@rman9 Sent you some PM's with info
Audio Hungary Qualiton X200 Integrated
History of Audio Hungary. Source AH website.
The history of AH is important to illustrate that they are not a newcomer to the industry.
The history of our firm started in the late 1940s. Rafilm National Radio-and Film technical Company was established by that time. The profile was very wide.
In 1951 Audio Voice-, and Film technical Co., which was specialized in voice technology left from it. Audio line contained sound film projecting -, and amplifying equipment’s ,which became dominant. The development turned into electro acoustics and audio technology.
Its name changed into Electroacoustic Factory, using the abbreviation EAG since 1960. Under the pressure of the German firm AEG it changed its name into BEAG (Budapest Electroacoustic Factory). The successful history of the Co. started by that time. It produced complete studios, sound systems, teaching equipment’s. Manufacturing in Nyíregyháza has developed from 1970. One of the most successful movements was the building of the full sound-system of the Moscow Olympics in 1980. BEAG, the biggest electroacoustic factory of the eastern block, broke into smaller units in the privatization period. The main line, which contained the producing of amplifiers, loudspeakers, and microphones was continued by UNIVOX Ltd.
In 1990, the old-established Budapest Electroacoustic Factory (better known as BEAG) which mainly produced PA systems, was disbanded. At this time, based on the Nyíregyháza plant of the company, Univox Kft was established. This new company continued to offer a considerable portion of the product range of BEAG, including amps for industrial use, outdoor and indoor speakers, intercom systems and microphones. This extraordinarily wide product range was available for our customers until the beginning of 2014. In 2014, Univox Kft was bought by Audio Hungary Kft which perpetuated the name UNIVOX as a brand name. The production range did not cease to exist, but the number of products went significantly down.
Due to the fusion of the two companies, the huge body of this acquired knowledge and production experience enabled to create and produce premium category audio products. Following the most possible recent electrical and mechanical engineering solutions, by the first quarter of 2015, our specialists, relying on their considerable hands-on expertise—and complemented by the young engineering team of Audio-Hungary Kft—came up with the very first amp of the company, designed under supervision of the new management: the UNIVOX APX 200 tube power amp. This is our way of paying tribute to the appliance APX 100 of the company BEAG which now has been rendered into a remarkable piece of home consumer electronics by us.
When engineers at Audio-Hungary were trying to get the measurements for their amplifiers as perfect as possible, Laszlo Fabian decided to train the ears of the engineers by exposing them to natural sound via live symphony concerts. That’s the kind of bold and different thinking that has led the company’s Qualiton brand of tube amplifiers and preamplifiers to quickly gain recognition in the European high-end audiophile market
Review Qualiton X200 by Audio Hungary.
Build Quality: Right off the X200 exudes quality. It is a heavy integrated and it weighs in at 23 kg (50.6lbs) and the remote control a massive piece weighs in a ¾ of pound according to my fish scale. So, I have established that the X200 is built lake a tank and yet as a standard footprint for integrated amps of this type. The X200 is in the same size range as my Raven Blackhawk 3.1 and only slightly larger than my Quicksilver Integrated and for that matter my SS amps like the Moon by Simaudio 340ix and my 600 v2 are about the same dimensions 43 x 47.5 x 20 cm.
Setup: Unboxing the X200 was a task. I think a few other manufacturers should take a Q from the packaging engineers at Audio Hungary. This integrated was packed in a double wall corrugated cardboard box that is stapled together not taped, though all seam were taped. Specifically engineered foam insert to cradle the tubes and integrated amp line the box and ensure to isolate any vibrations or impacts when shipping. The box was shrink wrapped and there was at least a ¼ of an inch of shrink wrap cocooning the box.
So, once I got the package opened, I removed the manual, power cord and tubes. Below is the list of the supplied tubes.
Tung-Sol: 4 x KT120 (KT150 or KT170 optionally) I have ordered KT170 and will review later.
Electro-Harmonix :2 x 6922
Electro-Harmonix Gold: 2 x 12AX7
I installed the tubes per the extremely well written and exact owner’s manual. I am not going to bore you with the detail, but the tubes are all matched and the power tubes will need to be installed as indicated on the tube box and manual. I have linked the manual to this review. https://audiohungary.com/files/productpdfs/x200users-manual.pdf
Bias was perfect and setting bias on this unit is a piece of cake and all adjustments are done from the front of the unit and no meters are needed Green is go, Blue or Red mean adjust your bias.
