FYI, SDA SRS 2 run juuuust fine on a 50 wpc Chinese tube amp

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Rex81
Rex81 Posts: 193
in Vintage Speakers
Just wanted to give a shoutout to member michaeljhsda2 for pointing me in the direction of a Yaqin MC-30L tube amp. I was initially searching for a Parasound Halo, but was happy to end up with this instead.

Previously, I had fully believed the dogma that SDAs need 200+ wpc to sound good and I thought I had proven this to be true by seeing my 120 wpc Yamaha R9 receiver fall on it's face trying to power my old 2Bs. Turns out that's not the case, they just need a little current, and this Chinese tube amp has PLENTY.

It grabs my SRS 2 by the collar and whips them around with zero effort. With the volume up half way, the SRS are singing louder than I'd ever care to listen to them with full dynamics. All the bass and impact is there, with a little touch of grace from the tubes.

And the build quality is top notch. Built like a Bentley, and as heavy as one too! I nearly threw my back out lifting this thing onto my cabinet. For $620 shipped to my door (tested and biased from an American business first) I don't think it can be beat. Highly recommended.
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 7,658
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    Tube amplifiers have considerably higher working voltages than a comparable transistor amplifier. This higher working voltage allows for wider voltage swings and improved headroom before overloading. Higher working voltages yield higher energy storage in the power supply. Energy storage is voltage squared divided by 2 and multiplied by the total storage capacitance in the power supply. This bigger bucket of electrons is most likely why tube amplifiers sound more powerful.
    But the tubes themselves are really voltage gain devices as opposed to transistors being current devices.
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,624
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    just wait until you roll some sweet tubes into that sucker
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  • deucekazoo
    deucekazoo Posts: 146
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    Funny how tube watts work. I hooked my Monitor 7s to my 2 watt tube amp and they worked perfectly, plenty of power in my room.
    Polk S10, S8, S4
    Polk RT8
    Polk Monitor 7s
    Working on getting SDAs
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 365
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    Good to hear it worked out for you. Any Pics?
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  • michaeljhsda2
    michaeljhsda2 Posts: 2,176
    edited April 2016
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    Kick azz dude.
    SDA SRS 2.3TL's
    Silk Audio MS-90-BT integrated tube amp
    Yaqin MS-20L integrated tube amp
    SDA 2B TL's
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  • Rex81
    Rex81 Posts: 193
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    Thanks for the clarification, Kenneth. That makes sense as to why they handle SDAs so well.

    Here's a pic. My next project will be to see if I can disconnect the front LED panel showing input number. That's the only thing I don't like about this thing.

    fnd9fgv9isee.jpeg
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  • boston1450
    boston1450 Posts: 7,478
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    MC30L ? That sure looks just like a MS30L :)
    ..
    ..
    ..
    Randy/Maine
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  • boston1450
    boston1450 Posts: 7,478
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    Rex81 wrote: »
    Thanks for the clarification, Kenneth. That makes sense as to why they handle SDAs so well.

    Here's a pic. My next project will be to see if I can disconnect the front LED panel showing input number. That's the only thing I don't like about this thing.

    fnd9fgv9isee.jpeg
    Try some smoked/colored clear tape i read somewhere others have used it with good results

    ..
    ..
    ..
    Randy/Maine
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  • Rex81
    Rex81 Posts: 193
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    boston1450 wrote: »
    MC30L ? That sure looks just like a MS30L :)

    Ah yes, you're right!
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  • michaeljhsda2
    michaeljhsda2 Posts: 2,176
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    fnd9fgv9isee.jpeg
    [/quote]

    Looking good! Love the tube sound!
    SDA SRS 2.3TL's
    Silk Audio MS-90-BT integrated tube amp
    Yaqin MS-20L integrated tube amp
    SDA 2B TL's
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  • Rex81
    Rex81 Posts: 193
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    Well, I popped open the chassis this morning by taking off the bottom panel (32 screws). Nice looking board with clean layout and wiring.

    Unfortunately there's no easy way to disable just the input indicator LED. There's a wiring harness that is easily disconnected but it runs ALL the lights on the front panel, including the triode/ultralinear mode indicator and the power/status light. I'd like to keep the status light operational especially, so I just left it alone.

