Just to be accurate for searchingfor......The Carver Crimson (it also comes in black) 275 has a very high tech board. The Carver Crimson (also avail in black) 350 is 100% hand-wired and wound in the USA and also almost $7000 more than the 275s. I have the 350s in my main system as some of you know but I also have a pair of PrimaLuna Prologue 6 monoblocks (Chinese built) in my 2nd system. Now the Sixes are not the 350s re power, sound, etc but they are hand-wired and their quality is excellent. They are also self biasing so it's fun to roll tubes with them. As a side note they sound very good with KT88s but really open up in the mid-range with EL34s. I hate to say it but IM unprofessional O the build quality is very close to my 350s. The sound quality is also very very good driving my MB Quart Veras, (vented speaker), or Epicure 3.0 pyramids which is a sealed speaker.. I don't believe they can drive under 2ohms very easily but very few speakers need that.
China built tube amps
Well I had an interesting conversation today. I contacted a large dealer and let him know I would like to buy a certain integrated tube amplifier that is made in China. I was told he wouldn't sell me one. He said they are all junk. Prima Luna, Line Magnetic, Cayin, etc, etc, he said forget it. If you want a tube amplifier buy an American or European built unit that can be serviced.
So, I am new to valve amplifiers and I want to try one to understand what they're all about and sort of get my feet wet with tube rolling etc. I don't want to spend a lot of money at first which is why I was looking at Chinese built integrateds. So my question is, without getting into any particular brand other than what I have already mentioned, what is your experience with Chinese built tube amps? As a whole are they reliable? Am I wasting my money if I buy one according to this dealer? I have to admit I was rather taken aback by how adamant he was. Thoughts anyone?