Chinese valve amps...

[Haselsh1]

I posted a thread like this about a year ago but I'd like to know what people think a year on...???

Call me old fashioned if you will but when I have spent countless hundreds of pounds on a brand new amplifier, I would like it to work when it arrives at my house. Why is it then, that folk continuously spend money on Chinese valve amplifiers that simply do not work in this country…? Why do people buy an amplifier brand new which, when it arrives, has to be made safe or modified in some way because it is just cheap junk…?

I made the mistake of spending around £450 on a Yarland Pro 200 SE in 2006 which I imported through the Ornec site. When it arrived it worked perfectly and indeed worked perfectly for about two years. After this time though the left hand 300B valve started suffering from flashover when powering up. This got worse as time went by until I put the amp in the hands of an electrician who had spent over fifty years working on valve amps. He was absolutely gobsmacked at the internals of this thing. Every single voltage was out and almost certainly over what it should be and the transformer was 220VAC rather than the 230VAC I was told I had ordered. The valve rectifier only did half a job as there were solid state rectifiers in there as well. The whole thing was a shambles.

In the end I sold the amp for sixty quid as a chassis for a project. As always, I wish I had known then what I know now. The bonus… The sound was stunning.

[hifi_dave]

It's not just Chinese amps that are made like that, certain USA amps are similarly made and are very unreliable because of it. It's very common for the transformers to be for 220 volts, which isn't very helpful with our maximum of 250 volts....:eek:

I've been there, done that but don't wear the T-shirt anymore...:lolsign:

[Haselsh1]

HiFiDave, I wish to reiterate what I've said before. Many thanks for the deals done over the purchase of the Croft pre/power amplifiers. At least I now have something decent.

[hifi_dave]

No probs, it was pleasant dealing with you. Thank you.

David

[DSJR]

I think I know the amps you're referring to Dave and am I right in saying that one of the early ones was called a D70???????

I can talk myself, as the US made amps I use weren't really designed for quiet use at 230 - 250V. The buzz is gentle, but still there, although it doesn't change with the weather like some UK amps used to do.....

[Ali Tait]

Well I've had two Chinese amps and neither have given me any trouble at all.The Liang 845 is in someone else's hands now and still working perfectly.The Audioromy 813 I bought secondhand,and it gets used at least 5hrs every day,and it's never put a foot wrong either.Not all Chinese gear is crap! :)

[hifi_dave]

I think I know the amps you're referring to Dave and am I right in saying that one of the early ones was called a D70???????

I can talk myself, as the US made amps I use weren't really designed for quiet use at 230 - 250V. The buzz is gentle, but still there, although it doesn't change with the weather like some UK amps used to do.....

I couldn't possibly comment but it wasn't just the power-amps....:stalks:

[Marco]

Hi Shaun,


I made the mistake of spending around £450 on a Yarland Pro 200 SE in 2006 which I imported through the Ornec site.


Did the Yarland come from Russia (as this to me is unclear)? If not, then I'm struggling to see why you've entitled the thread "Russian valve amps" when it appears to be Chinese ones everyone and you are talking about! :scratch: :eyebrows:

;)

Marco.

[The Vinyl Adventure]

Hi Shaun,



Did the Yarland come from Russia (as this to me is unclear)? If not, then I'm struggling to see why you've entitled the thread "Russian valve amps" when it appears to be Chinese ones everyone and you are talking about! :scratch: :eyebrows:

;)

Marco.

i was thinking that!!

[Marco]

Great minds think alike or fools never differ? :eyebrows:

Marco.

[Haselsh1]

Hmmm... I just did that to test you of course...:doh:

The Yarland was Chinese and the thread title should say Chinese. At least somebody was awake.

What the hell was I thinking...????????? I really haven't a clue...

[Haselsh1]

I have a theory for my slightly deranged behaviour. A day or so back I was discussing Russian valves and checking out the Watford Valves website. That's my theory and I'm sticking with it.

[Haselsh1]

Jesus, I've just had a thought... I am fifty one this year and it could be the onset of dementia...:eek:

[The Vinyl Adventure]

:lol:

[hifi_dave]

Jesus, I've just had a thought... I am fifty one this year and it could be the onset of dementia...:eek:

When you're as old as DSJR you really need to start worrying...:eek:

[Marco]

Hahahaha......wot are you like! :lolsign:

Oi, nutta, would you like me to alter the thread title for you? ;)

Marco.

[Haselsh1]

Yes please Marco.......:o

[Marco]

'Tis done, sire! :)

Marco.

[REM]

Not thinking of starting a travel agency, by any chance Shaun??:lol:

[goraman]

I use a couple differant pairs of cans often,due to my 7 month babey.
The Little Dot III is a fantastic little headphone amp regaurdless of price.
And it has held up very well.

[Hypnotoad]

Jesus, I've just had a thought... I am fifty one this year and it could be the onset of dementia...:eek:

No, probably just Alzheimer's.

[goraman]

Alzheimer's= Dementia
Samething.
What where we talking about?

[The Vinyl Adventure]

all alzhimers is dementia, not all dementia is alzhimers

[Hypnotoad]

Alzheimer's= Dementia
Samething.
What where we talking about?

It was a joke Joyce.:ner: