cayinA100 T tube amp

Are you unhappy with the performance or your Cayin or just looking to get the most out of it you can?

I have a Cayin A-300P which appears to have the same configuration. There is no active preamplifier stage, only a volume pot and input selector with the power amp stage. So it is not a true "integrated" amp.

If you read much about "passive preamps" (what an unfortunate term!) you will learn that many hobbyists prefer them, while others are satisfied only with an "active" preamp. Advantages can be listed for each design. I think it boils down to system compatibility and personal taste. See if you can borrow a couple of different tube-based active preamps from dealers or friends and decide for yourself.

swap out the preamp tubes for some NOS makes a big difference you wont even have to think about a separate preamp.. thats what i did and it made a big difference in the sound

Out of interest did you try the Cayin A88 before buying the A100? The reason I ask is I've heard both side by side and despite the A100 being more powerful the A88 was a far more engaging and musically pleasing listen, particularly in triode mode. If an integrated is a good match for the rest of your system then a separate pre-amp should not be needed

Kiwi, You should have listened to these integrated amps with your excellent pre-amp before you made your observations. You might be surprised.

BTW, do you think your preferences may have been more the result of speaker matching than any anything else? Or, a difference in the tubes used in either amp? A cooler tube in the A88 and a warmer tube in the A100T might have resulted in comparable tone, if not power.

Hi Newbee,

I listened to the A88 and A100 in the same system which used Monitor Audio GS20 speakers. In that system I would have bought the A88 over the A100 in a heart beat.

To the OP's question a decent power cable (I used Nordost Vishnu), a set of Sort Kones and entry level Nordost IC's really opened up both amplifiers.