Maybe I lucked out, but I bought a 50WPC Yaqin MC-10T EL34 amp and was really surprised by the fidelity. It was certainly better than my old modified Dynaco 70 and I even preferred it to my Dynaco Mark IIIs. The output transformers are beefy too, almost the same size of a Dynaco Mark III.
Build quality is pretty high with a nicely made chassis. But based on my capacitor replacement experience, working on them is difficult. Components are located underneath the circuit board, which required the removal of a dozen screws, a coupled of wire clips, and some tie-downs to get at.
Regarding sound quality - what started off as very good, got even better once I replaced the four Shuguang 12AT7s with a pair of Mullards and a pair of US-made Tungsols. I now use the amp to drive the tweeters in my bi-amp system, where a Threshold S/500 does the heavy-duty work.
Full-range sound quality is very fast and detailed, and doesn't sound sloppy/spongey like some vintage tube amps. What really surprised me is the treble detail and clarity - clean and effortless without a hint of glare or stridency. Again, much better than I expected for under $500.
I'll have to see about long-term quality - my main concerns are the Chinese tube sockets since replacing them looks like a tough job. With that in mind, I don't plan to do a lot of tube-swapping.
Build quality is pretty high with a nicely made chassis. But based on my capacitor replacement experience, working on them is difficult. Components are located underneath the circuit board, which required the removal of a dozen screws, a coupled of wire clips, and some tie-downs to get at.
Regarding sound quality - what started off as very good, got even better once I replaced the four Shuguang 12AT7s with a pair of Mullards and a pair of US-made Tungsols. I now use the amp to drive the tweeters in my bi-amp system, where a Threshold S/500 does the heavy-duty work.
Full-range sound quality is very fast and detailed, and doesn't sound sloppy/spongey like some vintage tube amps. What really surprised me is the treble detail and clarity - clean and effortless without a hint of glare or stridency. Again, much better than I expected for under $500.
I'll have to see about long-term quality - my main concerns are the Chinese tube sockets since replacing them looks like a tough job. With that in mind, I don't plan to do a lot of tube-swapping.