Unbranded Chinese Firebottle Valve amp.

[Bigman80]

Hi all,

I recently felt a need to try a valve amp. My Sony setup is amazing but an itch needed scratching. Luckily, Alan had just converted this Chinese kit build into a different beast.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170224/fed23e15bb4850d1104e185c129f3416.jpg

Now, I'm not going to go I to specific details because I don't know them.

Alan kindly offered to let me take his creation home (I'm going to name it the Firebottle27 after my favourite thing on the Chinese menu)

So after listening to it for a while through Alan's Quad speakers, I took it home.

Here it is perched precariously on a speaker.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170224/71688bf4d7a01fa5640b354d0cbfdd55.jpg

FISUAL Hollywood speaker cables, Klotz IC and Sony ES CDP as the source. All playing through the Mission 710 speakers.

First impressions:

SHIT, ID BETTER TURN IT DOWN !!!

😂 This class A power is sweet. Half way on the volume and the room is vibrating with deep bass. Im Listening to Sarah Jarosz and the double bass is lower than a snake's belly. I know the speaker's are capable of producing superb bottom end but the Sony hasn't gone this far down.

The vocals are so smooth and sweet ! The hardness I'd experienced with the CDP and Amp just isn't there. It's completely tuneful and natural. The Missions are really responding to every note no matter how subtle. Im temporarily distracted by a noise to my left, I then realise it's an instrument, possibly a banjo that I hadn't heard before ??? No I'm annoyed. I trust the Sony amp to be as good as I think it is but it didn't reveal this to me ???!! How is this £350 amp doing this ???

I swap CDs to Kenny Ball. The Sony loves this CD BUT it can be hard on the ears at high volume.

I test it at 3/4 volume.

Straight away I notice the presentation is different. Hmm 🤔 but all the instruments are there, just not as prominent as usual. I swap the track a few times and listen to familiar tracks and sure enough everything is there just more subtle. Now I'm starting to notice the Reed in the wind instruments and how the drums are popping and I realise I am really enjoying the CD. And again No hardness. Hmmm. Let's put some guitars through it

Ocean colour scene - Marching already.

Now this CD is, IMO, one of the finest High Quality recordings on CD. It was very well produced. So I dive in to a few of my favourite tracks

Drums √
Vocals √
Guitar √
Bass √

I'm blown away by how easy this is to listen too. I won't lie, I prefer the OCS CD through the Sony on first impression as there is a lot of Bass on that album and at times through the F27 I was slightly distracted by it but only on a couple of tracks. The album is Bass heavy in the mix so it's not the F27s fault but my god it sounded great.

Melodic, clean, effortless, sweet class A power. The F27 has good grip on the notes too. Treble or bass is punchy and tight but never overbearing. I particularly liked how the Vocals sound and how clean everything was. Soundstage was enormous and the channel separation was perfect. I could follow notes panning left to right like I could see them.

This thing is way beyond Good. It's exceptional and very sexy in the dark

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170224/298a60102fed46b7be670dbf19ec0fec.jpg

I (jokingly) told my wife id bought it expecting a bollocking. Instead she said "I can see why"

Outstanding.

PS, Alan, I've been burgled and out of everything they only took your Amp !!!! 😂


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[Barry]

Fine review Oliver! Thanks for sharing.

I assume it uses EL84s, so maybe 10-12 watts, and it didn't misbehave itself with Quad 57s, so it would be interesting to compare it with a Leak Stereo 20. It passes the WAF test as well, so all in all pretty good! Glad it's doing the business for you.

(I use, inter alia, Fisual speaker cables as well as Klotz interconnects.)

[Bigman80]

Fine review Oliver! Thanks for sharing.

I assume it uses EL84s, so maybe 10-12 watts, and it didn't misbehave itself with Quad 57s, so it would be interesting to compare it with a Leak Stereo 20. It passes the WAF test as well, so all in all pretty good! Glad it's doing the business for you.

(I use, inter alia, Fisual speaker cables as well as Klotz interconnects.)
Thanks Barry 😄

It is done a fine job. I'll spend more time with it over the next week or so (however long Alan will let me have it for) and update my findings.

Looks like I'm seeing the Valve appeal

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[RothwellAudio]

First impressions:

SHIT, ID BETTER TURN IT DOWN !!!

�� This class A power is sweet. Half way on the volume and the room is vibrating with deep bass.
I'm glad you like the amp and I'm sure Alan has done a great job, but...
the position of the volume control vs. loudness in the room doesn't tell you anything (other than how user-friendly the volume control is) and don't be fooled into thinking that full rotation equals full power, half rotation equals half power etc.
Anyway, I agree it's quite amazing how satisfying a 10(ish) watt valve amp can be :)

[Ali Tait]

Can't go wrong with EL84's, such a musical valve.