Burn In/Break In/Dyno Test/Heat Treat/Case Carburizing/Through Hardening: Whatever you want to call it.
I talked to Constantin @ https://www.atelier13-usa.com/audio-hungary-qualiton and he said just run a few heat cycles though the tubes and transformers and you should be good to go. Unlike Solid State or Hybrid Integrated Amps the time frame should be more compressed. I know with my Pathos Integrated and Simaudio it was like 500 plus hours.
I hooked up the power using Raven Audio Soniquil power cord, hooked up the digital and analog front end using Raven Audio Soniquil interconnects RCA, XLR. Attached my Sonus faber Olympica Nova II’s using Raven Audio Soniquil speaker cables (love the Soniquils as they are neutral and no coloration).
Fired up the Moon 280D Mind 2 and played several rock playlists on Roon/Tidal for 48 hours cycling the gear on and off in 8-hour shifts. Yes my wife thought I lost my mind.
HOW’S IT SOUND MAN!!!
Okay let’s talk about the 100 watts of A/AB PP Tube Sound from this wonderfully engineered machine.
The Qualiton X200 was built with the ANALOG GUY IN MIND. This machine is just as talented in the digital arena so the DIGITAL GUY’s will love it too.
The X200 is equipped with a MM Phono Section that will work with your HV MC cartridges. I have a lovely Lejonklou Gia 2 MM phono section that that is connected to a Clearaudio Concept Black with Concept tonearm and Nagoka MP200 cartridge, yep I am one of those guys that loves MM cartridges. At some point I will try the X200 installed phono section but that is for another day.
The X200 also several features that are highlighted here:
The Qualiton X200 is designed to serve analog enthusiasts who need a combination of a high-performance vacuum tube power amplifier and a versatile preamplifier, along with sophisticated technical details, built into a single chassis. In this way, perfect matching is achieved - both sonically and technically - between the main signal processing sections.
The most important aspect of the design process was to meet the widest possible range of user needs in a compact footprint. All internal circuits were designed from scratch, avoiding the usual clichés throughout, to create a complete all-rounder.
The X200 can be used as a separate pre-amplifier, as an integrated power amplifier, as a stand-alone power amplifier with direct inputs, or as a headphone amplifier, but other configurations are possible.
The low noise analog front-end is built around a wide-band and transparent circuit and features a phono preamp with enhanced precision too. Line level and subwoofer outputs are an absolute necessity in this category, and these ports are included on the back.
We’ve added a real specialty too: a built-in, studio grade Parallel Equalizer. This kind of tools is primarily used as a master channel effect in recording studios, to bring fresh air into the mix, as a finishing touch. We’ve found that this effect can also be a huge help at home as well, as it can breathe new life into certain, not so vivid records.
So I queued up a few albums to see how the analog feature worked. Well work it does and how. No matter what I played I was in musical haven even listening to an old worn out copy of The J Giles Band “LIVE FULL HOUSE” using the equalization curves did not make this record sound new but made it enjoyable playing with the curves and making this piss poor engineered record sound fuller and well like I engineered it (joke).
Overall the thing that really stood out no matter the source was how quite, black, dead silent the background was. The music stood out and it was if you are there at the studio or concert hall. Detailed, transparent, all the cliches that every reviewer uses.
I am just going to say this the Qualiton X200 Integrated KICKS ASS!! Musical, Delicate, Rocks when you want it to and is one of the best tube amps I have ever owned and I have owned a pile of them Mac, AR, Raven, Pathos, PL, and none of them IMMERSED ME IN THE MUSIC like the X200.
The X200 has me rethinking my recent acquisition of the Moon by Simaudio 600i V2. Yes the X200 is that good and I have 30 days to decide if I am sending the 600i back, I am sending it back.
Discography.
Nils Frahm, Spaces
King Crimson, In The Court Of The Crimson King an Observation by King Crimson Atlantic org 1969 pressing
Radiohead, The Bends
Queens Of The Stone Age, Songs For The Deaf
Yes, The Yes Album Atlantic org 1971 pressing
XTC, Black Sea.
