2. amps-preamps
  3. 1322670676

Budget Chinese Tube amps - any good?

In the midst of searching for a budget tube amp. Lots of chinese made models keep popping up. The price on these amps are often really low and would give someone like me a chance to try the tube sound for cheap.

Do you guys have any good experiences with them?

Reason I'm asking is that I hear many conflicting experiences online on each amp. Some say their amps are really good, some say they are really bad - each model might have 5 good reviews and 5 bad reviews. I guess this is par for course with audio, where subjectivity is the rule of the game. However, chinese amps tend to have the largest disparity of opinions.

The models I've read up on so far are: Mingda amps, Miniwatt N3, Yaqin amps etc.
milesandcoltrane

Showing 4 responses by nonoise

nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,988 posts
 
Ghosthouse,

Point taken. Unfallen angel it is. :-)

All the best,
Nonoise
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,988 posts
 
My old Cayin TA-30 from Paul at BizzyBee was my first and only tube amp. Great sound and a kissin' cousin (if not outright fraternal twin) to the Prima Luna which came out around the same time. Paul, sadly, is gone and so are his products but the Prima Luna marches on in many variations. One look underneath and you be hard pressed to tell the difference. Kind of like the Mini Watt controversy as to who owns the rights to the same thing being made at two different factories.

You can get some really good quality product from Chinese makes xenophobia aside. Check out what Pacific Valve imports after it's been modded to their specs. The stuff will look the same as what you can get from Chinese exporters but it's not the same internally. That, and PV backs up their stuff with warranty.

Like what Wolf says about Jolida: great product. Jolida has always gotten great reviews and have been around a very long time. In fact, I am considering getting one instead of a Luxman to satisfy my EL-84 itch to see if what they say about that El-84 sound and Jolida is true. $650 vs. $2400 makes it very tempting.

All the best,
Nonoise
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,988 posts
 
Treja,

That gives me pause, as far as turntables are concerned. But there does seem to be enough outlets stateside that sell Jolida, among them VTV, Quest For Sound, NewTube, USATubeAudio, SpearitSound, and others. I believe one offers cap upgrades (VTV) as well. But then if I do get it, then off to Brent Jesse for some '70s Mazda NOS tubes and whatever else he recommends in my price range.

I'm getting so close to talking myself into this with funds so tight. Damn.

All the best,
Nonoise
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,988 posts
 
Trelja & Ghosthouse,

Nothing like testimonial from credible and sound sources such as yourselves.
That Forbes article on the trials and tribulations of Michael Allen made me wince. Lesser men would have folded. He saw something in that product and persevered. And your cost/enjoyment ratio explanation strikes an inner chord.

You two are like little devils on my shoulder urging me on. Shame on you. :-)

All the best,
Nonoise
More to discover