[nthall]

Nice. Are those 7247s on the input stage? It looks similar to an ST-35 which is an excellent amp with a few tweaks. Alan is getting you set up right.

You'll get used to the bass. It's supposed to be there.

[Firebottle]

Glad you are liking it Oliver. Welcome to tube world.

F27 sounds a bit like an fighter jet, let's hope there's no reheat with this one :eyebrows:

Nathan the driver valves are ECC83, not my usual fare, with EL84 output tubes in Single Ended mode.
Just looked up the 7247, not a type I know. An interesting valve with one high mu section and one low mu section.
A bit like half an ECC83 combined with half an ECC82, nice.

[Bigman80]

I'm glad you like the amp and I'm sure Alan has done a great job, but...
the position of the volume control vs. loudness in the room doesn't tell you anything (other than how user-friendly the volume control is) and don't be fooled into thinking that full rotation equals full power, half rotation equals half power etc.
Anyway, I agree it's quite amazing how satisfying a 10(ish) watt valve amp can be :)
Hi Andrew.

I will keep that in mind. Obviously, with this being the first valve amp I've ever heard I have much to learn. The important thing is how good this amp sounds !!!

😀

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[Bigman80]

Glad you are liking it Oliver. Welcome to tube world.

F27 sounds a bit like an fighter jet, let's hope there's no reheat with this one :eyebrows:

Nathan the driver valves are ECC83, not my usual fare, with EL84 output tubes in Single Ended mode.
Just looked up the 7247, not a type I know. An interesting valve with one high mu section and one low mu section.
A bit like half an ECC83 combined with half an ECC82, nice.
Ye, the name might need some work lol



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[jandl100]

Very nice, and I am sure Alan can be relied on to have done a good job on it.

I haven't tried every type of power valve in existence by any means, but I've owned and heard a fair few. The el84 is my favourite of those I have heard. As long as you have speakers that can reach the levels you want with the 10wpc or so on offer from having them paired up, then they simply make glorious natural, well balanced music better than any others, imo.

Save up some pennies and convince Alan to let it go! :thumbsup:

[Stryder5]

This did sound very, very good during my brief listening with Oliver at Alan's.

The burglary story seems plausible, I saw a red car following Oliver home.





Hi all,

I recently felt a need to try a valve amp. My Sony setup is amazing but an itch needed scratching. Luckily, Alan had just converted this Chinese kit build into a different beast.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170224/fed23e15bb4850d1104e185c129f3416.jpg

Now, I'm not going to go I to specific details because I don't know them.

Alan kindly offered to let me take his creation home (I'm going to name it the Firebottle27 after my favourite thing on the Chinese menu)

So after listening to it for a while through Alan's Quad speakers, I took it home.

Here it is perched precariously on a speaker.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170224/71688bf4d7a01fa5640b354d0cbfdd55.jpg

FISUAL Hollywood speaker cables, Klotz IC and Sony ES CDP as the source. All playing through the Mission 710 speakers.

First impressions:

SHIT, ID BETTER TURN IT DOWN !!!

�� This class A power is sweet. Half way on the volume and the room is vibrating with deep bass. Im Listening to Sarah Jarosz and the double bass is lower than a snake's belly. I know the speaker's are capable of producing superb bottom end but the Sony hasn't gone this far down.

The vocals are so smooth and sweet ! The hardness I'd experienced with the CDP and Amp just isn't there. It's completely tuneful and natural. The Missions are really responding to every note no matter how subtle. Im temporarily distracted by a noise to my left, I then realise it's an instrument, possibly a banjo that I hadn't heard before ??? No I'm annoyed. I trust the Sony amp to be as good as I think it is but it didn't reveal this to me ???!! How is this £350 amp doing this ???

I swap CDs to Kenny Ball. The Sony loves this CD BUT it can be hard on the ears at high volume.

I test it at 3/4 volume.

Straight away I notice the presentation is different. Hmm �� but all the instruments are there, just not as prominent as usual. I swap the track a few times and listen to familiar tracks and sure enough everything is there just more subtle. Now I'm starting to notice the Reed in the wind instruments and how the drums are popping and I realise I am really enjoying the CD. And again No hardness. Hmmm. Let's put some guitars through it

Ocean colour scene - Marching already.

Now this CD is, IMO, one of the finest High Quality recordings on CD. It was very well produced. So I dive in to a few of my favourite tracks

Drums √
Vocals √
Guitar √
Bass √

I'm blown away by how easy this is to listen too. I won't lie, I prefer the OCS CD through the Sony on first impression as there is a lot of Bass on that album and at times through the F27 I was slightly distracted by it but only on a couple of tracks. The album is Bass heavy in the mix so it's not the F27s fault but my god it sounded great.

Melodic, clean, effortless, sweet class A power. The F27 has good grip on the notes too. Treble or bass is punchy and tight but never overbearing. I particularly liked how the Vocals sound and how clean everything was. Soundstage was enormous and the channel separation was perfect. I could follow notes panning left to right like I could see them.

