Miniwatt tube amp

[Jith77]

ok - so it is decided. It goes to cities in the following order

==> pune (supra) He has missions that are in budget of many people on the forum so his review will impact lots of people.
==> chennai (venkat) - no reason needed
==> kolkatta (cranky) - no reason needed
==> bangalore (steive) - to compare with lyrita setup and on high efficiency single drivers.
==> hyderabad - moserw
==> mumbai??
==> delhi ncr (anm, viren, heliumflight??) - anm to experiment with bad speakers, viren (we are dragging his name here, not sure if he would even be willing).

Feel free to reorder this sequence.

How much time should it stay in each city? I think it would only be possible to gather people and do an audition - so 1-2 week everywhere. Most critical auditions should be done in first month?

regards

1-2 weeks everywhere should be around 10 weeks ...thats over 2 months...if we have the luxury then its fine

think its better to optimise the time a bit better by limiting the number of reviewers..plus neednt waste time on gathering people in the city...

 

[stevieboy]

hi anm,

if someone from bangalore is interested in receiving the amp, keeping it with them, forwarding it to other cities etc am ok. its difficult for me to collect the amp since nobody else is at home. also these things tend to have a lot of people interested initially and then drop out when the actual date comes so whoever wants to seriously audition the miniwatt amp in bangalore please step forward and take charge

i offered my speakers/place as a courtesy to someone interested in a pairing with single drivers thats all


i dont think viren would want to review the miniwatt when he makes his own amps!

regards

 

[suprateep]

ok - so it is decided. It goes to cities in the following order

==> pune (supra) He has missions that are in budget of many people on the forum so his review will impact lots of people. Maybe someone with wharfies in Pune can also try it.
==> chennai (venkat) - no reason needed
==> kolkatta (cranky) - no reason needed
==> bangalore (steive) - to compare with lyrita setup and on high efficiency single drivers.
==> hyderabad - moserw
==> mumbai??
==> delhi ncr (anm, viren, heliumflight??) - anm to experiment with bad speakers, viren (we are dragging his name here, not sure if he would even be willing).

Feel free to reorder this sequence.

How much time should it stay in each city? I think it would only be possible to gather people and do an audition - so 1-2 week everywhere. Most critical auditions should be done in first month?

regards

i suggest chennai >> bangalore >> pune>>mumbai>>kolkata>>mumbai for logistics sake.

PS: I have 2 clients visiting in July - so later the better.hyeah:

 

[stevieboy]

good point. tube socket clips also prone to breakage in transit. also who's the last poor soul who's gonna bear shipping costs back to origin? methinks more and more those who are seriously interested, ask for it.

 

[psychotropic]

hey miniwatt, can you let us know what kind of discount you're able to offer for a group buy. If the price is right I am sure at least a few people here will be able to buy it without a second thought (or an audition)

 

[gobble]

I dont think Miniwatt intended a round the world trip for his amp. :lol:

Not sure if he would be keen on that. I think it was more of a marketing courtesy offered to an individual serious and independent reviewer representative of the forum.

Regards

 

[psychotropic]

yeah, this bharat darshan for the amp soudns like a poor idea. Let's figure out one person who has a range of components, and some experience, who can test it out with these different components, and post his observations, and I do think Venkat might be the person best suited for it. (of course i am biased in his favour because he is in Chennai), but Chennai is also generally a good place as the customs guys here are relatively more chilled out. Venkat also has some good equations with some shop owners here, and can probably arrange auditions with a range of components. I can of course only offer my assistance with any logistics or anything else that is required.

I dont think Miniwatt intended a round the world trip for his amp. :lol:

Not sure if he would be keen on that. I think it was more of a marketing courtesy offered to an individual serious and independent reviewer representative of the forum.

Regards

 

[anm]

If that's a consideration, we shouldn't even try to get it shipped in India at all. Unless we are saying that for city crawl we will remove the original packing, or do something more evil to it.

The second issue is breakage. I dunno if the tubes for the MW come prefitted, but if they do, the possibility of them being mishandled and broken in transit is pretty high in a city crawl such as this one.

 

[anm]

Cranky, sorry for dragging you into this thread. I am not rejecting your opinion about shipping worries. I am genuinely asking if it is worth to get this imported if breakage is a major consideration. So please chill :beer:

It is completely your decision to keep out of the review due to the calcutta issues, but just don't leave a bunch of newbies out there in the open!

regards

I'm not liking the turn this discussion is taking, so getting out of the thread before it becomes ugly.

 

[anm]

yes, Chennai is the first stop. Let us see whether Venkat wants to do this.

regards

yeah, this bharat darshan for the amp soudns like a poor idea. Let's figure out one person who has a range of components, and some experience, who can test it out with these different components, and post his observations, and I do think Venkat might be the person best suited for it. (of course i am biased in his favour because he is in Chennai), but Chennai is also generally a good place as the customs guys here are relatively more chilled out. Venkat also has some good equations with some shop owners here, and can probably arrange auditions with a range of components. I can of course only offer my assistance with any logistics or anything else that is required.

 

[stevieboy]

some info for those interested in this amp.

6P1P - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

MA X1 6P1 (6AQ5) Mini Integrated Valve Tube Amplifier - eBay (item 180372824495 end time Jul-23-09 22:35:20 PDT)


4 Vintage Tung Sol 6AQ5 Output Stereo Tubes - eBay (item 400051508905 end time Jul-21-09 22:43:22 PDT)


psychotropic, and others interested,

you seem to be really interested do read up on qualities of the tube itself cos different tubes sound different. buying blind you might miss out on something else. and with customs duties am sure the current price of bout 15k will come to 20k or so. factor in a pair of NOS tubes cos most current production chinese tubes sound lousy and are no match for NOS tubes. so bout 2.5 for tungsols which seem to be available.

regards

 

[psychotropic]

my interest is mostly curiosity....i have a (really tiny) germ of an idea to buy one....but not very seriously, and the idea is for my friend to pick it up when he goes to Hong Kong in August....but yes I am not too keen on buying it without hearing it.

So while I toy with this germ of an idea, I thought I'd try and find out as much as possible about it, and if a sample makes its way to Chennai or Bangalore, to perhaps listen to it .

If I do manage to listen to it and like it before August, then I might ask my friend to pick it up of course, and thanks for all the info on the tubes.

The reason this is only a germ of an idea of course is that i am a total noob, with very little cash, and I don't even have a proper solid state hi fi system, so to jump into tubes under these circumstances I am sure is a pretty foolish thing, but then these germs refuse to die!

some info for those interested in this amp.

6P1P - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

MA X1 6P1 (6AQ5) Mini Integrated Valve Tube Amplifier - eBay (item 180372824495 end time Jul-23-09 22:35:20 PDT)


4 Vintage Tung Sol 6AQ5 Output Stereo Tubes - eBay (item 400051508905 end time Jul-21-09 22:43:22 PDT)


psychotropic, and others interested,

you seem to be really interested do read up on qualities of the tube itself cos different tubes sound different. buying blind you might miss out on something else. and with customs duties am sure the current price of bout 15k will come to 20k or so. factor in a pair of NOS tubes cos most current production chinese tubes sound lousy and are no match for NOS tubes. so bout 2.5 for tungsols which seem to be available.

regards

 

[gobble]

Well If nobody else is really interested in buying one then it makes logical sense that the only person who is really interested in buying this should audition it - the thread starter.

Does it make sense?

Regards

 

[psychotropic]

if nobody else is interested in buying it...what sense would it make for miniwatt to send a free sample to the only person who wants to buy?

Well If nobody else is really interested in buying one then it makes logical sense that the only person who is really interested in buying this should audition it - the thread starter.

Does it make sense?

Regards

 

[stevieboy]

Well If nobody else is really interested in buying one then it makes logical sense that the only person who is really interested in buying this should audition it - the thread starter.

Does it make sense?

Regards

precisely what i had suggested to anm since i figured everyone would be interested only to listen and nobody to buy

 

[studiomaster]

group buy but deliver in individual package. Will not help much on shipping cost but a group bargain + custom duty saving should offset that.

Cost could be
-----------------

1$ Value approximate- INR 50
Miniwatt tube amp - $229 = INR 11,450
Customs Duty mostly - 35% = INR 4007.50
Flat postage - $40 - INR 2000
=======================================
Total INR - 17457.50 - $349.............


thanks,
studiomaster

 

[stevieboy]

if nobody else is interested in buying it...what sense would it make for miniwatt to send a free sample to the only person who wants to buy?

??? free??? no way! its only a trial loaner to get a feel of the sound. recipient ships it back at his cost! thats the way most trials work.

wishful thinking eh? dont let that germ of an idea die out. never know what fantastic stuff you'll find that way

 

[psychotropic]

perhaps it's just the lawyer in me, but aren't there just too many liability issues in a scheme like that?

and stevie, i saw your link from ebay, are you familiar with this amp? i also discovered there are a number of other options of hong kong made tube amps for cheap...any idea how good/bad they are?

if i am going to indulge this germ of an idea, i'd be more comfortable doing that at some 150 USD than 250 USD....and somehow (and very unscientifically i admit) the 24 watts sounds like it might work better with the kind of cheapo speakers that i'd be able to afford (something like a PSB Alpha B1 or an MS Avant 902i). Actually in your purely subjective opinion, is it even worth getting a tube amp to power such cheap speakers? should i chuck all this, upgrade to an Audioengine 5 and sit tight till I can afford some "proper" hi fi? i want your subjective opinion here....so don't pull any punches

??? free??? no way! its only a trial loaner to get a feel of the sound. recipient ships it back at his cost! thats the way most trials work.

wishful thinking eh? dont let that germ of an idea die out. never know what fantastic stuff you'll find that way

 

[anm]

I think lot of us are in the same boat, including me :yahoo:

i am a total noob, with very little cash, and I don't even have a proper solid state hi fi system, so to jump into tubes under these circumstances I am sure is a pretty foolish thing, but then these germs refuse to die!

 

[MiniWatt]

Dear all,

We offer a free sample to a member in HiFiVision for review. After review, it doesn't need to ship it back to us. We really hope it helps all of you know how does MiniWatt sound!

I will PM one of the members, will keep u guys posted!

Cheers
Derek
MiniWatt