New chifi?

[Lossless]

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.

That is sooo true. There are also knock off counterfeit Mullard, Telefunken, and GE vacuum tubes from China claiming to be NOS. You have to be careful. Some tale tale signs are too NEW looking packaging, poor printing and fonts on the tube. Basically just use your better judgement to help determine if it’s counterfeit. 1960s vintage shouldn’t look 2019 brand new.

 

[Lossless]

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.

Is there a way to test the unit to see if that is a common problem with all of them? Possibly hooking a multimeter up to the buffers RCA jacks and checking for polarity mis-match?

 

[restorer-john]

Is there a way to test the unit to see if that is a common problem with all of them? Possibly hooking a multimeter up to the buffers RCA jacks and checking for polarity mis-match?

It's not problem per-Se. The circuit merely inverts the signal. Many products already do that, people have no idea. If you are worried about it, reverse both your speaker leads (from + to -) and all will be well.

To characterize the inversion or lack thereof through a system, the usual method is to play a sine with a deliberately clipped upper or lower half waveform and view it on a CRO/DSO.

 

[Nixxuz]

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.

I'd like to find which ones, as there is a fellow who has been making videos on this exact subject for a bit. There are some problems i noticed with that particular persons conclusions.

 

[Pio1980]

Is there a way to test the unit to see if that is a common problem with all of them? Possibly hooking a multimeter up to the buffers RCA jacks and checking for polarity mis-match?

Topology determines whether they do or don't. Simple single element gain stages like this FX generally do (IC base gain stages generally don't but could). No-gain / unity gain simple buffer stages generally don't.
Using a multimeter to test is tricky, a positive pulse from a single cell 1.5 VDC source in may show a polarized pulse out by the polarity of the initial indication +or-.

 

[GChief]

I'd like to find which ones, as there is a fellow who has been making videos on this exact subject for a bit. There are some problems i noticed with that particular persons conclusions.

Unfortunately he is in Hospice care now. He hasn’t been doing well for awhile and it’s been at least a year since he has worked on anything. He did mention some of the Little Bear stuff does it. If audio comes up next time I am over there I will mention it. He did show me once, pulled the tubes out of one while it was running on his little bench system, zero change just kept playing. I don’t recall what it was that was a few years ago.

 

[Lorenzoextre]

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

Hi,

I am not an expert, but I have used several equipement from China since december 2016 .
I was looking for a small amplifier to set a Hi-Fi system outside in my patio and was curious about the SMSL SA-50 D-AMP 2x50W TDA7492 and amazed by the result in terms of price /quality.
Then I started to explore more gears
-FX Tube 01
-Topping pa 3
-FxX 502s Pro
And lately I bought a "LP Spirit T-01 pure classe A HiFi JL Hood 1969 " https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/32835231682.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.4da76c375C2o5C for 134 € all taxes included.
It is connected to a SMSL SU-8 Version 2 Balanced DAC https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/smsl-su-8-version-2-balanced-dac.5433/
My speakers German Magnat 2002 supreme are 93 dB /1w/1m .I listen to music from my computer using Foobar, formats from Flac to DSD.

I am very happy indeed with combination , never had before such a clear and detailed sound ! whatever the kind of music , Jazz, Voices or Classic.
Working temperature is around 43º centigrade for the amp.The linear power supply remaining cool all along.
Only 10 W+10 W but using it at 12h15 clock comparison, for a comfortable listening .
I do agree it worth to explore China gear

 

[mjw21a]

Hi,

I am not an expert, but I have used several equipement from China since december 2016 .
I was looking for a small amplifier to set a Hi-Fi system outside in my patio and was curious about the SMSL SA-50 D-AMP 2x50W TDA7492 and amazed by the result in terms of price /quality.
Then I started to explore more gears
-FX Tube 01
-Topping pa 3
-FxX 502s Pro
And lately I bought a "LP Spirit T-01 pure classe A HiFi JL Hood 1969 " https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/32835231682.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.4da76c375C2o5C for 134 € all taxes included.
It is connected to a SMSL SU-8 Version 2 Balanced DAC https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/smsl-su-8-version-2-balanced-dac.5433/
My speakers German Magnat 2002 supreme are 93 dB /1w/1m .I listen to music from my computer using Foobar, formats from Flac to DSD.

I am very happy indeed with combination , never had before such a clear and detailed sound ! whatever the kind of music , Jazz, Voices or Classic.
Working temperature is around 43º centigrade for the amp.The linear power supply remaining cool all along.
Only 10 W+10 W but using it at 12h15 clock comparison, for a comfortable listening .
I do agree it worth to explore China gear

Yes, I'm something of a fan of the John Lindsay Hood 1969 amp designs. Absolutely amazing performance for very little cost.

I'd suggest trying a Phillips TDA1387 based DAC in place of the SU-8 DAC. You'll be shocked by the improvement you get despite them only being capable of 16 bit 48k. Dirt cheap too as it forgoes a power supply in favor of drawing power from the USB input.

Worth trying even if only to try with headphones.

