Russian Tube Preamp, No Return, Here I go again

I bought a rare LP set from someone in St Petersburg, Russia. It took about a month but it arrived, condition as described. 

lewm

thanks for the advice, details and price. I was just letting you know, the looks of that domestic one would have worked (in the shelves with my black Chase unit, not on top like the Russian will be).

In the 5th photo is shows a phono selector

I felt, but didn’t know that it was too high a price.

the Russian 6N4P tube is not available here. they say no hum.

I asked seller for price of spare, but unfortunately he had already shipped the preamp, and he says EMS minimum cost is $40. if I buy just the tube.

Knowing that, IMO, they should include a spare.

They say substitute is 12AY7, while checking I see a lot of 'they hum' comments.

Some suggested use 12AV7, lower gain, less/no hum.

maybe I should buy half a dozen, sell some on eBay to offset the high shipping cost. I wonder how many people want 6n4p's?

Thoughts, ideas______?

Problem is, we’re just as cheap as you are.

therefore, even if it is a good deal at $15-20 each, timely delivered, we still see it on eBay for $5 but in Russia... and grind out teeth that we can’t get it for that.... and we just sit there, lost in the fuzzy grey colored morass of our own cheapassness vs the need for the tube.

not to worry, someone will get us off the itchy undefined squirmy stewing pot of our own design...  

Oh! none available.,... time to back to eBay and just stare, wondering why 30+ day chancy delivery can't somehow transform into $1.98 overnight delivery

Tubes do not inherently "hum", unless a particular tube has a defect that causes hum.  Circuits in which we place tubes can be prone to hum if not designed properly, and most commonly hum is due to grounding problems. So use whatever is the recommended substitute for the 6N4P and stop worrying about nothing.  12AY7 is also known as 6072.  Both types are thought to be excellent sounding.  Most likely the Russkies copied the 12AY7 (a classic) and re-named it the 6N4P.  Furthermore, you should have a few thousand hours of use ahead of you before you even need to think about replacing tubes.

teo-audio

Who gave you the right to call me cheap?

teo-audio

Perhaps I should have added a smiley face.

I’m an Interior Designer, specializing in Corporate Office Space. After a client meeting, I came back to the office, told Betty the head of the Furniture and Decorating department: "The client want’s cheaper furniture". I can still see Betty’s eyelids flapping as she replied: "We don’t offer cheap furniture, I will find some ’less costly’ choices.

I love a bargain, sometimes the luck of a bargain is a big part of truly enjoying something each time I use it!

I make my own speaker cables to save money to be sure, but primarily because I would feel foolish if I didn’t, and I would deprive myself the accomplishment.

I paid a pro to replace the cones in my 15" woofer's, the first time. Next time, I risked doing it myself. Bingo, another accomplishment, and when my old Velodyne sub's surround rotted, I knew I could do with confidence.

teo-audio

I am sorry for my initial response, I forget everyone doesn't know my sense of humor, and also forget that English is not many member's primary language.

I just went thru the discussion and saw the 'cheap' was started by chackster, and he meant it.

Shipping Progress

• EE015444252RU

Date and time, Status of Item, Location
Feb 17, 2021 6:40 PMPosted249833
Feb 21, 2021 1:26 PMArrived at export officeMoskva
Feb 21, 2021 2:48 PMPresented to export customs and security130980
Feb 21, 2021 2:49 PM Released from export customs and security130980
Mar 1, 2021 12:52 AM Departed from export office

I might have made an offer for this if it was around when I chose the Russian one

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Counterpoint-SA3-1-Tube-Analog-Audiophile-Preamp-Phono/154358866931?hash=it...

SA5.1 is v nice sounding.

This Carver ain't tubes, but it would have looked nice with my Carver AM/FM Tuner and Carver Cube Amp

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-CARVER-C-1-Sonic-Holography-Preamplifier-w-BOX-Paperwork-NEAR-MINT-...

MM and MC inputs, lots to like

another awesome vintage preamp I might have bought if it was available.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Luxman-CL35-MKIII-Tube-Preamp/303871182981

I wonder if 'taking a chance' on the Russian Tonearm and Russian Preamp was part of their appeal. i.e. IF this Luxman and the Russian were both available at the same time: the Russian is all I need for my office: 1 Phono and Tape. The Luxman is fully loaded, awesome with unique features.