Marvin Gaye, Let’s Get It On
Pat Metheny, From This Place
Norah Jones, Pick Me Up Off The Floor
J Giles Band, Full House Live
Beethoven The Nine Symphonies, London Festival Edition, Josef Krips and the LSO.
Qualiton X200 Specs.
Pre Amp Section
Input impedance - Phono 47 kOhm || 120 pF
Input impedance - Line 25 kOhm || 10 pF
Max. input signal - Phono 40 mV (f = 1 kHz)
Max. input signal - Line 8 V
Gain - Phono +46 dB (f = 1 kHz)
Gain - Line 0 dB
Max. deviation from RIAA curve - Phono +/- 0.5 dB
Frequency response - Line 4 Hz to 1 MHz (-3 dB)
Total Harmonic Distortion - Phono < 0.03% (f = 10 kHz)
Total Harmonic Distortion - Line < 0.001% (f = 20 Hz to 20 kHz)
Total Harmonic Distortion - EQ < 0.002% (f = 20 Hz to 20 kHz)
Signal-to-noise ratio - Phono > 60 dB (1 V, without A-filter)
Signal-to-noise ratio - Line > 90 dB (1 V, without A-filter)
Signal-to-noise ratio - EQ > 90 dB (1 V, without A-filter)
Bass boost in setting I - EQ + 5.6 dB
Bass boost in setting II - EQ + 7.6 dB
Treble boost in setting I - EQ + 6 dB
Treble boost in setting II - EQ + 8 dB
Head Phone
Rated output power 2 x 0.3 W (RL = 32 Ohm)
Gain -6 dB (RL = 32 Ohm)
Frequency response 4 Hz to 1 MHz (-3 dB)
Total Harmonic Distortion < 0.008% (RL = 32 Ohm, 0.125 W)
Signal-to-noise ratio > 95 dB (RL = 32 Ohm, rated output))
Power Amp
Rated output power 2 x 100 W
Input impedance, Direct balanced IN 20 kOhm
Input impedance, Direct unbalanced IN 10 kOhm
Input sensitivity, Direct balanced IN 460 mV, to rated output
Input sensitivity, Preamp IN 460 mV, to rated output
Input sensitivity, Phono IN 2.25 mV, to rated output
Gain +35.5 dB (RL = 8 Ohm)
Frequency response 27 Hz to 70 kHz (-3 dB, rated output)
Total Harmonic Distortion < 0.5% (f = 1 kHz, rated output)
Signal-to-noise ratio > 100 dB (RL = 8 Ohm, rated output)
Load impedance 4 to 8 Ohm
93 responses Add your response
@riaa_award_collectors_on_facebook that'd be great. I have not had the demo of the unit yet. The dealer had mentioned, that the demo unit is at Stereophile for a review and will be back in two weeks. But if I can have the owner's name that'd be great.. Thank you!! |
@riaa_award_collectors_on_facebook I am waiting to demo the X200 from my local dealer here in two weeks. Your posts really makes me rethink buying something manufactured in another country and without a solid backing for any future repairs here.. I am starting to get cold feet.. |
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So with the little update. It eventually turned up Chameleon sold me a lemon unit. 2 tubes burned, bias board burned etc. AH agreed to replace the unit - still it costed me $800 extra but the new unit is not humming and not making funny noises in speakers. Sounds great too. Fingers crossed it works this way forever. |
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@jcoehler Ah yes. I'd forgotten about that long-running ad on usaudiomart. Got marked as "off" when jerryg suffered his latest namechange. |
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You misspelled my name I have not taken a SAS class Yes I have hair on my back This you Earl, Jerry, whatever? Hard to tell when you hide behind a user name Please review your concern below with stalking. Surely this doesn't apply to you
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@jcoehler you are a real charming person. Who did I snipe and was not defending but once it escalated his issue was resolved. Now please just go.
