McMiRA Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 So. Plan on ordering the replacement horns from crites for my la scala projct tomorrow and I'm already getting the cart before the horse and researching amps and preamps. I have been looking for something entry level in the tube amp world. came across a decent deal on a dynaco and started shoping around. I've was detoured onto the dared website after finding a vp-20 on eBay.. I've read a lot of reviews and this seems to be a good bang for the buck. I'm thinking their mc7p preamp and vp-20 to run my la scalas. For now ill be running them off an assignable zone on my marantz 7007, then add the amp and eventually the pre. This will be a 2 ch system just for music when the surround sound is off.. Anyone have any first hand experience with dared that wasn't being payed to review it? Would I be better spending my money on something else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhoak Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 I had one of the Dared MC7P for about 8 months. I liked it a lot. Right out of the box it was good but I felt that it could be better. I ended up with Psvane tubes in the preamp section and I don't recall what I installed the other. The remote control only adjusts the volume. I used mine to drive a Bob Latino VTA-ST120 amp that I built. I had recently sold my La Scalas and picked up a semi-local pair of Cornwall IIs to keep me in tunes while I built a pair of Cornscalas. Based on my experience I would certainly recommend the MC7P. It's a very nice preamp with the potential to be even better. If you search the Audiogon Forums for that model number you'll find a guy who has done some mods to improve it even further beyond just changing the tubes. He sells the results of his extensive work. I bought the package from him but never did get around to doing his mods. I would have had it longer but I came in to a deal for a McIntosh C32 preamp. I couldn't afford to get the C32 unless I sold the MC7P. As far as I know the buyer is still using it. At last report from him he's very happy with it. Here's mine: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indyhawg Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 I am looking at that same preamp also. I can't make up my mind if I want to go ahead and buy one of those or hold out for something else. I have not heard anything negative about those preamps yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McMiRA Posted February 1, 2013 Author Share Posted February 1, 2013 I can kick myself, I was watching a vp20 on eBay while locally a dynaco 70 became available. Well the local amp had a possible buyer that wasnt confirmed until the next day and becuase I waited the dared sold for $550. Cheapest and only one I have found since then is 760 after shipping. I came across a yaqin ms 20 which looked promising but I still would rather go with the dared. Anyone know of any decent deals out there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derrickdj1 Posted February 2, 2013 Share Posted February 2, 2013 I came across a yaqin ms 20 which looked promising but I still would rather go with the dared. Those Yaqin amps do look nice. I don't need any extra amps for now but I may pull the trigger on one. Most are not a hughe investment. I did hear if you buy one, get it from a guy in Canada. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McMiRA Posted February 2, 2013 Author Share Posted February 2, 2013 Who is this guy in Canada? I'm having a hard time finding retailers for the dared and yaqin that's not ebay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 For entry level and new it's hard to beat the Dared stuff. They respond really well to some massaging under the hood and upgraded tubes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derrickdj1 Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 Who is this guy in Canada? I'm having a hard time finding retailers for the dared and yaqin that's not ebay Look for where the amp is being shipped from, China or Canada. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 What about THESE guys? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tromprof Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 Who is this guy in Canada? I'm having a hard time finding retailers for the dared and yaqin that's not ebay This is the guy in Canada for Yaqin. I have delt with him and had good results. Don't know anything first hand about Dared but have owned a couple of Yaqin amps and have been very happy. http://stores.ebay.com/Canadian-HiFi-Online?_trksid=p2047675.l2563 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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