 

[Lorenzoextre]

Hi, mjw21a

" Absolutely amazing performance for very little cost. " Yes ! 134 € for this sound quality , it's unbelievable ! I will follow you advice at this price ! " despite them only being capable of 16 bit 48k. "
I don't have only DSD recordings
I will try on my main sytem and with my new KZ ZSX https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/4000104385583.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.38e96c37pyaoC8
Getting the best sound gear at the lowest price is my philosophy for many years and with the LP Spirit T-01 I have reach quite a good level
Thank you.

 

[mjw21a]

Hi, mjw21a

" Absolutely amazing performance for very little cost. " Yes ! 134 € for this sound quality , it's unbelievable ! I will follow you advice at this price ! " despite them only being capable of 16 bit 48k. "
I don't have only DSD recordings
I will try on my main sytem and with my new KZ ZSX https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/4000104385583.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.38e96c37pyaoC8
Getting the best sound gear at the lowest price is my philosophy for many years and with the LP Spirit T-01 I have reach quite a good level
Thank you.

The DSD content still sounds fantastic downsampled to 16 bit 48kh.

 

[Nixxuz]

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.

I want to know what this stuff is, and it would be nice to know what your buddy is testing for. I only ask, because there is a bench tech on Youtube that's "proven" the tubes in some hybrid amps and buffer "don't do anything". The problem is, he's testing for the tubes to contribute gain in some form, which isn't actually what their purpose is. In pretty much every case, they are being used as a buffer, and only routing the signal through the tubes, which actually does do "something". Your buddy may not be doing the same sort of testing, obviously.
Edit: sorry, did not know his situation had changed.

 

[GChief]

I want to know what this stuff is, and it would be nice to know what your buddy is testing for. I only ask, because there is a bench tech on Youtube that's "proven" the tubes in some hybrid amps and buffer "don't do anything". The problem is, he's testing for the tubes to contribute gain in some form, which isn't actually what their purpose is. In pretty much every case, they are being used as a buffer, and only routing the signal through the tubes, which actually does do "something". Your buddy may not be doing the same sort of testing, obviously.
Edit: sorry, did not know his situation had changed.

Not sure about all the particulars. He was a retired old Skool Navy ET Comms guy so he did tubes the first half of his career. I am comfortable taking his word for what he was seeing, if he says only the heaters where hooked up I have no reason to doubt it. As far as other measurements go it was individual components not being in spec, resistor not even close to the color coding etc. This I know is an issue for real. My company has been doing a study measuring Chinese made electrical components and hardware from the supply system with the Navy for 3 yrs now. The numbers of out of spec and counterfeit components is crazy. Matter of fact for over a year now we have not been able use anything made in China on shipboard equipment.

I have plenty of Chi-Fi stuff but it’s a crap shoot with the cheap stuff.

 

[Pio1980]

Finding the reliable sources and suppliers is the challenge, those that prove reliable will inherent their market niche.

 

[Akustic]

Finding the reliable sources and suppliers is the challenge, those that prove reliable will inherent their market niche.

Capitalism ..
Unfortunately quick buck artists are a permanent part of the landscape ..

 

[Pio1980]

Capitalism ..
Unfortunately quick buck artists are a permanent part of the landscape ..

Everywhere.

 

[DaveVoorhis]

I want to know what this stuff is, and it would be nice to know what your buddy is testing for. I only ask, because there is a bench tech on Youtube that's "proven" the tubes in some hybrid amps and buffer "don't do anything". The problem is, he's testing for the tubes to contribute gain in some form, which isn't actually what their purpose is. In pretty much every case, they are being used as a buffer, and only routing the signal through the tubes, which actually does do "something".

At least one unit appears not to route the signal through the tubes at all, which means they're not even a tube buffer. A tube buffer with a 12v plate voltage would be an interesting "buffer", anyway. More like a fuzzbox...

See https://www.stereo.net.au/forums/to...-chinese-tube-amplifier-nobsound-ms-10d-mkii/

The hand-drawn schematic is pretty appalling, but it looks like the tubes serve no purpose other than to delay startup in order to simulate tube warm-up.

 

[mjw21a]

At least one unit appears not to route the signal through the tubes at all, which means they're not even a tube buffer. A tube buffer with a 12v plate voltage would be an interesting "buffer", anyway. More like a fuzzbox...

See https://www.stereo.net.au/forums/to...-chinese-tube-amplifier-nobsound-ms-10d-mkii/

The hand-drawn schematic is pretty appalling, but it looks like the tubes serve no purpose other than to delay startup in order to simulate tube warm-up.

Funny thing is I had one of these amps for a time and could plainly hear the difference between the stock Chinese and NOS Russian tubes. Either there have been different variations of this amp or something else is going on. I can't explain it.

 

[mkane]

'ChiFi' - made in Chile?

chifi - very cool! (the abbreviation)

to hell with chi-fi

 

[GChief]

Funny thing is I had one of these amps for a time and could plainly here the difference between the stock Chinese and NOS Russian tubes. Either there have been different variations of this amp or something else is going on. I can't explain it.

That’s what my friend was finding before he passed. Some wired to work, some of the same amp not . I didn’t look at Dave’s link and I am talking about the cheap stuff off the bay.

 

[mjw21a]

That’s what my friend was finding before he passed. Some wired to work, some of the same amp not . I didn’t look at Dave’s link and I am talking about the cheap stuff off the bay.

It was a lovely sounding little amp when paired with some restored Pioneer CS88A speakers. Sold mine with the speakers though.