New Heresy power amp 'on the way'...

[Stainz]

I had some $ squirreled away for my birthday 'hobby interest' and decided that I wanted to 'try' a tube amp. I first decided on a Yaqin MC-13S, a p-p 28-45 Wpc amp with 6CA7's.  Silicon rectifiers just seem a bit harsh for a tube amp, so I looked at smaller single ended Class A amps, my small CD music-only system with a pair of '77-vintage Heresys as speakers as the output load. Monitoring a VOM and a DMM across the speakers showed peaks of 5 Vrms - or ~3 W into 8 Ohms from my Emotiva A-100 BasX 50 Wpc. Oddly, the sound level in my office was loud enough, reading 90 - 91 dBm on my SPL meter at my desk in my 11' x 12' x 9' converted BR. I reasoned that the 6.5 W output of a Musical Paradise MP-301 MK3 amp ($429 shipped - with both 6L6G's and EL34's.). I want to re-intro myself to the 'hollow state' world, having started there in 1965 with my first hifi - a kit I built of p-p 6V6GT's in an UL/Williamson style 10 W amp. This would be my second tube amp - it's been a while.

 

My question is simple... is that 'enough',of an amplifier to test the vacuum tube 'sound' or did I just order an expensive headphone amp? Thanks!

 

[The Dude]

I think you will be more than fine.  I use to use a Scott 222c with only 17 watts on a Heresy, and it was more than enough for them.

[pallpoul]

I use a Prima Luna dialogue integrated amp with my heresy's III, and they sound simply amazing in a similar room, 2 channels only.

 

You will love how those speakers will sound with a tube amplifier. 

[Stainz]

Well, I am not sure about that 'on the way' part. M-P advertises "1-2 days to ship, then 3-5 days delivery time". I realize that it ships from China, but $60 for a 20lb amp should cover the air shipment. I waited two days from their accepting my PP payment before e-mailing them for a shipping date - this is what I received August 8th;

 

" Hi John,

Thanks for your order. It will shipped in 1-2days. You will receive it in 3-5days.

 

Thanks,

Garry"

 

It's been two days and still no indication it has shipped. I wonder if another inquiry will get me the same response? I know it's not a big order... except to me. Of course, the fact that I could have had the Yaqin amp for $687 - with free two day shipping (Amazon Prime) - lingers over me like a lead weight. Patience isn't one of my virtues.

[Stainz]

It is axiomatic now - the M.P. domain has a "Bad Gateway" error code and Amazon Prime no longer has the Yaqin MC-13S with the plexi tube shields and the 6CA7T's, either! Maybe M.P. is down for maintenance...? Nothing from Garry... like I said, his domain is down. I know... patience...

 

[Sprogk]

That does not sound promising..


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[Stainz]

They got $429 from my P-P acct immediately, of course... no incentive to hurry now! At least I still have my Emotiva A-100 BasX amp... works perfectly with my Heresys.

[Marvel]

I can get on the website no problem... Any news?

 

Bruce

[Stainz]

The site was back up Saturday - I got an apology from Garry Huang, the M.P. owner in Canada. It didn't seem to speed things up at all. After weekending in NY, my amp cleared customs yesterday - it was in Jamaica, LI, NY (I lived near there in Bayside, LI, NY as a child ~ 1960. I'm originally from Brooklyn.) this AM - probably still 2-3 days from near Birmingham.  It will likely be over twice M.P.'s total estimate, time-wise, before I get it, leaving M.P. with an uphill battle to impress me.enough just to break even. I know my order was small potatoes, but $60 shipping should have paid for a bit speedier handling. This summer found me ordering a 20.5mm OD 365 nm pass UV filter from China via Air Mail - for $1.91 shipped - took seven days! That same dichroic filter was $12-$15 + s/h elsewhere. The filter is fine, too. The GemTune version of the Yaqin MC-13S (6CA7's & plexi shields) is available from Amazon Prime now for $670 now, too. Sigh!

