Russian Tube Preamp, No Return, Here I go again

“If you want Russian get Lamm from Vladimir.” That’s pretty funny. Lamm from Vlad costs 20X or more than what E is buying. Also, I have looked inside a Lamm phono stage. While they are nicely laid out, and there is nothing unsavory about it, the parts quality is what I would  call good but not mind blowing for the amount of money you are spending. And the chassis’ are nothing to write home about. This is not at all to claim that Lamm phono stages are not excellent in sound quality.. Bling is overrated.

It could be stupid to say there is no audiophile scene in Russia.
This scene is huge all over the country, Moscow is just the biggest city.
You can find all the rarest analog audio gear locally, the only problem is the price. For foreigner buyers another problem is language barrier, for this reason very interesting gear available mostly on local sources. People collect serious vintage high-end gear and this is mostly import from Japan, Europe or USA. All the stuff imported in the past 15 years, before 2004 it was impossible, not only because of the payment methods (paypal was unavailable in Russia), but also because of the internet. In the Soviet days it was simply impossible, you can’t imagine how rare was VCR all the way til the 90’s, you could have it only if your father is a diplomat or a big boss in communist party (or some criminal), especially in the mid 80’s. Basic hi-fi import appeared on the market (for everyone) in the early 90’s after the crash of the USSR, but it was overpriced stuff like VCR, TV, double cassette decks, boomboxes etc.

DIY scene now is huge too, not everyone can afford import, for this reason secondhand audio gear is very popular.

On the other hand we have so many High-End shops and distributors of all the modern high-end stuff for insane prices, but this is for another category of people (they don’t count money).

P.S. I think most of the local dealers on ebay are honest, they know their stuff and you can’t cheat people on ebay with paypal payments (it’s simply impossible). The problem is idiots and they are everywere (wolrdwide), last year a dealer from France tried to rip me off for neatly 2500 EUR, but paypal penetrated him very well and refund my money within a month, it wasn't ebay deal, but paypla always protect buyers from scammers. 

The real thing from Russia is Storm JSL-100 monoblocks. 

Too bad it was all in Russian...nice system. The guy looks like Robert Plant.

chackster

Yes - we ship by this method - EMS (Express Mail Service). Today we are testing the device. We plan to send it tomorrow.

surfmuz

thanks for the link.

this is the video about setting up my Blackbird arm

http://newartvinyl.ru/news/nastrojka_prjamogo_tonarma_na_12_djujmov/2018-06-09-11

Trying to decide, there were no reviews anywhere, I saw a video of an Audio Show, just like we used to have pre-covid days, that and a video of them making the tonearm helped me take the risk.

roxy54,

Yes, IF Robert Plant had lived in a basement all his life.

@lewm , The USPS use to to a great job but right now they are seriously screwed up. A package meant for us in Atkinson, NH wound up in new Orleans and sat there for a month! Packages now are routinely 4-5 days late. In all probability foreign services may be better right now.

@elliottbnewcombjr, you really need to shorten your user name. Good luck with it. For $500 you can't go wrong. If it doesn't light right up just poor some vodka into it, probably homesick.

Send me, please, your email and I will offer You tube preamp with 4 inputs and tone controls.

@surfmuz, Check this out, https://iconaudio.com/gu81-mono-blocks-250-watts-of-triode-power-mb81-pp
Not bad for $16 K a pair. I would still rather JC 1+ but not bad.

seller said: 

"is a circuit analogue of the famous M-7 preamplifier from Mr. Hiroyashi Kondo"

I paid no attention to that when ordering, but now, while waiting:

interview with Hiroyashi Kondo

https://www.stereophile.com/interviews/597kondo/index.html

his company carries on, the current M7 Preamp

https://www.audionote.co.jp/en/products/pre_amplifier/m7heritage.html

I'd hate to pay for that, I got the budget version

isochronism2,521 posts02-13-2021 8:58amI hope they're rushin' to get it to ya'

also funny,

in fact, it was done, just waiting to know what voltage transformer to install. testing today, ships tomorrow.

tablejockey

Good luck-no surprises and smoke when powered up.

I once fired up a vintage amp, ugg, wisp of smoke and smell. hurriedly unplugged it (it had no switch)

took the bottom off, a spider nest, big one got fried. That's the last time I was too lazy to view the innards first.

lewm,

you would think I had a choice of a lot of vintage stuff, but right now there is not much available,

https://www.ebay.com/sch/67807/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=tube+preamp&rt=nc&LH_PrefLoc=1

I have 2 Fisher 500C tube receivers downstairs, I just don’t want something that big in here.

This actually started because I am giving a TT to a friend and it/she needs a phono stage, soooo, why not get tube phono for my office and give her my current one. Almost got a Pro-Ject Tube Box S2, that kind of established a budget,

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Pro-Ject-Tube-Box-S2-Phono-Preamplifier-Black/392274169114?epid=28035808843...

 then I saw the Russian one, hmm, tubes for R2R also, what a good idea.

I’ve purchased, maybe about five times from Russia, and they all worked well. They were all small items -- cartridges and tubes. Haven’t purchased any big items like amp or preamps from Russia, even though I purchased quite a few gears from China, including amps and preamps. All amps/preamps I purchased from China were OK. The best was Jungson JA-99C and JA-1 amp/preamp.
There were also quite a few scams from China -- a few from eBay purchase and many from Facebook ads.
I got all refunds from eBay scam, but not from Facebook ads even though I paid with PayPal. What happened was, I purchased a few bicycle related items (shoes, pedals, clothes, ...) from Facebook ads and what I received were random junk items (water bottle, stainless whisky flask, ...) or no items at all. I ignored them as junk mails, but they were actual items sent from the sender. To get reimbursed I had to return those items back to China. Shipping cost was almost half as the amount I paid for. If I did not return the item, PayPal would not have refunded me. Now, I don’t purchase anything from Facebook ads if they are sold from China.
Hope you enjoy the Russian gear.

Elliot, I'm sure you'll be fine.  But the argument regarding size puzzles me. It would seem that those domestic vintage pieces on the eBay page you cited would be about the same size as the unit you are buying.  Just saying.  A 500C chassis is larger, I grant you that.  But it's all in one and darn nice sounding if properly refurbished.

Did you buy  2-year protection plan from SquareTrade - $39.99
:-)
Keep us informed! 

@ lewm
"In support of what Chak says about expedited shipping, I have purchased various capacitors from Russian vendors on eBay. The shipping time is very short, sometimes as little as 4-5 days. Much faster than buying from Canada, most of the time. I stopped using one Canadian parts supplier because customs was so slow."...............



Its actually your countries customs that delays parcels from delivery.
NOT the country shipped from. That works both ways. From your country to here in Canada , then it’s Canada customs who delays its release for delivering.... sometimes it sails right through after a quick check.....other times not so much....their is a human element to it....literally luck of the draw of how/when package is cleared....
The best experience I have always had is with Royal mail out of Britain to Canada post for delivery.
The US/Canada border...crap shoot and sometimes the bs "brokerage" and other various charges we get burnt for from the brown shirts....

In any event....I hope the OP gets his purchase quickly and it exceeds his expectations. ...
Cheers

My statement stands as written. Why the difference between the two countries is probably explained in your post. I have had some bad experiences with merchandise coming from Canada into the US. In one case, my turntable was delivered to someone in Iowa. (I live in Maryland.)  The remedy for that was to send it back to Canada and THEN to me. One Canadian who wanted to buy something from me (the opposite direction of shipping) asked me to send it to an address in North Dakota. He planned to drive across the border to pick it up, rather than to endure the customs delays (and worse, damage sometimes).

@ chakster.  

You right, It is stupid to say there is no audiophile scene in Russia and nobody tried to say that. High End shows festivals, stores and shops does exist in Moscow and few other sites, but equipment production sector is extremely narrow there, it’s almost nothing compared to what we have here in US or Europe, Japan. However tech guys from Russia does play big role in world industry (BAT, Lamm Industries etc...) probably business climate is just not right there, or government priorities is in another universe:)

... probably business climate is just not right there, or government priorities is in another universe:)

Absolutely! Right

drease

Square Trade

because I made an offer, they accepted, eBay generated an invoice that didn’t offer the option.

I hadn’t noticed the option on the original listing, until I had already paid,

Sooo, it is up to me to buy a separate square trade warranty myself. I’m gonna open the preamp up first, have a good look, then test it, decide then.
...........................................

The plan of mice and man: (mostly Vintage). Everything revised since joining this forum.

One of these days I will take some photos and post them here.

Play it on small system as ricmci suggests:

1. shop/garage system: CD; Vintage Technics SL-J33 TT; Vintage Tandberg SS receiver; two vintage pairs of small speakers

and: to look for smoke as tablejockey joked about.

or, as I finally got aewarrens joke: see if it is Roland DARK SOUND!

2. Next in main system, sound shootout against my Vintage McIntosh tube tuner/preamp mx110z to my Chinese built Cayin tube amp to my oldest component: speakers with Electro-Voice drivers made in 1958. Vintage JVC Tt with 2 Vintage arms, and the new long Russian Blackbird, the source of this ’Russian Again" discussion.

