theplantguy
Active Member
That's what I thought, but I thought someone said there was. My bad!!
That's what I thought, but I thought someone said there was. My bad!!
I would recommend this cheap Chinese preamp much more than the Music Angel (If you can get over the cheap looking window display tube):
http://www.alibaba.com/product/in10...ngSheng_Improved_728A_Tube_Pre_amplifier.html
I have had one for close to a year. With some vintage 12au7 and 5670 tubes, it is much less grainy than the Music Angel. It also has defeatable tone controls. I liked this preamp enough I decided to try another cheapo preamp in the Music Angel for the garage or basement. I would have been better off buying another XiangSheng 728A for just a little more $.
REgards,
Matt
I clicked the link you supplied. Has the preamp enhanced your bile duct?:lmao:
My post above was just an opinion, not legal advice, just for clarification. That said...
I'm still wondering on what grounds trademark infringement would come into play. They're not calling it a "Marantz 7," the name on the pream is something like "Music Angel." They're just saying that it's based on a Marantz circuit, and likely would be allowed under the same rules that allow the mention of any other company in your advertising. If they were using the specific Marantz logo, that might change the story.
Sam, trademark infringement is when a trademark, in this case both the name Marantz and the "Model 7", is used without permission of the owner of the trademark for any purpose. While there are exceptions from licensing such as in an article or non-commercial use, this is nether. It does not matter if it is on the faceplate, literature or in an advertisement. Think about what would happen if tomorrow some car company advertised a car as having a modded Chrysler Hemi engine and it had little in common with the Chrysler Hemi. Chrysler would I'm sure protect its name and the Hemi model designation. Maybe that brings it home or I'm sure you can think of an other analogy.
Plantguy, just to be clear, I am not Chinese bashing. My opinion goes to any product regardless of where produced that violates IP rights. Nor, did I suggest they were poorly built and can not, as I've never seen one. While early on, Chinese quality for audio gear was generally suspect, I've seen them improve to a point where they have shown they can compete with the best of them out there in terms of design and build. In terms of audio quality they, like any audio industry make from terrible to very good products. There generally still is some rough edges to Chinese manufacturing which relates to consistency of production quality but that is something every maker regardless of venue has to constantly address. This has been pointed out in news articles, product reviews and other literature so should not be a surprise. My last 2 of 3 audio purchases were in fact Chinese, an Eton/Grundig S350DL and about a year later another. I also, think they make some of the better fountain pen nibs currently in production.
Don't know why, but feel like listening Jackson Brown's "Lawyers in Love"....
Anyways, have not heard a Music Angel (MA) amp or pre-amp, do see them constantly in Ebay. Not long ago I read an interesting review by an audio dealer in England who bought one of their amps. After four weeks the amp hadn't shown, so he sent messages to the seller that were never replied, so after 6-8 weeks he was ready to write off as a loss the money spent; a couple of weeks after the mailman delivered the amp. He tried it, and it sounded like crap, then he and his partner opened up the unit to see the components. They recognized the circuitry design was an imitation of a very good amp, whose brand/model they mention, but I cannot remember. But, it had way more components, so they started to take out components, after they were done the MA amp sounded much better. Then, they upgraded tubes, and recapped the unit. They say that it sounded just as good as very well known tube amps. After corrections and mod's the MA was still less expensive than those well known units, but for the regular guy it was too much of a hassle. If you, like most of us here, like to tinker with stuff you might have fun and enjoy Music Angel products. Personally, I stay away, because I don't have the time.
Well..................my Music Angle/Angel arrived today. It only took 2 weeks...not two month. For some reason it's bigger and heavier than I expected it to be. I'll hook it up this evening and see what my initial reaction is. Hope it passes the "smoke test".
No customs....They wrote "Gift" on the box. They think of everything. Yup...the mailman delivered it. He rolled up and said " Hey...y'all got a box from China". Now I live in a very, very small town up in the Cherokee Nat Forest. A post window at the convenience store/gas station. Nothing else. It's a 25 mile round trip to the nearest ATM machine. Nothing go unnoticed and I suspect the mailman told everyone that that crazy old dude from California got some stuff from China...whaddayou think it was? Anyway, that was my excitement for the day.
Well..................my Music Angle/Angel arrived today. It only took 2 weeks...not two month. For some reason it's bigger and heavier than I expected it to be. I'll hook it up this evening and see what my initial reaction is. Hope it passes the "smoke test".
No customs....They wrote "Gift" on the box. They think of everything. Yup...the mailman delivered it. He rolled up and said " Hey...y'all got a box from China". Now I live in a very, very small town up in the Cherokee Nat Forest. A post window at the convenience store/gas station. Nothing else. It's a 25 mile round trip to the nearest ATM machine. Nothing go unnoticed and I suspect the mailman told everyone that that crazy old dude from California got some stuff from China...whaddayou think it was? Anyway, that was my excitement for the day.
I ordered some Soviet PIO caps from the Ukraine a few weeks ago. I'm sure the post office here was wondering why I'm getting gifts from the old Soviet Union. :lmao: