Affordable Valve Company.

[Spectral Morn]

It's been sat on the rack unplugged for a couple of years now Neil. Hell I might even hook it up for a break from the SS amp

You should Steve, a break from the sand is always nice. How are you keeping?


Regards Neil

[stupinder]

Sound Of Music (now closed) were the distributors of Vincent once and TAC first in the UK. Samples were sent to where I worked at the time, the Vincent items were mostly nice for the money but the TAC amplifiers were poor - in all the staff and owners opinion - and were not stocked (this is about 5 years ago). Several others have since had ago at distributing Vincent and TAC, Ruark, a one man operation MV Audio (now gone) and I think Missing Link have also had ago too but not now I think.

I think personally I would avoid TAC, AVC and look at Ming Da, Opera, Icon Audio or the Pure Sound amplifiers, I think in general Chinese stuff is hit and miss and more miss than hit (it is getting better though) but at least those I name have good reputations for sonics, reliability and serviceability, others don't.

I think one of the biggest issues still with a lot of the Chinese items on the market is tracing the lineage of who did what, who designed, who built etc and to what more importantly to what standard.

Regards Neil

Shame you're not nearer to have a listen to this - one guy whose opinion I value highly called the TAC 300 the stand out bit of kit in my system....perhaps he was being kind and meant the rest was crap :-)

[julesd68]

I think personally I would avoid TAC, AVC and look at Ming Da, Opera, Icon Audio or the Pure Sound amplifiers, I think in general Chinese stuff is hit and miss and more miss than hit (it is getting better though) but at least those I name have good reputations for sonics, reliability and serviceability, others don't.

I'm a big fan of Opera Consonance. I have one of their hybrid amps and cdp's which I cannot fault - first rate build quality and sound. Distributed in the UK by AA Acoustics who are excellent to deal with and there are now a few UK dealers across the country selling them.

[Spectral Morn]

Shame you're not nearer to have a listen to this - one guy whose opinion I value highly called the TAC 300 the stand out bit of kit in my system....perhaps he was being kind and meant the rest was crap :-)

Indeed.

The items - as with all ever sent - were fully run in and tried with various bits of kit to check out suitability for system matching. Vincent did well the TAC items didn't and were returned to sounds of Music.

I did hear the TAC high end CD player C60 and matching amplifier when MV Audio were the distributor at the Hi Fidelity Heathrow show, and thought they were good and warranted a review, but I was not able to sort that out at the time as MV Audio went tits up not long after I spoke with Mark Viveash about reviewing them.

Regards Neil

[zygote23]

You should Steve, a break from the sand is always nice. How are you keeping?


Regards Neil

Keeping well Neil.......off for the hollers and pending nervous breakdown at ongoing hassle with BT broadband infinity......has completely destroyed my network streaming lol.

Other than that...still buying vinyl and still searching out the obscure. How have things been with you?

[Spectral Morn]

Keeping well Neil.......off for the hollers and pending nervous breakdown at ongoing hassle with BT broadband infinity......has completely destroyed my network streaming lol.

Other than that...still buying vinyl and still searching out the obscure. How have things been with you?

Not too bad Steve. My Dad died suddenly in Nov last year and that kicked the crap out of me, I have good and bad days but more good these days than bad. Thanks for asking. Hope you have a good holiday.

Regards Neil

[zygote23]

Sorry to hear that Neil....Loss is never easy

[Reffc]

I'm a big fan of Opera Consonance. I have one of their hybrid amps and cdp's which I cannot fault - first rate build quality and sound. Distributed in the UK by AA Acoustics who are excellent to deal with and there are now a few UK dealers across the country selling them.

Agree with that. Opera Consonance are one of the few, if the only Chinese brand I'd touch with a very long bargepole. As for most of the others, reliability for many wholly Chinese made is not a strong point. There will be exceptions, but my experience (and that of many of my customers) suggests that most are poor copies of old circuit designs (it's rumoured that there's around 200 old circuits being copied in China and being re-badged). Its a generalisation but few have adequate circuit protection built in; few have anything approaching decent transformers and few (although there are some) have decent pre-amp stages, quality of workmanship or consistency between batches. Given the cost of a decent valve amp on the used market is likely to be less than the cost of a new Chifi amp, I can't really see the attraction in buying something that poor in hifi terms, although many are blinged up to tempt with glowing bottles and fancy casework these days (which tells you nothing of the design or craftsmanship...lack thereof!).

[Spectral Morn]

Sorry to hear that Neil....Loss is never easy

No its not, doubly hard as my Mum died 8 years ago


Regards Neil

[User211]

I'm happier with a Cayin pre than I was with an EAR 868. I wish I knew if the stock SC10 was as good as the modified one I have. I suspect it is but I just dunno.

One of he finest systems I have ever heard using £500 quid speakers, no make that THE finest, was driven by all Cayin electronics. It can't be total shit, I surmise.