New chifi?

[restorer-john]

But mine is also a multicultural setup. Tubes from Russia, PCBs from China, trannys from USA/China, caps from Germany... I think all the drivers are from China.

It would seem the best trannys (Miss Universe contestant) are from Spain, or so I've heard...

 

[GChief]

It would seem the best trannys (Miss Universe contestant) are from Spain, or so I've heard...

View attachment 1531495

I will investigate since I am working in Spain right now

 

[mjw21a]

Running quite a bit of ChiFi gear, although some is actually from Taiwan:

Aurum Cantus F620 speakers
Oatlon W2-1000F speakers (rebuilt crossovers)
Valab LCR-1 phono stage
Douk Phonobox (EAR834P copy)
Oldchen K3 tube integrated amp (recapped with Dueland JAM caps)
darTZeel NHB-108B copy power amp
JLH 1969 Hood integrated amp
S.M.S.L. AD18 Pro integrated amp
Muji Studio DAC II (2x LM4562NA + 2x Burson V6 Vivid OPAMPS)
L1837 DAC
Weilang Audio AK4497EQ DAC (Burson V6 Classic OPAMPS)
Naim NAP250 power amp copy

Probably a few other pieces I can't remember off the top of my head.

So yeah, a bit of a fan of ChiFi gear. Research everything you can online and every now and again follow your gut. Some spectacular gear for the cost, especially once you upgrade / modify some of it.

I just get the best performance components I can for a given price point, and here in Australia that typically means ChiFi. Mind you I'm kicking myself for missing the locally made VAF DC-X63 when they were on a run out sale.

My systems also contain a mix of old and new US, British, Japanese, Germany, Croatian, Russian, Mexican and Polish made components and parts. Possibly a few others too.

 

[Akustic]

A goodly amount of my system was made in China. But mine is also a multicultural setup. Tubes from Russia, PCBs from China, trannys from USA/China, caps from Germany... I think all the drivers are from China.

Get the best where you find it !!

 

[imral3]

@Nixxuz & @mjw21a , both of you have some mighty fine looking stuffs!

 

[Mister Pig]

If I were to consider buying a piece of East Asian hi fi I thought this one looked interesting.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Music-Box5...gden-circuit-A21a-HIFI-amplifier/293096570566

But in reality I wouldn't mind trying the Audio GD gear, as its not cloned technology, but rather their own circuit or at least their own interpretation of a circuit.

Cheers
Mister Pig

 

[Akustic]

If I were to consider buying a piece of East Asian hi fi I thought this one looked interesting.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Music-Box5...gden-circuit-A21a-HIFI-amplifier/293096570566

But in reality I wouldn't mind trying the Audio GD gear, as its not cloned technology, but rather their own circuit or at least their own interpretation of a circuit.

Cheers
Mister Pig

That is a tempting piece of gear .. especially since I've always considered Class A - Mark Levinson mono blocks the top of the chain when it comes to SS amps ..
( there may be better .. just was the best sounding SS amp that I ever listened to)

 

[mjw21a]

If I were to consider buying a piece of East Asian hi fi I thought this one looked interesting.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Music-Box5...gden-circuit-A21a-HIFI-amplifier/293096570566

But in reality I wouldn't mind trying the Audio GD gear, as its not cloned technology, but rather their own circuit or at least their own interpretation of a circuit.

Cheers
Mister Pig

Take a look at the Denafrips and Kinki Studio gear. That may interest you more as those are also original circuits and apparently top performers too

As for the cloned stuff I also find some of the Goldmund and Audio Note copies interesting.

@Nixxuz & @mjw21a , both of you have some mighty fine looking stuffs!

Why sanchoo kind sir

 

[Lossless]

Some of this “Chi-Fi” gear is getting rather pricey.

Boulder, Colorado based PS Audio’s best selling piece of audio equipment. The made in China “Sprout”



Chinese made audio can sound rather good.

 

[GChief]

Some of this “Chi-Fi” gear is getting rather pricey.

View attachment 1532682

Chinese made audio sounds rather good.

Look on the back! They made it official, it has a “vinyl” input

I always knew playing my Vinyls was proper

 

[Lossless]

I recently purchased a Chi-Fi tube buffer for $29 and added a pair of matched RCA black plate NOS tubes. The sound with the RCA tubes is wonderful. I mainly use the Chinese made tube buffer for lower bit depth digital music. The FX Audio buffer really helps to take away the some of the harshness that’s usually present in compressed digital media.

 

[Hyperion]

I recently purchased a Chi-Fi tube buffer for $29

That's amazing, was that new? - that looks like it's worth much more - you did well!

 

[Lossless]

That's amazing, was that new? - that looks like it's worth much more - you did well!

That’s $29 new! The RCA tubes were extra, but the unit comes with Chinese stock tubes that work fine.

Edit: The price has increased a little since I last purchased it. Trade war with China?

 

[Hyperion]

Thanks for indicating the source. - amazing.

I am also interested in your comments regarding 'softening of compressed digital media hardness', - and at the price above I guess I can't really go too wrong trying it out.

Just found it on UK Amazon - same price numerically but in GBP = £31.90 - free delivery!

 

[GChief]

I recently purchased a Chi-Fi tube buffer for $29 and added a pair of matched RCA black plate NOS tubes. The sound with the RCA tubes is wonderful. I mainly use the Chinese made tube buffer for digital music. The FX Audio buffer really helps to take away the some of the harshness that’s usually present in compressed digital media.
View attachment 1532721

I have had a Little Bear tube pre amp for a couple of years I use sometimes. Kind of surprising the change (not in a bad way) a $30 piece can give.

 

[Lossless]

Thanks for indicating the source. - amazing.

I am also interested in your comments regarding 'softening of compressed digital media hardness', - and at the price above I guess I can't really go too wrong trying it out.

Most Compressed digital music has an unnatural pre-ringing artifact that DAC filters work to minimize. Usually the better the DAC, the less unwanted artifacts. Tube buffers act kind of like an analog filter, subduing some of the unwanted characteristics of digital media. I have also found that instrument separation, imaging and vocals to be greatly improved using this Chi-fi tube buffer. The negatives I found of a cheap inline buffer is losing a little of the music’s dynamics in favor of a “warmer” tube sound plus you could be adding unwanted noise into your music chain. You know the golden rule audio acronym, KISS( keep it simple stupid) For $29 though you really can’t go wrong.



I would though recommend spending a little extra on vintage 1960-1970s NOS(new old stock) US or German matching pair vacuum tubes to replace the stock Chinese tubes. The sound difference of US or German tubes vs Chinese tubes in my opinion is night and day.

 

[GChief]

The sound difference of US or German tubes vs Chinese tubes

I have found the same to be true to my ears.

 

[imral3]

I haven't gotten bit by the tube bug yet... yet. However, I am toying with the idea of a tube based headphone amplifier.

 

[GChief]

You just need to be careful with what you get for the low dollar stuff. I have a buddy that has been buying and testing/tearing them apart. He finds in a lot them that the tubes are not in the audio ckt, they just glow and look cool. Not sure how to determine which to get other than checking after you have it.

 

[Pio1980]

The $31 line level preamp is the real deal. I've pointed out before that it does invert acoustic polarity, changing a 'push' polarized impulse to a 'pull', which is audible on some content to some folks like me. The correction is to flip each speaker run plus to minus on one end only.
The one other improvement is to use a regulated brick power supply on it, such as used on mobile CB radios at home.