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Budget Chinese Tube amps - any good?

In the midst of searching for a budget tube amp. Lots of chinese made models keep popping up. The price on these amps are often really low and would give someone like me a chance to try the tube sound for cheap.

Do you guys have any good experiences with them?

Reason I'm asking is that I hear many conflicting experiences online on each amp. Some say their amps are really good, some say they are really bad - each model might have 5 good reviews and 5 bad reviews. I guess this is par for course with audio, where subjectivity is the rule of the game. However, chinese amps tend to have the largest disparity of opinions.

The models I've read up on so far are: Mingda amps, Miniwatt N3, Yaqin amps etc.
milesandcoltrane
tomcy6's avatar
tomcy6
2,587 posts
 
M&C, What is your budget? I am not familiar with most Chinese tube amps. I have some experience with Primaluna. They are made in China under close supervision from the designer's firm which is based in Holland.

These are very well made amps. Lots of good reviews. They have continuous autobias, which I recommend for people just getting into tube amps.
buconero117
2,311 posts
 
I have some Cayin/VAS amps and pre amps, all of which sound great, high reliable and a great value. The equipment is all classic design units, just built in China.
bobrock's avatar
bobrock
89 posts
 
I just did a demo of 2 tube amps from Tri of Japan, the dealer also had prima luna...the dealer sold way more of the Tri amps (made in Japan). To my ears they sounded better. Build quality was first rate.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,784 posts
 
The main thing you have to watch with the Chinese gear is build quality. It might sound alright for a while- till it breaks. The area of greatest concern are the power supply filter caps. We have seen counterfeit electrolytic caps that are half the marked capacity and also with reduced voltage ratings from what they are marked.

If the build quality is OK then you will find that it probably works and sounds fine, but you will likely pay more for it.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
I find the Bada hybrid SET tube headphone amp to be of very high build quality and extraordinary sound quality. Even the original Chinese tubes are terrific.

Cheers,

Geoff
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