The Russian had the lower price/bargain appeal, and had the risk factor, a positive rather than a negative. 

????

Holy cow, I have a Carver C1 in my game room. Cannot believe the sale price. You need to make sure it has been serviced and the potentiometers have been cleaned if you jump on the Carver. The sonic holography is gimmicky at first, but after a while, your apt to stop using it. 

Elliott, You noticed I am sure that the Luxman asking price is nearly 4X what you paid for the Russian unit.  You could buy a Marantz 7C, perhaps the king of vintage tube preamplifiers, for $3000 to $6000, too. But you would be paying for the collectibility as much as for SQ.  I'm sure the Luxman is very nice.

look at the price of this one, $399.or make offer

https://reverb.com/item/39398714-carver-c-1-sonic-holography-preamp-w-manual?utm_source=google&u...

If I wasn't waiting for my Russian Tube Preamp, I would go for the Luxman.

Marantz you say?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Free-Intl-Shipping-Vintage-Marantz-7-7c-Tube-Pre-Amplifier-with-TFK-12AX7s/...

I am not drawn to the Marantz like I am to the Luxman.

I could hook you up with a nice black face C11 Carver for a bit less than that. Almost the same unit but you can actually read the face plate. That light grey with black lettering is tough on the eyes!
BillWojo

Bill,

Nice to see you here. I am going tubes, I only posted the Carver for others, and my comment was about how it would match my other Carvers, the SS Cube Amp, and the SS AM/FM Tuner. All unreadable grey, absolutely horrible if not mounted standing eye high. Bright as he is, ... especially for the aging baby boomers, whose eyes diminish with their ears.

Both the Russian Preamp and the Luxman Preamp are shallow, only 10-5/8 or 10-7/8 + cables behind, knobs in front. Both work on top of my Bookcase 13-3/4" depth + 1/1/2" clear behind to jamb the plug end of a wire down behind. I could fit either inside the 11-1/2" case with right angle cables, Many full depth units won’t fit on top, certainly not within the case. Thar’s why I am not using my Fisher 500C.

Carver is usually compact (hard to stack), I was curious as to the size of the Carver, perhaps use the 3 pieces for my shop/garage (Goodbye Tandberg TR80).

I found the manual which surprisingly says nothing about size, but a heck of a lot of other interesting stuff I will read sometime. He’s a fascinating dude.

file:///C:/Users/ellio/Downloads/Carver-C-1-Owners-Manual.pdf

I just found a listing that said: 19" wide; 10" deep; 3-1/2" high.

With no circuit upgrades, the 7C is not even “good” by today’s standards. I say this from experience, having owned and used two of them in my audio life. Lovely to look at however.

Carver is or was an interesting and very smart guy. His products are full of gimmicks. Some work to enhance SQ. Some are just sand in your eye.

this guy has the nerve to call this near mint, A+, text worn off faceplate, case is nasty, connectors corroded. and the price???

https://www.ebay.com/itm/McIntosh-C11-Tube-PreAmplifier-Original-C20-C22-era-AUDIOPHILE-SERVICED/274...

Why didn’t they mount the horizontal row of tubes above the connectors?

the luxman has the tubes high with better ventilation, I like it more every day!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Luxman-CL35-MKIII-Tube-Preamp/303871182981

I lost my mind, I just made an offer for the Luxman, let's see what happens.

I am having palpitations!

lewm,

I'm holding out

"Elliot,
Thanks for the interest in my preamp. It really is a Nice tube preamp. I love the vintage (pre-Alpine) Luxman equipment and have so for the past 40+ years.

To be honest, I have just over $1600 in it. Between eBay and PayPal the fees they charge add up to about 13% which be around $200.
So the cheapest I could sell it for is $1800."

I can lighten up on my Valium.
I don't think you have to worry a bit, if you miss out on this particular unit. There have been more than a dozen of them placed on sale, mostly on eBay, since March 10.  Check "Hi-Fi Shark".

He could start another thread with hundreds of daily ebay links, thinking that other people can’t make their own search for audio gear (or simply add what they need in favorite search or wantlist to get notifications when it’s available). 

lewm,

Thanks for the tip about frequency of availability.

