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Musical Paradise MP-301 or Decware SE84UFO?

HiFiJeff

HiFiJeff

Super Member
Really contemplating getting back into tube amps due to I love the sound and have super efficient 97db ZU Audio speakers. I used to own the Decware SE84UFO and loved it. However this Musical Paradise Mp-301 has really caught my attention. It's $650 less than the Decware and has 4.5 watts more per channel. Seems like a no brainer but was wondering if anyone has experience with both? I mean if the Decware is leaps and bounds better then I would lean that way but I think the Musical Paradise could be almost as good and to dismiss it just because of the price seems like a mistake. What do you think?
 
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I have listened to a MP 301 a while back. It was nice. I haven't heard a Decware amp myself, but hear good things about them. I would say it's a hard choice.

Music Angel do have a good reputation for quality.
 
HiFiJeff said:
Really contemplating getting back into tube amps due to I love the sound and have super efficient 97db ZU Audio speakers. I used to own the Decware SE84UFO and loved it. However this Musical Paradise Mp-301 has really caught my attention. It's $650 less than the Decware and has 4.5 watts more per channel. Seems like a no brainer but was wondering if anyone has experience with both? I mean if the Decware is leaps and bounds better then I would lean that way but I think the Musical Paradise could be almost as good and to dismiss it just because of the price seems like a mistake. What do you think?
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I dunno about leaps and bounds better. But, you should also consider that DEC has a better reputation and better service since they are made in usa. DEc also has nice build quality. But, if you are at all any good with a soldering iron you should make yourself a single ended amp by either getting the parts yourself or to start rebuilding a console amp. I myself build RH type SE amps which many people have built and they are really good sounding. When you come down to it the circuits are extremely simple and you can buy what ever quality of components you want. You might give up some points in the appearance category but if you are serious about sound quality what is more important?
 
primosounds said:
I dunno about leaps and bounds better. But, you should also consider that DEC has a better reputation and better service since they are made in usa. DEc also has nice build quality. But, if you are at all any good with a soldering iron you should make yourself a single ended amp by either getting the parts yourself or to start rebuilding a console amp. I myself build RH type SE amps which many people have built and they are really good sounding. When you come down to it the circuits are extremely simple and you can buy what ever quality of components you want. You might give up some points in the appearance category but if you are serious about sound quality what is more important?
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I am not a DIY-FER at all. Although it has very much intrigued me and piqued my interest. Not now. Maybe at some point in time. Yeah Dec has impeccable quality when it comes to everything. But I am also realizing that cheap, or inexpensive doesn't mean low quality. I have a digital amp that I paid $69 for and it's phenomenal.
 
Perhaps the price difference comes down to whether you are concerned about why that price difference is there. Power is not really the issue as it's largely the difference between triode and pentode connection.
 
You might find an already built SE 84 amp made from rebuilding a console amp. Those usually run around 2 or 3 hunret bucks. Which would also support the recycling movement i mean "steampunk" afficionados.
 
If you wanna hear the MP301 with a pair of Zu's, i'm right up the road.... My MP301 is heavily modded/upgraded.
 
i had a MP 301 and built the Decware Zkit, which is essentially the SE84UFO. the decware is likely to be better built and cost more (MP built in china, which can be fine but not always). another big difference is the tubes: MP is el34 family (lots of tube rolling possibilities) and the decware is el84 family. personally i like the el84 sound better.
 
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