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@riaa_award_collectors_on_facebook I'm glad this was finally resolved and still am baffled by how long this took and the complete lack of communication from both the dealer and US distributor. @whitefishpoint1175 you are beyond clueless, jerryg123/skypunk...etc did not help one bit and if you knew the history of this person you might not be so quick to defend him. Or maybe you would based on your posts, quick to snipe with no substance. |
Just wanted to give everybody an update on my situation. Sadly it seems #Jerryg123 (Earl/Skypunk etc) has vanished again Maybe using the name SYBIL?
To Re-hash. I received a Defective AH X200. Went back to my dealer on Nov 17th which is 6.5 Months ago. Sat at his store for 2.5 Months before the Distributor got around to finding somebody that would fix it since there is no USA Warranty repair center for the brand. Amp was shipped to Massachusetts. So as of the end of January 2022 I was under the impression that my amp was in the process of being fixed. Come April I still have no word from anybody what is going on with my amp. I call up my dealer to see if there is any news. He tells me that the Distributor told HIM In early February that the Amp couldnt be fixed and that a Brand New one was being sent to me. Needless to say Nobody sent me anything. So here I was on this Audiogon page telling people what my experience was. JERRYG123 insinuated that I was a Liar (Posts since removed) and that I was full of it. He also said he talked to the Distributor and he wrote here that the Distributor said I was full of it as well. Well somebody contacted the CEO of Audio Hungary about this situation. The CEO contacted me here on Audiogon and wanted to know the details. We then continued the discussion on Facebook Messenger. He Apologized multiple times for me "slipping thru the cracks" so to speak. They had my Amp back in Hungary but I guess orders got messed up or whatever and they assumed my replacement amp had already been sent. Today a new amp arrived and I wasnt charged anything. The compensation I received for having my amp gone for 6.5 months was an upgrade of some of the standard tubes to Gold Lions. I had already ordered the Amp with KT170's so no upgrade was possible there. I will leave it to the court of public opinion to decide if they think that was adequate compensation for my ordeal. Since nothing like this has ever happened to me before I have nothing to compare it to. I already have the 50i integrated which is higher up the Audio Hungary food chain so this new X200 amp is going to be traded in towards something else. Bottom Line is this.....If I hadnt brought this up here on Audiogon I would still be in limbo. Only God knows for how long. So if you have a beef with how any distributor/manufacturer is treating you OPEN YOUR MOUTH and it might accelerate the process. You never know who is "listening" here on Audiogon. I would NEVER want to deal with this distributor again BUT the CEO at Audio Hungary was a true gentleman and he was true to his word. I certainly believe his apologies were sincere. Class Act all the way...just find somebody else here in the USA to represent your brand. If anything else goes wrong with any AH amps I own in the future I will be bypassing the distributor and go straight to the top for timely service. |
My tube experience, I've owned PrimaLuna HP on two occasions, no hum and now have the AH Qualiton a50i, no hum I did have a Raven Blackhawk which hummed and was told this is "normal". Like the above integrateds, I used quality power cables and either Shunyata or Puritan Labs power conditioners. The Raven still didn't know the words and hummed, really annoying. |
I haven’t signed in to slam AH bit to share my experience. BTW - apart from bias issues now fixed, there is still a hum in the transformer proving its bad quality. AH wrote to me it is a faulty cover which I can replace, then they said I can’t because of the hight voltage risk. |
Constantine had nothing to do with my purchase so I have no reason to contact him as he's not involved. Jerry has implied I am a Liar and that he has a relationship with Constantine and I guess the distributor. So all I am saying is that I welcome him to contact me to validate with my dealer that I am telling the truth about this entire debacle. Ive heard nothing but good things about Constantine and Im sure he would be "shocked" to learn of my experience with my amps ongoing 6 month repair. |
@jcoehler My bad....I saw him list it and claimed he was selling due to paying off taxes or something. I just ASSUMED he sold it already. My humble apologies. Guess I'll be trading mine in instead....or making it a VERY expensive doorstop/paperweight!! LOL |
@riaa_award_collectors_on_facebook I will respectively disagree that Earl got rid of his X200 over a year ago. Earl/Skypunk/Jerry123 is also Coleman996 on USAM and he’s been trying to sell the X200 there since last fall, last time posting and removing just this February... Earl/Skypunk/jerryg123 just doesn’t realize the internet provides breadcrumbs everywhere you’ve been and everything you do matter how hard you try to hide or deny the facts. I’ve had exchanges with him to confirm, I have all the receipts. |