I like that Rosewood Case, a big part of it’s appeal. If I buy it, and truly like the sound of it's phono, I may use it in my main system with lots of similar colored wood and the Rosewood Speakers. The JVC decks like mine were stained with a red coloration, highly grained, but not Rosewood veneer, but they appear so at first glance.

It's interesting to try and show how I think, and see how others think and approach things, funny 'here I go again' being the point of this discussion in the first place. 

I look every morning for tube preamps, 'newly listed', it's fun for me, however, it's becoming expensive.

@lewm +1 on hifishark

@elliottbnewcombjr 

I bought two Luxman CL-35III. One for myself with a pair of Luxman MB-3045 amps, and one for a friend. One of them came complete with the Luxman SUTs that insert in the back. I tracked down a pair of Sansui a-603 SUT for the other.

It is a very good sounding unit, but not as good as the new Luxman CL-38uC.

Plenty are posted for sale. If you are in the USA you should look for one with US voltage, not the 100 volt Japanese model, which are more plentiful.

Best of luck in your search,

Jim Perry

First thing I’d do is remove the wood case. It impedes cooling. Tubes will last longer without it. Keep it for resale value.

I agree removing cases on many tube units, however:

That design has all the tubes mounted in a row out of the back, similar to that McIntosh, except, Luxman wisely put the row of tubes up high, above the in/out cables. It’s got a decent vented grille, no way I would remove that Rosewood case which is a major draw for me.

I agree. There is plenty of ventilation and the case is too beautiful

Well, you don’t own it, so there is no controversy. I just said what I would do, because I am not an interior decorator.

Interior Designer, not Decorator! I am more like an un-licensed Architect.

OK. I am not that, either.

and when my old Velodyne sub's surround rotted, I knew I could do with confidence.

rotten?

I believed that the suspensions of that brand were indestructible with the passage of time!

Mine rotted, I replaced the surround, it sounds very nice here in my office.

let's see what this McIntosh mx110z 'for parts' goes for. They have gotten more expensive over the past year, my timing was lucky.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/McIntosh-MX110-Z-Tube-Tuner-Preamp-One-Owner-Original-mx110z-preamplifier/2...

At the right price, I would have the seller ship it right to the restore shop. 

Someone already posted that video a couple of weeks ago on another thread. Looks like Robert Plant.

Well? Well?

cleared Russian Customs easily, in transit since 3-1-21

But that means it is only just cleared to leave Russia (which is ridiculous), how? By boat?  In that case, having it by your 75th may be realistic.  By air? Then maybe 2-3 weeks.

EMS is Air Mail only.
Custom (export) inspection is just scan of the box, takes 5 min.
The problem is available flight to USA.

My recent parcels to L.A. or Miami took 7 days with EMS (very quick)

Thanks. Good for Elliott.

NewArtVinyl has produced much more marketing info since I took a risk and bought the Blackbird 12.5" arm.

Here's their video showing setup of my arm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYVJn2_u9Z0

their home page

http://newartvinyl.ru/

stereo54,644 posts02-13-2021 7:12pm"I noticed they spelled Vacuum tubes as vacuuum tubes on the preamp".

Funny, I just got what you wrote, 'on the unit'. My mind thought/assumed 'in the text', and the USPS change grabbed my attention.

IF I had noticed that I would have passed it up. (how the heck did I, and many miss that?)

Sometimes/often, we see what we want to see, we hear what we want to hear.

Why would you have passed it up just for a misspelling? You know that it's not a product of a large multinational corporation, so it's not a big surprise. I think it's actually interesting. Something to show friends and guests.

Product of China, not Russia

roxy54

IF it sounds good, yes, a fun quirk,

but if I knew, that doesn't give a lot of confidence. They say they have units all over the world. They have had time to notice themselves.

True. There's just something home-brew about it that's charming.

I wanted vintage, small, tubes,

but, this SS caught my attention. 

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lisa99gf-marantz-sc-7-solid-state

loaded with features (except auto-loudness for low volume listening). see front and back.

the built-in mc variable loading a big draw, and I like my L-Pads, for speakers with no adjustments, the 3 band tone control should perk or tame for any space live or dead. see bypass ye purists!