 

John

[Sprogk]

Well good at least its almost home. I got a quote for Cayin M-52T MKii amp direct from China as thats not a US model. I am in two minds if it's a safe purchase. I could get aYaqin but I just like the look of the Cayin.


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[Stainz]

That's a neat amp - not usable in the US as it's input power choices support only 220/230/240 Vac. That power transformer is a toroid, too. The 3k U$D price is a bit higher than the Yaqin via Amazon Prime, too... like 4.3X ! My dinky little amp was in Louisville, KY by 11 AM this morning - I may just get it in a few days.

 

[Sprogk]

That's a neat amp - not usable in the US as it's input power choices support only 220/230/240 Vac. That power transformer is a toroid, too. The 3k U$D price is a bit higher than the Yaqin via Amazon Prime, too... like 4.3X ! My dinky little amp was in Louisville, KY by 11 AM this morning - I may just get it in a few days.

Cayin e-mailed me offering to make me a 110V version. There's one on amazon? Huhh didn't come across that one. Either way it'll have to be ordered from Cayin to get the correct voltage. Comparing Primaluna's top model with the Cayin M52T they seem to have identical features. So I'm in two minds - Primaluna offers local support.


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[Stainz]

I meant that the Cayin - from Cayin - is 4.3X the cost of the Yaqin MC-13S from Amazon Prime. My little amp is near Nashville this AM...

 

[Stainz]

It arrived after lunch. Everything had been gone thru and sloppily reboxed and taped (customs?) - with one pre-amp tube MIA. It was found between the styrofoam protected amp and outer box - bearing the amp's 20+ lb weight - and in fine shape, as were the rest of the tubes. It works great - more later.

 

John

[Sprogk]

It arrived after lunch. Everything had been gone thru and sloppily reboxed and taped (customs?) - with one pre-amp tube MIA. It was found between the styrofoam protected amp and outer box - bearing the amp's 20+ lb weight - and in fine shape, as were the rest of the tubes. It works great - more later.

John

Yes please let us know.


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[Stainz]

As promised... here is the 'more later'!

 

Wow! Did I mention... WOW! I picked up a pair of NOS RCA 6SJ7 (metal) and replaced the OEM glass pre-amp tubes with them. The S/N is unreal - neither hiss nor hum is present at max gain with my ear next to the Heresy and the amp on an unused input. I've listened to everything from Adele to Bonnie Raitt to Loreena McKinnett and some  old Sandy Denny as well as my usual jazz and rock - even some classical music - it all sounds great. Oddly, you can hear certain instruments as if suspended in air! I don't recall any faults with my previous amp - an Emotiva A-100 BasX 50 Wpc (8 Ohms .05%  THD + N) Class AB SS unit... but it sits next to the MP-301 MK3... disconnected and sad.

 

The 6.5 Wpc seems sufficient with the 1977-vintage Heresys in my 11+' X 12' X 9' carpeted BR-turned-office. I plan on getting my smaller/less efficient RM-15's from the bonus room to compare - but I know they will sound weak. The mid-bass to treble from the Heresy is going to be hard to beat, of course. The LF extension of my RB-81ii's is at least as good as the Heresys - I may carry the amp upstairs and try it on the RB-81ii's, which are presently driven by earlier Emotiva a-100 mini-X (Same 50 Wpc as newer model now sitting idle on my desk.), it being fed by another Onkyo C-7030 CDP.

 

I also like the headphone output, which is the reason I bought the newer Emotiva amp!  No hiss or hum there, either - even at maximum volume - and on both 96 Ohm Sony MDR V6's and 260 Ohm Koss Pro-4AA's. I tried the the EL34B's that came with the amp - they sounded as good as the 6L6G-wannabe's that came with the amp - no difference was noted, so I put them up for when the OEM 6L6G-types go soft. I am impressed with this amp!

 

John

 

 

[OldSkool77]

I knew you would love going SET with your Heresys. My Toolshed amps are only putting out 6 watts and waaaay more volume than I need in my 11" by 11" mancave.

 

Enjoy!

[Stainz]

double - sorry!