2. amps-preamps
  3. 127326-498

What type amp do I have

Although my beginnings in this hobby go back to the mid to late fifties when tubes were what we had, I'm relatively new to tube amplifiers.  I recently purchased an integrated amp of unknown manufacture. It has no schematic and the only identifying indicator in English (everything else is in Russian) is on a strip on the back of the chassis which reads " Moonrower made in Russia Moscow" and a handwritten serial number (?). The currently installed output tubes are 4-Mullard 6L6GC.; the inputs are 2-6J3P and 2- 6H23-N.  It has two volume controls (R&L). I've given up trying to identify it so now all I'd really like to know at this point is what type of amp it is.  My main system's amp can be used in either triode or ultra linear mode so at least I know what its mode of operation is.  I don't know what I'd do with this knowledge but it would be nice when asks, if for no other reason, to be able to tell them. All I know for sure is that it's a great sounding amplifier.  Any comments would be welcome. 
128x128broadstone
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broadstone OP
310 posts
 
Many thanks, dekay. I found the ad and the images seem the best clue that these two amps have a similar origin, especially in regard to the circuit board type. Going from the Russian script and alphabet to English it's easy to speculate that "Moonrover" could easily become "Moonrower".  The fact that they both use 6L6 output tubes may ba a hint also and that they both have vertically mounted interconnect and speaker connections is another. Mine is a bit larger to accommodate the input tubes and extra circuitry and has pedestal feet but the general appearance is extremely similar. The circuit board, for example, looks a lot like a PC board but it is point to point constructed. 

The guy I bought it from ( also CL) had replaced the the power tubes, capacitors and resistors already so, from my point of view, it's a new amp and one of the best I've ever heard. Once again, thank you for taking the time find this for me.  Now I can look for more details. 
jond's avatar
jond
5,846 posts
 
How does it sound?
broadstone's avatar
broadstone OP
310 posts
 
The sound is very good, to the extent that I enjoy listening to it as part of my second system nearly as much as I do my main one. I listen to it in an almost near field configuration as follows. Laptop (iTunes or Pandora), USB DAC (Audioquest Dragonfly) to Moonrover amp to B&W CDM1 speakers. For my tastes I am not a B&W speaker fan but in this case they work well.  My main system is Peachtree pre, Theta Basic CD, Theta DS Pro DAC, Cary 808R (in triode mode) amp to Serie MMC Reference 2 speakers. This is mostly older stuff but is one of the best sounding setups I've ever had in our home. 

To be fair in comparing the two Amps, before I bought it, I put the Russian amp in place of the Cary w/o the preamp and listened for about two hours to familiar CD and Apple TV selections. I was so impressed that, if I didn't already have the Cary, I'd be happy with this new amp as part of my main setup. They don't sound the same but they both sound wonderful. 

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