but I grew up in Willowick, East of Cleveland. I played in two local bands until I was 18, then we moved our band down to Flori-DUH. We did pretty good for a couple of years, doing the 2nd West Palm Beach Music Festival & the Atlanta Music Festival. We opened up for Mountain twice, and also for Jethro Tull, plus many other bands getting started back then (1970 thru 1972). Long story…….
Hello again, Ron: Well, I was contacted by the site owner I mentioned above. I signed up for the forum, which is free, but in order to access the other parts of the site (RE: the EMC catalogs/brochures) it costs $10.00, which I just can’t afford right now. It might be a couple of weeks or so, but when I’m able to join I will, and I’ll download what we’d both like to see. I can’t blame the guy, as I’m sure it took/takes lots of time and effort…. and a bit of money…. to keep his site up and running.
So, ’till then….. I’ll check back from time to time to see if there’s anything new posted, or you can email me at my yahoo addy.
Hi folks, if you do publish some EMC info, I’d love a link to it. I have an old B400 head in my basement, along with a cabinet. I’d like to know more about them!
Cheers,
Dave
Hi, Dave: As can be seen in the post, above (#10), there are some old brochures available to look at, but I haven’t yet joined so I can download them to look at. What type of info are you looking for? John
…. by the way, I did find I have some of the PA250 power boards and pre-amp boards, and what I believe are the matching power transistor/heat sink combos. Back when I worked there I was going to use them to build a nice stereo amp, but I never was able to get the schematics to finish the project. Now, I’d have to find a similar amp and just copy what I see…. but I doubt I’ll find anyone who’d be willing to part with one just for me to look at. If/when I get the time I’ll try to track one down and see what happens. If nothing else, I might just wind up selling what I have to a place that does repairs. Damn…. I’d really like to build that amp!!
I have an old EMC G450 Guitar Head with the “spectrum Control” !! Looking for info or user manual for it! It still works great!
I have an emc gemini that i have owned for 30 years now. It has been sitting in my closet for a good 20 of those. It needs a fuse cap, but has everything else. It fires up an still plays pretty nice, once you get past the crackles and the LOUDDDD pop when it turns on. So, bottom line, i am going to toss it unless someone wants to give it a good home. I will wait a few months, thensadly, i must say goodbye. Ah 30 years, where have you gone!
ps don’t know the model number, but is identical to the one pictured above, except say gemini next to EMC
geez, forgot to say i live just west of cleveland
Dont throw it out, I’m definitely interested. I just sent you an email.
hey guys my buddy just gave me 4 emc pa cabs 3 of them say model 408 and have 2×15′s with a horn and 2 of them have 4×12′s can anyone give me any info on these?? I had no idea they were that old..I gave him $700.00 for them do you think this was fair??? thanks guys-Buckley
I recently aquired an EMC 350 PA head with 4 matching speaker cabinets that appear to have two 12s in each cabinet. It looks superb. I too am looking for info on this as well as a value. I picked it up for $20.00 at an auction. I need to pick up some speaker cables for it so I can test the cabinets. The head powers on just fine when I plug it in, but beyond that, I have no idea if it works.
i have a emc it says pa440 on the head front two black and white speakers very heavy
I have a EMC S110 or 5110 Guitar Amp. I would like to sell it. Email me jaredfrantz@ymail.com
Cool to find this…I have the exact PA this OP talks about; an EMC Gemini Head with 2 4×8″ columns. Bought it back in 2004 from a fire department yard sale in Pennsylvania. Even has the factory covers for the columns and head…the fire chief said they bought it new and used it to call the bingo games until I purchased it.
Anyhow, I used it all throughout highschool in rock bands, and have been using the PA for monitors and a monitor amp nowadays…The head itself is nice and crisp/loud, but the 4×8″ columns get fuzzy if you try and push the head too far, perfect for monitors however.
Actually talking the head into the shop this week to have a 3 prong added, and the death cap/polarity switch taken out (took me long enough eh?). Gotta make sure it has a clean bill of health before my band plays a night at a bar next week!
I have an emc Gemini Pa system I have owned it since new. It quit on me a few months ago. It just hummed and popped when I powered it on. Sent to a shop for repairs. They replaced some filter pods said it was good to go. When I picked it and tested in their shop it would shock you and fried the sales reps Ipod he plugged into it. Now they don’t know whats your with it. It was tested without the cabinet cover on. Could really use a Schematic diagran for this unit it is a 300 watt pa head. Contact me with any info you have! Thank you in advance for your reply. swinglebutch@Hotmail.com
I recently acquired a emcg350 guitar head. I know nothing about it. If anyone can help me I would greatly appreciate it.
I will be getting a non working EMC Gemini Pa head back from the shop and they said they would be replacing it with a Peavey XR600e model if I pay the $109.00 repair bill time and material for working on the EMC. The Peavey is a 130watt power head. Is this a good deal or not? Iam not sure what the EMC Gemini Pa head was rated at anyone have any idea? One thing for sure the EMC sure could drive some great sound through it. I may be letting it go for parts cabinet and unit where in excellent condition no rust no damage to the cabinet perfect (except it no longer works). Any feed back would be appreciate please contact me through my e-mail swinglebutch@Hotmail.com THANK YOU
I have an EMC PA350 that I have kept since 1980′s. Probably last used in 1985. There are two Peavy Towers that go with it. I am going to sell it and Googled it to see if I could get any information on it. Think I might give it to some kids if there is any interest