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Cheap SET & PP Tube Amp Ripoffs


edwinr

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Well,I own

the Shanling SP-80 monoblocks with the modifications by Chris Johnson of Parts Connextion in Canada.

I think these eye candy pieces LOL are solid as...you get my drift.

I cant speak for the unmodded Shanling but these monos are quite impressive!They are built like a tank(44lbs ea)and I have never had a problem with them.I find the sound very good especially after a direct comparison with my Decware monos.I find the SET sound appealing more than the PP Shanlings BUT they do some things better than the Decware.

I read a similar post on the Decware forum thrashing Chineese gear.Dont really know how all the products from China stack up but mine with the mods do pretty good.A Decware forum member actually asked permission to give a review on a Chineese amp to other members,they said yes,his review was favorable(after he did a few tweeks ie tube rolling and such).

I'm not trying to be pro Chineese but objective.I admit I was hesitant to buy these amps 2 yrs ago but took some comfort in the fact that a respected member of the audiophile community(Chris Johnson)looked at these and saw potential.He didnt change the topology just replaced the cheap parts to improve the sound.Maybe 90% of the stuff coming out of China is junk I dont really know,I guess I got a product in that 10% .

Greg

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Chi-fi keeps getting better. Although there is alot of crap, some of the build quality is really quite impressive. I haven't much experience with this gear, but I have seen some positive reviews.

Given the low labor cost and an apparent aggressive movement towards improving quality, the marketplace could be in for quite a shift.

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[Opera with SME]

[Opera LP 5.0 turntable with Stand]

Opera Audio Droplet LP5.0 Turntable

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Yep, that's a dared. I saw one of their 845 amps on Audiogon a couple

of years ago. Almost all of the chassis lettering was missing after the

seller's cleaning lady wiped it off with glass cleaner.

I used to have an internal picture of another Chinese 845, which

actually had strips of wood under the chassis (think slats on a bed

frame) to keep it from collapsing under the weight of the transformers.

Sorry for the small picture, but I believe it's this one:

post-17678-13819281074982_thumb.jpg

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edwinr - Are you familier with the Redgum line of SS amplifiers?

Handmade in your neck of the woods Down-under. Is Redgum a popular line

since it is locally made? I have had mine for well over a year

and have been totally staisfied with its performance and have no desire

to change. Beautiful to look at, great to listen.

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China bashing makes me laugh, there is poor chinese equipment and there is VERY GOOD chinese equipment. Much of what people buy today thinking it is not chinese is, in fact, chinese sourced. take for example the music hall line of amps, chinese...mark levinson´s newest stuff, chinese...good looks is good...good performance is better, nationality has little correlation to quality, that is shifting thing, ask the japanese, who made CRAP for many years while they learned to maufacture well. those who think the chinese will never get there or, in fact, have not already turned the corner are living in a dream world. Right now you can buy high quality, good looking chinese audio equipment, no apologies audio equipment. you can also find companies still struggling to get it right. tony

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I've got no dog in this fight so to speak, (in terms of a point to make about a specific amp., pre-amp., or CD player) but I will say this;

The products the Chinese are marketing on the world stage right now might not be up to world class but they represent a stage in their audio engineering development and there is NO DOUBT in my mind that they are no longer building just cheap knock offs. I'm sure they are going to reach the point where their gear will compete head to head in every price range with the world's best.

The Chinese are for real and they are here to stay.

Flame away,..

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