3dzapper Posted December 4, 2004 Share Posted December 4, 2004 Here is a nice way to move into tubes for not a lot of money: http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstube&1107304159 Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben. Posted December 5, 2004 Share Posted December 5, 2004 That looks like a great deal. Not the be-all end-all, but still... I'm actually thinking some of these imported pieces could be useful as instrument amps. Maybe not rock-solid enough to take out on the road, but could be a nice cheap flavor for recording or smaller gigs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Mandaville Posted December 5, 2004 Share Posted December 5, 2004 Antique Sound Labs stuff tends to get very high marks in reviews. I have a 4 watt amplifier (built as a kit) from the same company that provides amazingly good sound for the money. It's fortunate that the company has an entire line of products at different price points. These are not(in my opinion) just 'make-do' components. They are really GOOD! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynnm Posted December 5, 2004 Share Posted December 5, 2004 That's a good price. I have the earlier version ( without the built in bias meter ). The current version with remote,sub out and remote lists for $1095. I rechecked and the advertised unit has the sub out feature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynnm Posted December 5, 2004 Share Posted December 5, 2004 Erik "These are not(in my opinion) just 'make-do' components. They are really GOOD!" I agree! I A/B'd my AQ1003DT against a MUCH more expensive YBA tube amp using the same speakers,sources,media in a side by side comparison and the AQ ate it for lunch. The prejudice against amps such as the AQ seems based on I. Price:.............."If it doesn't cost an arm and a leg it must be junk". II. Country of Origin: " If it comes from China it has to be Junk." I am old enough to remember that same argument being considered gospel regarding goods from Japan. The reality is that country of origin means nothing as far as quality goes. True a lot of crap is shipped from China ( as there is from the US,Canada and Europe ) but in these days of easily exportable technology and capital there is no reason to believe that workers in third world countries cannot produce quality products. III. The labourers in China are exploited and underpaid It is true that the wages paid to Chinese workers are very low by western standards and that the workers deserve a better deal but remember North American employers in many cases are equally willing to work their employees into the ground at starvation wages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 Ditto to what lynnm said. Here's another inexpensive alternative from Hong Kong; all these tube products are hand-built with point-to-point wiring and utilize decent componets: http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQgotopageZ1QQsassZzagger1QQsorecordsperpageZ25QQsosortorderZ1QQsosortpropertyZ1QQssPageNameZSTRKQ3aMEFSQ3aMESOI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwinr Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 Antique Sound Labs make a nice inexpensive product. Probably better put together than the cheaper Jolida's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnysal Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 I tend to feel that vintage tube stuff tends to give better bang for the buck at that price point. I like the dynaco, pilot, eico, scott and fisher stuff for those prices. you just put a few bucks into caps and resistors, et voila! I am not sure why, perhaps the vintage trannies are better? ymmv, regards, tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 I love the new version of this machine which goes for $1095. See my review at ETM. I might sell the demo unit if the manufactorer gives me a deal... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 I myself after listening and testing many of these off shore budget amps just shake my head and figure people have lower expectations then I do I guess. 99% sound very similar to my $600 Sony home theater amp. Go ahead people and blast away !! Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3dzapper Posted December 6, 2004 Author Share Posted December 6, 2004 Craig, They probably have better hearing! Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 Maybe so Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klipsch RF7 Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 Craig, So my bro's rebuilt 299-C is going to sound better than these Jolida's and Antique sound lab stuff? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodger Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 I can't answer to the sound of all three. On an economic basis IMHO the 299c will hold value in comparison. That is one of the reasons I own as much McIntosh as I do. I bought the pair of my MC-60s for $209.00, one MC240 cost me $150.00, the other I believe $200.00. My C-20 was in the area I believe, of $175.00. I've added my 1900, I had an MC 225 and sold it to a Forum Member. But I have also added an MX-110 and an MC 2120. All of their values have gone up. I also own An Adcom 565 pre and a 5200 Amp, bought a A Parasound 800 II, Yamaha CR1000, CR620 and some various other equipment and their value has decreased. I do agree with Mark Deneen about "outsourcing." Also with a "Nephew" (my cousin's Son but he always called me Uncle), and God-Son on his way to Iraq, I do have a problem with the United States being the World's Police Force. Those 2 issues are to me with regards to the first, lowering some of the quality of goods at the price of U.S. jobs and with regards to the second, we have issues at home, or at least we could help those allies of ours rather than a Nation playing the nuclear trump card and some of the leaders of that nation showing disrepct to the U.S. and/or its Flag. dodger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aviserated Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 ---------------- On 12/6/2004 11:44:52 AM Colin wrote: I love the new version of this machine which goes for $1095. See my review at ETM. I might sell the demo unit if the manufactorer gives me a deal... ---------------- Colin, I read your review and purchased the new version AQ 1003DT from AudioAdviser online $999.99 while keeping in mind their 30 day money back return policy. My amp has the blue saphire power on light, metal tube cage, wooden remote and the infra red window on front of the amp for the remote signal. WOW!!! This amp amp is a keeper. I was a little worried before ordering the amp that it's 30 watt output might not be enough to drive my 99 sensitve Klipsch Forte 2 or my 90 sensitive rating SF Grand Piano Home Speakers. Boy was I wrong,this amp plays loud. I have not gotten past the 9 o'clock position on the volume dial. The amp also delivers verygood bass output along with verygood resolution of musical instraments. Bells, cymbals and everything else sounds real. This is my first vacuum tube amp and I love it. I think the lower powered ASL MS-SI 15 DT $899.99 would have been a verygood choice also for my small 11' by 16' room. Black Sabbath, Sabotage never sounded better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klipsch RF7 Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 ---------------- On 12/6/2004 3:34:34 PM aviserated wrote: Black Sabbath, Sabotage never sounded better. ---------------- You got that right brother, Journey, Queen, Led Zepplin, AC/DC, Deep Purple, Rainbow, ETc..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docfi Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 Here is a nice way to not move in to tubes for a lot less money: http://store.yahoo.com/efunctional/amp-100.html I can't read an entire Stereophile amp review without laughing out loud. These guys come up with some incredible terms and expressions to describe what they "hear". Here's an example from a review, by one of the funniest guys that ever wrote for them, Anthony H. Cordesman, on the Adcom GFA-555 in 1985: "There is no hint of hardness, and none of the loss of inner detail common to transistor amplifiers." "Nor is the Adcom romantic or sweet, like New York Audio's new Moscodes." Three paragraphs later; "The Adcom does not lose sweetness and detail as its power goes up." Such imagination and poetic prose! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 ---------------- On 12/6/2004 12:45:41 PM NOSValves wrote: I myself after listening and testing many of these off shore budget amps just shake my head and figure people have lower expectations then I do I guess. 99% sound very similar to my $600 Sony home theater amp. Go ahead people and blast away !! Craig ---------------- Well Craig, if I could afford your VRD monoblocks and a Peach pre, or even a used McIntosh MC225 and a C22, then I wouldn't have settled on that damn Chinese BEZ crap in the first place! I'm lucky I've got what I got, after having lost my job and going bankrupt...at least I'm not listening to a lowly $600 Sony AV receiver! Alrighty then...there was my rant. Seriously, I know the majority of these off shore budget amps are sub-par, and I doubt the BEZ are that much better. But speaking from experience after listening to my two brother's Dared and Consonance integrated amps (the JoLida being the least musical of the lot), their standards have risen a bit IMO. They may never be in the same league as McIntosh, Audio Research, conrad-johnson, VAC, Manley Labs, Cary Audio, et al, but I think some of them are improving (like Shanling, for instance). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Mandaville Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 Jim: "I'm lucky I've got what I got, after having lost my job and going bankrupt...at least I'm not listening to a lowly $600 Sony AV receiver!" I'm really sorry to hear about this, Jim! You have a great system, and I bet the Bez is really good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 Thanks, Mark...I don't regret my purchase. For the money I think it sounds pretty darn good considering. Erik, that's old news (happened almost two years ago now). I'm still feeling the financial affects, which is why I chose the BEZ and not Craig's and Mark's masterpieces. But in the end, it's all good. It's all about the music, right? And Craig, I ain't mad at your statement...you do see (and hear) alot of junk from the Far East, which is why I'm so happy for craftsmen like yourself and Mark for making the tube components you do...Made in the good ol' US of A! Peace! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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