    Eh, worth a try. I'll experiment with covering it with tape.
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  • RandyCroissant
    RandyCroissant Posts: 475
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    Hey Rex who did you buy from? Amizon has a couple for over 800 bucks.
    Yamaha RXA1030, Yamaha CD-S2100, Yamaha AS-2200, Bluesound node 2i
    Polk SDA2btl highly modded
    Polk SDA 1C modded
    Polk CS350 LS x2
    Kimber 8TC
    Sony 55" Bravia
    Wish list SVS sub

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  • Rex81
    Rex81 Posts: 193
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    RandyCroissant wrote: »
    Hey Rex who did you buy from? Amizon has a couple for over 800 bucks.

    I bought mine from Silk Audio on eBay. Seller id OC123. They're out of the Chicago area. They import them, set them up, test them, then ship them to you. I got mine in 48 hours. I felt much more comfortable doing it this way than getting direct from China. Plus they're cheaper.

    I see their online auctions fluctuate and don't always show all the different models they offer available at the same time. If you don't see what you're looking for maybe send them a private message and see if they have it in stock.
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  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,073
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    Just don't do this to your new Yaqin

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjsSr3z5nVk
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
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  • Rex81
    Rex81 Posts: 193
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    Only if someone tells me I have a case of the Mondays.
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,624
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    Ray at Silk Audio us one very stand up guy
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  • xsmi
    xsmi Posts: 1,797
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    Yes he is. That's who I got mine from, 3 years ago! I've been powering my early SRS-2's with this amp to levels WAY higher than I feel comfortable hearing. It's a great piece.
    2-channelBelles 22A Pre, Emotiva XPA-2 Gen 2, Marantz SA8005, Pro-Ject RPM-10 Turntable, Pro-Ject Phono Box DS3B, Polk Audio Legend L800's, AudioQuest Cable throughout.
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  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,543
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    To dim that light, look at thinkgeek for some button tint...
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
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  • RandyCroissant
    RandyCroissant Posts: 475
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    Rex I work close to Libertyville, so I am going to try and visit his shop.
    Yamaha RXA1030, Yamaha CD-S2100, Yamaha AS-2200, Bluesound node 2i
    Polk SDA2btl highly modded
    Polk SDA 1C modded
    Polk CS350 LS x2
    Kimber 8TC
    Sony 55" Bravia
    Wish list SVS sub

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  • Rex81
    Rex81 Posts: 193
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    Good deal, Randy. That would be ideal. Although I must say, the shipping charge was very reasonable ($20) for such a massive piece of equipment and the shipping materials are top notch. Everything was packed safely and arrived in perfect working order.
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 365
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    It's really quite amazing for the price. I paid more than that for a used Parasound P5.
    I could sell my Yamaha PC2002M and the P5 and buy one of these and have $600 left over!
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  • Rex81
    Rex81 Posts: 193
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    It's a good deal for sure. A lot of sound for the price.

    But the best deal award goes to my other amp, a Crown XLS1500. I just got it back after letting a friend borrow it for a few weeks and have been A/Bing it to the Yaqin all night. I've really been enjoying the Yaqin but right now the Crown is the better amp. It's more detailed, has a bigger soundstage, and better instrument separation. And even though it's more detailed it seems to present more fluidly.

    Now, I've only got about 50 hours on the Yaqin so it could change a bit more as it burns in. And I still think it's a great amp and highly recommend it. I'm glad to own both. But the Crown was $175 new from Amazon and is coming out ahead. THATS a good deal.

    The only problem is that it's ugly as sin and carries with it the ol' pro amp stigma. Nobody believes how good it sounds until they hear it. Even then a lot of people second guess their ears and let bias take over. I'm seeing that I was a victim of that. Looking at those tubes I was sure I upgraded my sound quality. Now that I can direct A/B and take the bias out, I see how strong bias can be.
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 365
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    That's interesting. I wasn't expecting the Crown to compare favorably.
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  • deucekazoo
    deucekazoo Posts: 146
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    Always let your ears be the judge. :)
    Polk S10, S8, S4
    Polk RT8
    Polk Monitor 7s
    Working on getting SDAs
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  • Rex81
    Rex81 Posts: 193
    edited April 2016
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    TForan wrote: »
    That's interesting. I wasn't expecting the Crown to compare favorably.