3. Then upstairs to complete my happy office system:

a. Streaming/CD via computer

TT/R2R side by side on 3 shelf high bookcases (nice stand up operating height). This little preamp will sit on one side, an old RCA 45 player other side (for looks, never hooked it up).

b. Mitsubishi Vertical Turntable LT-5V (I traded Bill for my Fisher 800C)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mitsubishi-LT-5V-turntable-Calibration-and-Tune-up-service/292662721073?has...

c. Teac X2000r R2R used vertically for the first time, now wearing it’s Mickey Mouse Dust Cover

https://www.google.com/search?q=teac+x2000r+dust+cover&rlz=1C1SQJL_enUS881US881&sxsrf=ALeKk0...

bring up my Vintage (also 1958) Fisher 80Z Mono Blocks (mine don't have cages or faceplates, they were concealed in original console)

https://reverb.com/item/18222527-fully-restored-pair-of-fisher-80az-monoblocks-30wpc-mono-power-amps...

Vintage B&W bookshelf speakers ear level, Vintage Velodyne Sub.

I installed a very quiet exhaust fan in the far corner of the ceiling that I use in the summer to pull the computer monitor’s heat out of here, it will now do some winter work I expect.

hmmm, maybe I’ll put the Mono Blocks on top, left and right of the TT/R2R: in sight, right above their speakers, heat starting from a height closer to the ceiling, move the new preamp into the shelves below.
..................................

"Yeah, that’s the ticket"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyp9fh-u4w8

@ mijostyn
definitely not bad! Great flexibility with spec options. Should be very good sounding monoblocks.

All the anti Russian sentiment is based on the demographic who haunt this place. You'll find the same people in the China=bad camp as well.

Its so predictable its funny.

All the anti Russian sentiment is based on the demographic who haunt this place. You’ll find the same people in the China=bad camp as well.

Its so predictable its funny.

Einstein make an error when he said that stupidity is infinite...

It is not, stupidity is predictable like the 4 seasons in some countries. like the monsoon in another...Stupidity is a recursive tedious self repeating process giving the false appearence of the infinite....

The repetitive motives of hate has not changed from Eden and Cain to this day....

I apologize for my post, i take this occasion to correct Einstein, it is not often that i can do it.... 😁

Just get a little Monoprice small hybrid integrated.  It's a nice little amp, very clean.  Tube front end.  Sounds nice for an office.

just for fun while waiting I'm still peeking at tube phono preamps, 

this Muzixshare integrated amp looks a lot like my Cayin: construction/quality/features/25w triode/45w ultralinear power rating ...

AND it has built-in phono and headphone amp, meters, external bias control

https://www.ebay.com/itm/X7-KT88-Push-pull-tube-Integrated-amplifier-Phono-Preamp-Remote-45w-2/11375...

$1,600. delivered to USA

If I didn't have/love my mx110z's phono, and IF it had 16 ohm taps and IF it sounds like my Cayin, I would try it, perhaps then sell the Cayin.

a quickie search/find:

https://toptubeamplifier.com/muzishare-x7-tube-amp-review/

mahgister

“Youth ages, immaturity is outgrown, ignorance can be educated, and drunkenness sobered, but stupid lasts forever.”

― Aristophanes

lewm

I think you missed my point, I don't like ANY of those currently available preamps, none too special, most ugly IMO (don't forget, I'm an Interior Designer), thus I could not have gotten the 'same' domestic product.

Once again, like the Russian tonearm, this one turned out to be the only currently available one that appealed to me, the one I couldn't forget about while searching for others. Not awesome looking, it just appeals to me.

Both my Fisher 500C's sound great, but, aside from extra height they are very deep, even deeper with input cables, they won't fit here.

This preamp will fit on the 14" deep bookcase top even with cables connected. If I make a cutout in the back of the bookcase for ventilation and cables, I can fit it on a 11-1/2" deep shelf.

It's always a mixture of considerations that lead to a decision.

“Youth ages, immaturity is outgrown, ignorance can be educated, and drunkenness sobered, but stupid lasts forever.”

― Aristophanes

If Aristophanes said it,i never correct Einstein after all.... Only gloss around him...

Humility must be my mentor now..... 😁😊

I will not try to correct E=Mc 2

Rest assured....

two small potential issues:

Watch out for the gluing of the red board supports, watch for it breaking free. They appear to be glued to the bottom plate, which will flex. They may also be screwed from the bottom, difficult to know without seeing it.

next potential danger, the red colored supports themselves.

They appear to be 3d printed. the orientation of the print process means that the supports might break easily when presented with lateral shear accelerations. It’s a basic problem with all fusing and filament type 3d printing. Adhesion of the new layer.. to the one below is a problem (In the printing process itself).

In essence, do NOT plug this unit in when it arrives, without taking the cover off and doing a very close inspection, before trying to power it up.

Not saying it will fail, but it is being shipped from ’faraway land’, and there will be plenty of chances for sharp impacts upon the shipping container, and thus some fairly decent sharp shear inducing acceleration(s).

