Chinese Tube Amplifiers

AudioFilet
AudioFilet Posts: 235
edited January 2008 in Electronics
I have been looking at some of these things and wondering if anybody here has had any experience with any of them. They look great, and have some nice specs, but do they sound good??
2 Channel rig:
LSi9"s (modified xover's) & HSU Sub
Harman Kardon HK 990 Amp
Onkyo C-S5VL SACD
Music Hall MMF 5.1
Furman Elite 15

HT rig:
HK AVR-745 & Polk Monitor Series
Post edited by AudioFilet on
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  • AudioFilet
    AudioFilet Posts: 235
    edited January 2008
    I guess nobody here has fooled with any of these. They sure are pretty, here is a pic of another one.
    2 Channel rig:
    LSi9"s (modified xover's) & HSU Sub
    Harman Kardon HK 990 Amp
    Onkyo C-S5VL SACD
    Music Hall MMF 5.1
    Furman Elite 15

    HT rig:
    HK AVR-745 & Polk Monitor Series
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,576
    edited January 2008
    ChiFi is the new Hi-Fi....some are winners, some are losers. The problem with most Chinese gear is the resale end. Unless that manufacturer gets some solid stateside representation and marketing, it's a dead product with very limited resale potential.

    You can go to CES and see a hundred companies trying to get picked up and they all look pretty.....you just have to take a leap.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • BlueMDPicker
    BlueMDPicker Posts: 7,569
    edited January 2008
    Hi,

    There are lots of folks here who have fooled with Chinese tube gear. What particular names/models are you interested in?

    Morningstar Audio in Chicago is a reputable importer/distributor of Asian tube gear. The Jolida gear is highly thought of here (there's a great integrated for sale in the Flea Market right now.) Be a bit more specific. The pics don't mean much since a lot of the Asian gear is branded in several ways.
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,986
    edited January 2008
    It's the iron that makes a GOOD tube amp cost so much (vintage or new), much of the Chinese stuff has taken the cheap route in that department. Sometimes it works, more often than not, it's just a pretty face at the end of the audio day.

    Cheers,
    Russ
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • Midnite Mick
    Midnite Mick Posts: 1,591
    edited January 2008
    I love mine.
    Modwright SWL 9.0 SE (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Consonance cd120T
    Consonance Cyber 800 tube monoblocks (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC's with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Usher CP 6311

    Phillips Pronto TS1000 Universal Remote
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,986
    edited January 2008
    That's cool Midnight, what is it? A black box out of a B-24? ;)
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • Midnite Mick
    Midnite Mick Posts: 1,591
    edited January 2008
    You don't like the look? Too industrial?
    Modwright SWL 9.0 SE (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Consonance cd120T
    Consonance Cyber 800 tube monoblocks (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC's with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Usher CP 6311

    Phillips Pronto TS1000 Universal Remote
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited January 2008
    I have the SoundStage Vacuum Two Class A Tube Preamplifier. It is a good sounding pre that I am very happy with. I don't really worry about the resale, but I also paid a lot less than comparible non-Chinese tube pres. I haven't had any problems with it and would recommend it as a "brand". There is also an integrated version of this pre if that is your flavor. I, as you, would also be interested in trying other Chinese equipment since I have had such good results with this one.

    attachment.php?attachmentid=22541&d=1171052341
    Jake
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,986
    edited January 2008
    Midnite Mick wrote: »
    You don't like the look? Too industrial?

    No, I do, it just looks like it could survive a plane crash.

    Cheers,
    Russ
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited January 2008
    That is a big picture...
    Jake
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  • beardog03
    beardog03 Posts: 5,550
    edited January 2008
    MM...isn`t that unit for sale ?
    I thought I saw it on the Gon..


    **sorry for the derail**

    That`s a nice little (not the pic) Pre Amp....not to into the gold knobs, but ...
    How does she sound ?
    Cary SLP-98L F1 DC Pre Amp (Jag Blue)
    Parasound HCA-3500
    Cary Audio V12 amp (Jag Red)
    Polk Audio Xm Reciever (Autographed by THE MAN Himself) :cool:
    Magnum Dynalab MD-102 Analog Tuna
    Jolida JD-100 CDP
    Polk Audio LSi9 Speaks (ebony)
    SVS PC-Ultra Sub
    AQ Bedrock Speaker Cables (Bi-Wired)
    MIT Shotgun S1 I/C`s
    AQ Black Thunder Sub Cables
    PS Audio Plus Power Cords
    Magnum Dynalab ST-2 FM Antenna
    Sanus Cherry wood Speak Stands
    Adona AV45CS3 / 3 Tier Rack (Black /Gold)

    :cool:
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,576
    edited January 2008
    I saw that "Soundstage" pre-amp 2 years ago for 3 times the price. Rock on!
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited January 2008
    I was just checking e-bay for chinese tube amps, and they do look PRETTY. Some of them are pretty cheap too, but there is that question of sound quality. The only thing you need to lookout for is some of them have out of this world shipping price. (most of them are coming from China) If you buy one, try to get it from a US or Canada buyer.
    Jake
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,986
    edited January 2008
    A member here was selling the preamp, and 30w int amp version. Probably the same ad.
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • Phasearray
    Phasearray Posts: 437
    edited January 2008
    Do these chinese tube gears contain lead?
    Receiver - Onkyo HT-R340
    Front - Pioneer S-HF21
    Center -Onkyo SKC-340C
    Surround Back - Polk R15 <--Ticket to club polk
    Subwoofer - Onkyo SKW-340
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited January 2008
    It is the same Russman. I bought one from him! It's Gator in Canadia.

    I don't know if they contain lead, but I'm not planning on eating it or licking it repeatedly, so I'm not too worried.
    Jake
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  • AudioFilet
    AudioFilet Posts: 235
    edited January 2008
    RuSsMaN wrote: »
    It's the iron that makes a GOOD tube amp cost so much (vintage or new), much of the Chinese stuff has taken the cheap route in that department.

    Cheers,
    Russ

    Would the weight of the unit be a good indication of the quality of the transformers?
    2 Channel rig:
    LSi9"s (modified xover's) & HSU Sub
    Harman Kardon HK 990 Amp
    Onkyo C-S5VL SACD
    Music Hall MMF 5.1
    Furman Elite 15

    HT rig:
    HK AVR-745 & Polk Monitor Series
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Midnite Mick
    Midnite Mick Posts: 1,591
    edited January 2008
    beardog03 wrote: »
    MM...isn`t that unit for sale ?
    I thought I saw it on the Gon..

    Sonny from Audiocircle had a pair that he was selling.....not sure if he sold them or if he just changed his mind and pulled the add.
    Modwright SWL 9.0 SE (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Consonance cd120T
    Consonance Cyber 800 tube monoblocks (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC's with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Usher CP 6311

    Phillips Pronto TS1000 Universal Remote
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 34,288
    edited January 2008
    Would the weight of the unit be a good indication of the quality of the transformers

    umm, no... the sound quality would, though.

    There are so many good vacuum tube amplifiers (especially extending into vintage products) available at all price points, I really cannot see why anyone would "invest" in one of the new-production amps from China.

    Just my NSHO, of course (and not borne of anti-China sentiment, just pragmatism).

    For the price of new-production (edit) "Cayin" or "Vincent Audio", I could buy some pretty phenomenal vintage Scott, Sherwood, Fisher (or maybe even Marantz or McIntosh) equipment, or somewhat less-vintage but very nice Audio Research or conrad-johnson.
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