    I wasn't either. That's why I bought a new amp! :smile:

    But this wasn't the first time the Crown has surprised me. Every amp I compare it to it bests. So far that includes Emotiva XPA-2, Yamaha M-2, and a Class D Audio SDS-400C. After hearing all the positive feed back on here I was going to give Parasound a try. So I was searching fro and A23, HCA-1500, or 2250, but went with the Yaqin instead.

    There's another guy on some of the audio forums who pretty vocally prefers his Crown pro amp to his Parasound HCA, but people don't seem to like to believe him. :/

    There's a big following of audiophiles using Crown DriveCore amps with great results, but there will be just as many people who doubt them. Maybe there's something about their sound that just speaks to certain people. I guess I'm one of them.

    You're in Michigan aren't you? If you're ever passing through Lansing, bring your Yamaha over and we'll compare everything. I'd love to get more opinions.

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  • michaeljhsda2
    michaeljhsda2 Posts: 2,176
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    Interesting. Thanks for your observations Rex. I've read reviews from people that really like the DriveCore Series Crown amps. What preamp are you using with the Crown?
    SDA SRS 2.3TL's
    Silk Audio MS-90-BT integrated tube amp
    Yaqin MS-20L integrated tube amp
    SDA 2B TL's
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  • Rex81
    Rex81 Posts: 193
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    michaeljhsda2 wrote: »
    Interesting. Thanks for your observations Rex. I've read reviews from people that really like the DriveCore Series Crown amps. What preamp are you using with the Crown?

    My philosophy is that the best preamp is no preamp. So I'm running an Emotiva DC-1 DAC with volume control. My source is Tidal lossless to a Chromecast Audio optical to the DC-1.

    And just to be clear, I still really like the Yaqin, but if I had to own only one, it would probably be the Crown. I just like what it does to my ears. :)
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  • michaeljhsda2
    michaeljhsda2 Posts: 2,176
    edited April 2016
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    Skip, I agree about upgrading the preamp tubes in the Yaqin, I put 8 Mullards (can't remember the tube ID, EF95 maybe, I'll check when I get home) in the preamp section with a nice improvement. Price for 8 Mullards shipped was right around 100 bucks.
    The stock Shuguang EL34B's are a really nice tube, rock solid and sounded better to me compared to Winged C's (the good ones) and early Teslas.
    My .02
    SDA SRS 2.3TL's
    Silk Audio MS-90-BT integrated tube amp
    Yaqin MS-20L integrated tube amp
    SDA 2B TL's
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  • Rex81
    Rex81 Posts: 193
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    DSkip wrote: »
    don't make assumptions that because you hear what you hear that others hear the same thing.

    Yes, that's worth remembering in any comment made about sound. Sound quality will ALWAYS be subjective.

    I think I hear quite well, and my hearing has been tested as being very good, but sometimes I wonder if I'm hearing what some other people are hearing. For instance, I've never heard a "night and day" difference between amps. I've heard it between speakers, but never amps. Or DACs either. There are subtleties to each of course, but I'm not confident I could pick them out in a blind test.

    I guess that's where my previous comment about the power of bias comes in. When is it that we actually hear differently than someone else, and when is it that our brain is fooling us into thinking something is more different than it actually is?

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  • Rex81
    Rex81 Posts: 193
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    michaeljhsda2 wrote: »
    Skip, I agree about upgrading the preamp tubes in the Yaqin, I put 8 Mullards (can't remember the tube ID, EF95 maybe, I'll check when I get home) in the preamp section with a nice improvement. Price for 8 Mullards shipped was right around 100 bucks.

    Thanks for the tip. I might have to try that. My plan is to let everything break in for another 50 hours or so and do some more comparisons.

    However, I also find that A/Bing constantly can drive you insane and it's always better to just sit back and enjoy the music. This hobby can be maddening if you let it.

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