Cheap Amazon Chinese tube pre amps

@mozartfan is correct. even with chinese cheap labor, you still get what you get for a hundred bucks. I tried a few of the more expensive models (300-600 range). They are much better, but still not a 16K preamp.

I bought one a while back. Xiang Shen or something like that. I replaced the tubes in it with some Electro Harmonix, then some Gold Lions.

It's not a good pre-amp.

Does it work? Yeah, it works......
Would I recommend one? No, I don't think I would.

It's just a "meh" piece of equipment, made with very cheap parts. 

'It's just a "meh" piece of equipment, made with very cheap parts'. thanks. I think i got my answer. a tube buffer maybe but a no on the pre amp.

Vero:  Check this out.  I recently contacted a US dealer about a certain chinese integrated I've been eyeing.  The thing was a grand off.  So I asked questions.  The dealer carries several well-known Chinese brands, but carries other stuff as well, not just Chinese.  The answer I got from him was, and I need to paraphrase here:  "don't even bother. buy American, Japanese and European. "  I think he's trying to dump some of the bad inventory, thus the huge discounts.   This is the dealer saying this to me, not voicing my opinion. 

I've used an APPJ mini2013 every day for the last 6 years in my bedroom system with my Zus.  Love it, and it holds its own when I've hooked up much more expensive amps against it.