Edit: downloading the image of the internals.. seems to possibly..er..indicate.. that maybe the builder made printed molds for the support and then poured the supports as ’cast’ items, which would probably make them considerably safer for use in high voltage tube based gear. I say this as it seems to be quite difficult to see any 'layers' in what looks a lot like a 3d print job for those supports. using a printed mold to make cast parts tends to make the print layers a hair more difficult to see as a surface detail thing.

mahgister

I thought they both said a variation of the same thing.

teo_audio

thanks for your advice, I often take stuff apart, just to see what sense of quality is apparent, I certainly will this time.

It shipped EMS this am, let's see how long it takes. Hopefully USPS will not hold it so long at the airport as they did with my Russian tonearm.

@ elliottbnewcombjr

everything will come with patience and waiting time.
With the covid problem everything has slowed down.
I waited 11 months by sea for a turntable to arrive from Japan (March 2020 / February 2021) between returning it back to seller for problems I don’t know and other time wasters, but then it finally arrived.
Patience and more patience.

EMS from Russia to USA during covid is normally 30 days, can be a bit faster or slower.

11 month by sea mail from Japan is nonsense, seamail is 2-3 month estimate and not affecting by covid at all. Some people always have problems with everything, it’s a bad luck. 

Such a weird forum, here is almost nothing about amazing tube amps from Japan made by skilled technicians, but people discuss unknown cheap amp from Russia made with some Chinese parts by unknown guy.

11 month by sea mail from Japan is nonsense, seamail is 2-3 month estimate and not affecting by covid at all.

Not ....the problem occurred because the turntable had returned back to the depot in Japan and I did not know anything for a long time.

chackster

cheap amp from Russia made with some Chinese parts by unknown guy.

cheap PREAMP

had this been listed at the time, what a tough choice

https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-MARCONI-MONO-BLOCKS-TUBE-AMPLIFIERS-STEREO-TUNER-PRE-AMP-4410/38381...

It has my beloved remote balance feature, nice feature for mono amps as well as individual tweaks of errant mixes.

chackster

chakster (8 characters please ) 

cheap PREAMP

ok

Just hope you get your blues before your sunset.
OR you forget where the office is.

Thanks to the O.P. for an entertaining thread--and a great attitude about audio in general.

Example: "I decided I would try to have Oriental Patience from then on."

fuzztone; desktopguy

thank you both for your humor.

Just yesterday I thought, hey, where are those L-Pads I ordered. I returned the Pots I ordered by mistake.

Checked, it would have been a long time, I left them in the cart, never ordered them.

I'm 77, so if this doesn't work out for you; for $500.00 plus $30.00 shipping you can purchasing from the USA (tubes4hifi.com) the SP10 Preamp with remote control.  It's made in China; another adversary or enemy depending on your personal view. I have one and it sounds fantastic. It is very well made.  I've had more costly one that doesn't sound any better. You might wonder why people pay so much for brand name preamps. PEACE.

Does it play any non-Russian composers?

gofishme2

My Cayin A88T integrated amp is made in China, first rate, sounds terrific. Politically I'm a 'One World' type.

thanks for the link, seems like he/they know what they are doing.

SP10 may sound good, but I would order his SP14 K1 with remote, assembled, probably go for the pricey mundorf caps.

http://www.tubes4hifi.com/SP14.htm

It has separate left/right gain, a nice feature when using mono blocks.

diffin

I expect it to love Jazz, it certainly will when I finish breaking it.

lewm

this one would have been a good domestic option if it was listed when I was looking

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Audible-Illusions-Modulus-Stereo-Tube-Preamplifier-classic-linestage-in-box...

In my best russian accent "Don't Vorry, we make guud for you!

In my opinion, that AI Modulus is a bit overpriced, as it does not include a built-in phono stage.  As such, it would not even fulfill your needs. The one worth having would be the 3A version with a phono stage designed by John Curl (if memory serves).  That one on eBay is worth a few hundred bucks, tops.  Again, in my opinion.

Yesterday vintage NOS Japanese NEC 6bq5 (EL84) power tubes replaced Russian power tubes in this Luxman integrated amp. We were shocked by the difference! Luxman stock tubes are branded Luxman, but in fact it’s modern Russian tubes.

Japanese tubes from NEC (made in the 70’s for hi-fi audio) are much quieter, the resolution is much higher, I never tried them before (tubes were sealed in the boxes), it was a blind deal for me long time ago, I don’t even have an amp with EL84 anymore, but a friend purchased Luxman from me few years ago.

After an evening of listening we are all (4 of us) came to conclusion that an old Japanese NEC is killing New Russian tube. So the NEC green series is amazing power tube. 

My advice is to look for a NOS tubes instead of Russian or Chinese tubes.