I had mentioned in couple of threads that i have ordered for this item from Aliexpress. (see link below)
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/AIQ...lgo_pvid=a1f3b019-1c36-46b7-b4c9-9f1fa5266551
I paid around USD 252 including shipping through Fedex to Chennai, India equates to INR 18000
I paid a Customs Duty of Rs. 5500
Total cost of Amplifier INR 23500
While it got delayed at Bangalore customs for 3 days, eventually it reached me and the package was good and the contents as well. They had packed the amplifier nicely using double thick Carton + all the valves bubble wrapped in their own boxes + it comes with a 3 Pin Power cord.
The Rectifier tube is a 5U4G tube branded OldChen
The pre-amp tubes - i do not know which make it is - probably some russian
The Power tubes EL34 are PSvane
My current setup is
Source - CA CD player
Iphone Music through Belkin Songstream Bluetooth
connected to a Beresford 7520 DAC
All sources connected to NAD C355BEE amplifer
Tape out to DARED SL2000A Valve Pre amp
Then back into the Main In of NAD
So, NADs pre-amp section is not used, but used as a source selector and a Power amp
Speakers - DYNAUDIO DM 2/6
Performance - To my ears, wonderful with huge sound stage, instrument separation, clear mids, clean highs and wonderful tight bass - All this out of this wonderfully small speakers.
On receipt of the amplifier, i infact connected it in my living room, just replacing the NAD. It was able to drive the 6 ohm 86db Dynes pretty nicely upto 12.00 o clock position. But, once i move it more than that, it started distorting and i did not want to use it further fearing for my speakers. Obviously I cannot expect a 10W amp to drive this Dynes. Then, i tried connecting my 8 ohm 90db Mission M32i brought from my bedroom, it was again OK till 1 o clock position, but these Missions are no way as crisp and clear as my Dynes. So that was dropped too.
For everyone attention, all this are being done with just few hours on the amp as they say it needs to some burn in. Let me see what happens after a week or so..
Then finally, i connected this new Tube Amplifier at my small study room using my DIY Fostex FE103N BR speakers. This sounded much better and the amp was not stressing out at all. While the speakers are pretty old (10 years) with a banana paper pulp cone which i am sure has got affected due to humidity, moisture and all sorts of stuff, still sounded great in a simple DIY enclosure hurriedly put up couple of weeks back. The difference in room acoustics between my living room and this smaller room is playing a role in the difference in sound (in a -ve way), but still I get a good sound stage, imaging, clarity etc., NOT in match with my Living room.
I just brought in my Bluetooth receiver and my DAC to this room for testing purposes and playing it from my Iphone Music files. I have still not connected my CD player to it.
The test tracks are as follows compared between my Living room systems and I can conclude that my living room setup is superior only from the perspective of, 1. it has great sounding speakers and 2. it has a much open room acoustics. Else, most of the parameters from both the systems are pretty similar and this amp sounds great.
This is only an initial observation and i may swap this setup to my living room this weekend and see, also, it would have burned in. Roughly i could conclude that a higher sensitivity speaker with better room acoustics will take this amp to a much greater level.
@ 24K, it sounds pretty clean, no floor noise, no hum, well built and i am pretty impressed.
I will provide more observations as I do some more jugglary with this as the time goes by. The import transaction was absolutely smooth and people need not worry about that portion at all.
This is the amp
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/AIQ...lgo_pvid=a1f3b019-1c36-46b7-b4c9-9f1fa5266551
I paid around USD 252 including shipping through Fedex to Chennai, India equates to INR 18000
I paid a Customs Duty of Rs. 5500
Total cost of Amplifier INR 23500
While it got delayed at Bangalore customs for 3 days, eventually it reached me and the package was good and the contents as well. They had packed the amplifier nicely using double thick Carton + all the valves bubble wrapped in their own boxes + it comes with a 3 Pin Power cord.
The Rectifier tube is a 5U4G tube branded OldChen
The pre-amp tubes - i do not know which make it is - probably some russian
The Power tubes EL34 are PSvane
My current setup is
Source - CA CD player
Iphone Music through Belkin Songstream Bluetooth
connected to a Beresford 7520 DAC
All sources connected to NAD C355BEE amplifer
Tape out to DARED SL2000A Valve Pre amp
Then back into the Main In of NAD
So, NADs pre-amp section is not used, but used as a source selector and a Power amp
Speakers - DYNAUDIO DM 2/6
Performance - To my ears, wonderful with huge sound stage, instrument separation, clear mids, clean highs and wonderful tight bass - All this out of this wonderfully small speakers.
On receipt of the amplifier, i infact connected it in my living room, just replacing the NAD. It was able to drive the 6 ohm 86db Dynes pretty nicely upto 12.00 o clock position. But, once i move it more than that, it started distorting and i did not want to use it further fearing for my speakers. Obviously I cannot expect a 10W amp to drive this Dynes. Then, i tried connecting my 8 ohm 90db Mission M32i brought from my bedroom, it was again OK till 1 o clock position, but these Missions are no way as crisp and clear as my Dynes. So that was dropped too.
For everyone attention, all this are being done with just few hours on the amp as they say it needs to some burn in. Let me see what happens after a week or so..
Then finally, i connected this new Tube Amplifier at my small study room using my DIY Fostex FE103N BR speakers. This sounded much better and the amp was not stressing out at all. While the speakers are pretty old (10 years) with a banana paper pulp cone which i am sure has got affected due to humidity, moisture and all sorts of stuff, still sounded great in a simple DIY enclosure hurriedly put up couple of weeks back. The difference in room acoustics between my living room and this smaller room is playing a role in the difference in sound (in a -ve way), but still I get a good sound stage, imaging, clarity etc., NOT in match with my Living room.
I just brought in my Bluetooth receiver and my DAC to this room for testing purposes and playing it from my Iphone Music files. I have still not connected my CD player to it.
The test tracks are as follows compared between my Living room systems and I can conclude that my living room setup is superior only from the perspective of, 1. it has great sounding speakers and 2. it has a much open room acoustics. Else, most of the parameters from both the systems are pretty similar and this amp sounds great.
- Chesky test files playing Spanish Harlem by Rebecca Pidgeon, Grandma's Hands by Livingston Traylor, Corenteza by Ana Caram etc.,
- Keith Don't go by Nils Lofgren
- Some songs from Tracker of Mark Knopfler
- Jazz at the Pawn shop for its wonderful very real lounge music / soundstage
- Amused to Death - The perfect sense part 1
This is only an initial observation and i may swap this setup to my living room this weekend and see, also, it would have burned in. Roughly i could conclude that a higher sensitivity speaker with better room acoustics will take this amp to a much greater level.
@ 24K, it sounds pretty clean, no floor noise, no hum, well built and i am pretty impressed.
I will provide more observations as I do some more jugglary with this as the time goes by. The import transaction was absolutely smooth and people need not worry about that portion at all.
This is the amp
Another project for the coming weekends !!
. Some of the chinese amps are pieces of industrial art that would'nt be out place in a chic room.