Thanks @jcoehler for the kind words. I can confirm Jerry isnt Earl/Skypunk. Earl got rid of his X200 over a year ago...while it was still functioning. Lucky him!! I would LOVE for Constantine at Atlelier to contact me and he can talk to my friend/dealer directly about this "issue" and all thats transpired since Nov 2021. Then he would probably tell Jerry to shut up because he's ruining his AH business. Ive kept my mouth quiet all this time but Jerry opened up Pandora's box by calling me a Liar about this situation. Neither Constantine or the Distributor will be happy with Jerry for making this issue a Public Discussion on a very popular audio forum. |
@riaa_award_collectors_on_facebook I am very familiar with your X200 if you remember me in NC(?) 😎 I am truly sorry you've had to deal with this nonsense for so long and the distributors handling of your issue is deplorable. |
Hahahahahaha..."my cousin"....we just happen to both own X200’s and are full of bs Oh Sybil, which personality will it be today? Skypunk, earlflynn...nope, today it’s jerryg123 look at me! |
I Have found all the correspondence concerning my transaction. (Including Paypal receipts). The Defective Amp was returned and checked out by the dealer on NOVEMBER 17th....6 Months ago. So its been even longer than I thought. I will also post on this thread when the amp is finally returned to me and any/all bills that I have to pay. If anybody wants to see copies of the actual Emails that were exchanged concerning the Amp and what the Distributors response was feel free to send me a Private Message and You can look at this nonsense yourself. I think you’ll all come to the same conclusion about the lack of customer service and bad business practice in general. Its also clearly pointed out that there is NO official USA Warranty Repair center and at the initial discussion about the repair it was said that the Amp would have to go all the way back to Hungary to be fixed and that the return shipping charges to Hungary wouldnt be covered. How’s that for service?? Guess I should be grateful they FINALLY found a repair shop in Massachusetts willing to do the work. After so much time has passed its probably sitting on a shelf somewhere covered in an inch of dust completely forgotten about. Guess we will all see who is lying Jerry. |
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EARL is SKYPUNK...and several other ID's as well. He ditched his X200 quite awhile ago in case you werent paying attention to that either.
My tune hasnt changed at all. AH might be great amps but it doesnt matter if the chain is broken by incompetence at the Distribution level. I'll get rid of the amps simply because they dont have an Authorized service center and the distributor (And possibly AH themselves) dont care about their customers after the purchase is made. |
Yep. The Dealer(s) are friends who drive 3+ Hours round trip to my house for all deliveries instead of shipping. They have no control over the distributor or when he feels like getting around to doing his business. No Dealer has control over the Distributor. They certainly feel bad about the position I am in and Im sure they have contemplated ditching the AH Line because they see how badly I have been treated....and I own MULTIPLE AH amps to boot. Whenever I get it back its going right out the door. Nobody needs this kind of customer service in their life. Im sure the Amps are wonderful but AH needs to get a better distributor for their USA sales..someone who values their customers and doesnt take them for granted.
SKYPUNK started this thread under another name/ID. Havent you been paying attention Jerry??? |
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I am friends with my dealer. They have NO INPUT as to what happens with the Distributor or AH as far as my gear was concerned. Product was defective upon purchase/arrival. Sat at my dealers place for 2 Months before the Distributor even bothered to have it sent to a Massachusetts repair shop. Its still there and we are talking a 5 month period without the Amp and ive been given No update of when I might get it back OR what if any charges it might cost me. |
@riaa_award_collectors_on_facebook Actually they do have a guy they use. But that is not the point it is that if your reach out to the Dealer or AH they would have taken care of it. Also @jernow it is quite transparent that you only came here to slam a brand thinking it would help your cause. So what are going to do go trade your X200 for some "cheap china crap" Your email makes zero sense and I am hoping English is a second language or you are drunk. |
To be fair....Audio Hungary does not have a designated service center here in the USA and the Distributor is the WORST customer service I have ever experienced in my entire time in the world of audio and Ive purchased more than Half a Million dollars worth of gear. Thats saying something. Im sure the dealer ATELIER is wonderful and Ive only heard good things about them so this is not a slight against them in any way. |