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Japanese Made Tube Amps/Pre-Amps


Wolfbane

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As mentioned -

Audio Note

Almarro

Sun

Shindo

Yamamoto

SPEC - high end Class D

Leben

Accuphase - still Japanese I believe

Luxman ------ " " "

Softone - 300b

Mactone - 300b

Fostex - full range driver specialist made in Japan, I believe

These are off the top of my head but bet there are many more out there who the very elite buyers are aware I'd guess.

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One notable Chinese brand that has that hi-end Japanese look/feel and their higher end stuff replicating the vintage offerings of Western Electric is Line Magnetic. Some of their stuff is off the charts crazy And massive. Almost pulled the trigger a couple times on their gear. They replicate the WE field coil drivers, - over my head.

Another Chinese built, Australian designed is Melody. Owned an early, raved about Melody integrated. Works of art both audio/visual.

Back closer to home in Canada is Coincident. Masterful 845's and 300b's.

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I would include the higher end tube line of Opera Consonance in the same category as Line Magnetic. In my experience Opera's high end equipment is better looking than L-M.

 

With Chinese tube equipment you will get junk for almost nothing and really well designed and built products IF you are willing to pay for it. That also applies to Chinese made speakers and vacuum tubes.

Edited by Wolfbane
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Very nice, Mike. And notice how some of the ultra hi-end designs that have been mentioned use the approach that still appeals to me most - the integrated amp. I still think the most logical concept in hifi and one I just moved away from. But knowing me I will return. God help me.

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But if you believe that hobby BS I have a bridge to sell you :)

How much do you want for the Verrazano??? :lol: Yes, I had to laugh when I read that. But one never knows. I knew a guy about 20 years ago who, in his spare time, made custom fishing rods. When he got laid off from his corporate job he turned it into a local business and supposedly did extremely well with it. Here's the page from Tone Imports- read the last paragraph for grins!

http://www.toneimports.com/leben/aboutLeben.html

Maynard

Good advertising speel if I ever heard one..I state something similar but never portray my business as a hobby endeavor.. I support my family with it very meagerly...

Cheers Craig

Edited by NOSValves
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  • 2 months later...

Shindo, Leben, and Luxman all make great tube gear. How about vintage Sansui stuff, any love for it here? A Sansui tube receiver was one of the first pieces of tube HiFi gear that I ever heard.

 

I would include Sansui is the list of excellent Japanese made tube gear.  :emotion-21:

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  • 2 weeks later...
But if you believe that hobby BS I have a bridge to sell you :)

How much do you want for the Verrazano??? :lol: Yes, I had to laugh when I read that. But one never knows. I knew a guy about 20 years ago who, in his spare time, made custom fishing rods. When he got laid off from his corporate job he turned it into a local business and supposedly did extremely well with it. Here's the page from Tone Imports- read the last paragraph for grins!

http://www.toneimports.com/leben/aboutLeben.html

Maynard

Good advertising speel if I ever heard one..I state something similar but never portray my business as a hobby endeavor.. I support my family with it very meagerly...

Cheers Craig

It's actually true. Sorry to disappoint the conspiracy crowd. Leben is backed up for about a year on orders. Way way WAY more interest in the product than actual product.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Does anyone know what happened to Almarro? Their gear was very highly regarded, but they have no US distribution and none of their listed dealers carry the brand anymore (or have gone out of business like Venus HiFi). I also tried to send an emailed l to them, but it bounced due to a full mailbox in their side. The website is still online.

b7bcc39046ef828cdc45d55d19c1ea45.jpg

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited by kev313
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I've long been a huge fan of Japanese tube gear. Here are a few quick and dirty phone shots of one only current setups with Shindo and Zanden (and a rather overly dramatic closeup of my 604s)

168b3f08b824f5b2ec54a56853e4ed5c.jpg

e41e145d3ce60a2ac8a60dc13e60d249.jpg

839d7223fe6f1bee012d406207c1afb2.jpg

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  • Like 1
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Thats an awesome setup!!!! Don't know how the shindo cabs sound, but good 604's in the right cab will make most speakers sound silly, but you need a good setup, great recordings and lots of time... Plus it depends on how you like to listen... If you want to hear behind the track and all of the good and the bad or most that is there, In some spaces they can make a cornwall sound silly....

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I would include the higher end tube line of Opera Consonance in the same category as Line Magnetic. In my experience Opera's high end equipment is better looking than L-M.

 

I agree.  I love mine.  I keep thinking about selling it and then think about missing it.

 

post-5783-0-55280000-1465243624_thumb.jp

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