This thing is way beyond Good. It's exceptional and very sexy in the dark

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170224/298a60102fed46b7be670dbf19ec0fec.jpg

I (jokingly) told my wife id bought it expecting a bollocking. Instead she said "I can see why"

Outstanding.

PS, Alan, I've been burgled and out of everything they only took your Amp !!!! ��


Sent from my EVA-L09 using Tapatalk

[Bigman80]

This did sound very, very good during my brief listening with Oliver at Alan's.

The burglary story seems plausible, I saw a red car following Oliver home.
😂😂😂

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[Macca]

I did say that the 'hard' sound you were getting was nothing to do with the CD player. No-one ever listens to me ;)

[Bigman80]

I did say that the 'hard' sound you were getting was nothing to do with the CD player. No-one ever listens to me ;)
Lmao, you did and I did listen. That was part of the reason I wanted to try a valve amp. You were right.

I also knew the "overly bright speakers" weren't to blame either lol

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[Macca]

I don't think it is so much to do with it being valves as just upping the quality of the amplification. Sony ES amps are okay but they are getting a bit over-rated IMO.

People like a safe bet brand-wise even if it isn't the best they could do for the money. Look at how that Avondale amp lingered in the classifieds for so long despite the price being a giveaway for the sound quality.

Or the 'F27's ugly sister, the FB 'Dulci', which no-one seems to want even for just £200 when quality-wise you could comfortably stick a zero on that:

http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac233/Macca_photos_2009/DSC_0024.jpg (http://s903.photobucket.com/user/Macca_photos_2009/media/DSC_0024.jpg.html)

[Marco]

Fuckin' ell, that is one FUGLY looking amp - a veritable rotting ring-piece of a roaster, not even a mother could love! :vomfest: :vomfest:

Marco.

[sumday]

geek alert.....F27 is not a fighter, its a Fokker...short haul passenger turboprop aircraft.

now yer MIG27... that's a fighter..of the ground attack variety. based on the MIG23

do I win 5 pounds??

NIGE.

[Bigman80]

Fuckin' ell, that is one FUGLY looking amp - a veritable rotting ring-piece of a roaster, not even a mother could love! :vomfest: :vomfest:

Marco.
😂😂😂

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[Macca]

Fuckin' ell, that is one FUGLY looking amp - a veritable rotting ring-piece of a roaster, not even a mother could love! :vomfest: :vomfest:

Marco.

It sounds absolutely beautiful though. Reckon it would work really well with your Lockwoods in your room. Have you tried a single ended class A with them? You could always put a bag over her...sure you've done that before. :)

[Marco]

Nope, not tried an SET amp with the Lockies... No reason why it wouldn't work. Like you say, I could always double-bag it, then roll it in flour if I need to find its 'wet patch'... :eyebrows:

Marco.

[struth]

I don't think it is so much to do with it being valves as just upping the quality of the amplification. Sony ES amps are okay but they are getting a bit over-rated IMO.

People like a safe bet brand-wise even if it isn't the best they could do for the money. Look at how that Avondale amp lingered in the classifieds for so long despite the price being a giveaway for the sound quality.

Or the 'F27's ugly sister, the FB 'Dulci', which no-one seems to want even for just £200 when quality-wise you could comfortably stick a zero on that:

http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac233/Macca_photos_2009/DSC_0024.jpg (http://s903.photobucket.com/user/Macca_photos_2009/media/DSC_0024.jpg.html)

thought you sold that ages ago.

[Macca]

Someone was going to buy it and build it into a fancy case but they backed out for unrelated reasons so I decided to keep it.

I'm mentioned it because Alan said the F27 is essentially the same topography, with a bit more power. So I can guess what it sounds like.

[Firebottle]

You guys, Marco and Macca crack me up (could make a double act).

The FB Dulci is what it is Marco, fugly maybe but SE smoothness in droves.
It just needs a case to hide it.

:)

[Jimbo]

Looks ugly but sounds sweet.

[Macca]

Better than that IMO. Used within its power limits it is astonishingly transparent. Up there with the best. Beyond that it still sounds sweet but it loses the transparency. In my room 96db speakers were not enough, would need to go to horn loading and well over 100dB sensitivity to get the levels I want plus the transparency.

[nthall]

I actually like the look of The Dulci better. It looks like it was built to do a job other than look cool in the dark.

[Macca]

I actually like the look of The Dulci better. It looks like it was built to do a job other than look cool in the dark.

Exactly. No concessions to those who listen with their eyes. Its purity is uncontaminated. :)

[Marco]

You guys, Marco and Macca crack me up (could make a double act).


We aim to please! :D


It just needs a case to hide it.


Aye, mind you it'd do a good job of scaring the kids away from the fire! :eyebrows:

Marco.