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Thread: New Xiang Sheng Preamp

  1. #11
    Join Date: Aug 2009

    Location: Staffordshire, England

    Posts: 37,779
    I'm Martin.

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    From this review of a different pre-amp http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/a...iospace_2.html

    let's just say that the Wada Shigeho preamp is a modification of the Marantz 7 circuit with the third stage configured to SRPP.
    Current Lash Up:

    TEAC VRDS 701T > Sony TAE1000ESD > Krell KSA50S > JM Labs Focal Electra 926.

  2. #12
    Join Date: Jun 2015

    Location: London/Durham

    Posts: 6,869
    I'm Lawrence.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Macca View Post
    From this review of a different pre-amp http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/a...iospace_2.html

    let's just say that the Wada Shigeho preamp is a modification of the Marantz 7 circuit with the third stage configured to SRPP.
    This is obviously not in the same league but with a bit of fiddling around with the valves and finally adding my valve buffer I can safely say I've got my system sorted now. I'll post the full details at some point, but it's a budget affair and genuinely sounding high end.

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  3. #13
    Join Date: Jun 2015

    Location: London/Durham

    Posts: 6,869
    I'm Lawrence.

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    Quote Originally Posted by donmarrese View Post
    Lawrence, do you know what circuit this pre is based on?

    Someone was telling me that a lot of these Chinese pre's were based on a 'up there' Marantz valve pre from the 60's???
    Anyone?

    Sounds tempting anyway...

    Sent from my ONE A2003 using Tapatalk
    Highly recommended. There's a version with no tone controls too so I'll be keeping an eye out for that, missed one on the Wam a few months ago. This has a bypass anyway.

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  4. #14
    Join Date: Jun 2015

    Location: London/Durham

    Posts: 6,869
    I'm Lawrence.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Macca View Post
    Done.

    Looks like they are around the 300 quid mark?
    Cheers Martin. Yes give or take plus import duties.

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  5. #15
    Join Date: Oct 2016

    Location: London

    Posts: 313
    I'm David.

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    I always make sure the 'bile ducts' are fully operational on my pres...

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  6. #16
    Join Date: Oct 2012

    Location: The Black Country

    Posts: 6,089
    I'm Alan.

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    Never understood where that translation came from. What is the meaning? Does anyone know?

  7. #17
    Join Date: Jun 2015

    Location: London/Durham

    Posts: 6,869
    I'm Lawrence.

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    Bile ducts seem to be very common in Chinese valve amps. Does anyone happen to know if the Chinese words for bile duct and valve are similar?

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  8. #18
    Join Date: Jun 2015

    Location: London/Durham

    Posts: 6,869
    I'm Lawrence.

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    I've had this a couple of weeks now and wanted to report back as some people have expressed interest in getting one.

    Firstly there are two versions, with and without tone controls I can only comment on the one I have, with them.

    The sound is very good, transparent, detailed with great soundstage and imaging, but the ability to add a bit more body with the tone control. An utter bargain, one of the best pres I've owned if not the best (YMMV).

    The stock valves are not good and should be changed, 2x 12AT7 and 2x 12AU7. There are 2 Chinese rectifiers that do not have a Western drop in equivalent so I have left them alone. The circuit is apparently based on a famous Japanese circuit as used in the Marantz 7. There's a valve at the front solely for display purposes which I have removed as it can only harm SQ and strain the power supply.

    There are 4 relay controlled inputs, a warm up power delay circuit (the front light flashes red for a minute it so before going blue) and high and low impedance outputs. The fascia is very thick aluminium and the RCA sockets on the rear are of good quality. The amp physically suggests great value for money.

    Onto the quirks. I found this out from a foreign forum and my listening supports the claims. The volume control also seems to be linked to a loudness contour so you get a very full on sound when the amp is set to bypass bizarrely. Switching on the tone controls seems to stop this but then the other quirk is that the tone section is not flat on the central settings. The treble should be set to about 10 and the bass to 2. Goodness knows why this is, but there you go, you have to work around it.

    I was initially a bit bothered by the fact that you cannot run it in bypass and have to engage the tone controls to get a balanced sound. I occasionally switched it back on again and after a little while decided I prefer the bypass off. After a few days of enjoying the amp it no longer bothered me and I started to enjoy the benefit of changing the tone controls subtly between albums to get the balance I like. I've now reached the heretical opinion that tone controls are not bad at all and wonder why did the British obsession with minimalism on the 80s become so pervasive?

    I've wondered if I should try the "audiophile" version with no tone controls but I'm a little worried that it might contain the loudness circuit with no way to switch it off. I'd be surprised, but then this amp has a few of surprises if its own and it's a bit of a risk, especially since I like the one I've got. The quirks offend my hifi sensibilities but I'm so happy with the sound, happier than I've been for a very long time, that I have just accepted them and moved on.

    I also wonder if the bad reviews in places have been by people who don't know about the quirks and play it in visually flat settings or bypass mode. I'd probably struggle with it in that case. If you can cope with the oddities and get over them like I have, I highly recommend this amp as great value for money.



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  9. #19
    Join Date: Sep 2013

    Location: North Island New Zealand

    Posts: 1,757
    I'm Chris.

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    Hmmm..... tone controls tend to force a departure from ever hearing the recorded work as intended. usually best to have a reference... but Interesting they work for you.
    Certainly some sources like cassette may benefit, but today's modern sources are so good, they might be best heard as is firstly to see
    what is added or taken away in their use with tone controls . I agree controls which are quirky are going to be a downside, but glad you have worked around that.

  10. #20
    Join Date: Jun 2015

    Location: London/Durham

    Posts: 6,869
    I'm Lawrence.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Light Dependant Resistor View Post
    Hmmm..... tone controls tend to force a departure from ever hearing the recorded work as intended. usually best to have a reference... but Interesting they work for you.
    Certainly some sources like cassette may benefit, but today's modern sources are so good, they might be best heard as is firstly to see
    what is added or taken away in their use with tone controls . I agree controls which are quirky are going to be a downside, but glad you have worked around that.
    Whereas I think component, cable and room interaction, combined with inherent differences in the sonic character of components force a departure from hearing the work as intended, and tone controls are a (rather limited) means of restoring it a little. Combined with adding a little of one's own preferred sonic trait to the sound. I do start at flat as default and work from there as required.

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