Nobsound EL34 Single-ended Class A tube amplifier
- Thread starter Frank Sol
- Start date
bubba42
Active Member
If you are in the market and considering this one, also consider the Aiqin/Oldchen EL34-based tube amp with 5 tubes.
http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/aiqin-oldchen-tube-amps.720003/
Enjoy shopping!
http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/aiqin-oldchen-tube-amps.720003/
Enjoy shopping!
Funky54
Super Member
Well I'm at about 25 hours now. No mods or tube rolling yet. I have it hooked up to some KEF Q100 bookshelf speakers that are also new. I don't know if the speakers or the amp are starting to break in or what, but the bass like a flip of a switch has gotten tighter. It was lacking until real recent. Over all I think it sounds nice. It's in a bedroom that's 17x12 with 10' ceilings and it sounds more spacious and detailed over this week then weeks past. I've never had audio in here before so I can't compare really.
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Poultrygeist
Lunatic Member
That's a gorgeous amp at any price.
Funky54
Super Member
Another update.
Last nights Vinyl night was terrific! It was frightening cause I'll probably do the most impractical thing and spend money I don't have…lol
My buddy just bought some Spatial Audio baffle speakers, something m3 Turbo S or whatever… what I do know is that at 97db sensitivity my tiny tiny 9 watt a side Single ended Class A EL34 powered $300 amp kicked serious booty. Man, I thought his bridged, bi amped ClassE amps and Snell D speakers sounded good… This little amp kicked the ClassE's butt and stole its lunch too. We also tried a Mini max tube amp, the little China hifi SET Rival amp totally out classed, out performed and out dressed the Mini max. I've never heard my own amp with appropriate speakers. I can now highly recommend it.
You won't believe this, but the little cheap 9 watt a side amp tightened the bass at 90 db's over the 300 watt ClassE arrangement. It begs the question… Am I now at the point where I sell everything and start over with my main system? His main system always sounded great until I heard those speakers with that little Class A SET amp.
Does tube usually tighten bass?
Last nights Vinyl night was terrific! It was frightening cause I'll probably do the most impractical thing and spend money I don't have…lol
My buddy just bought some Spatial Audio baffle speakers, something m3 Turbo S or whatever… what I do know is that at 97db sensitivity my tiny tiny 9 watt a side Single ended Class A EL34 powered $300 amp kicked serious booty. Man, I thought his bridged, bi amped ClassE amps and Snell D speakers sounded good… This little amp kicked the ClassE's butt and stole its lunch too. We also tried a Mini max tube amp, the little China hifi SET Rival amp totally out classed, out performed and out dressed the Mini max. I've never heard my own amp with appropriate speakers. I can now highly recommend it.
You won't believe this, but the little cheap 9 watt a side amp tightened the bass at 90 db's over the 300 watt ClassE arrangement. It begs the question… Am I now at the point where I sell everything and start over with my main system? His main system always sounded great until I heard those speakers with that little Class A SET amp.
Does tube usually tighten bass?
Poultrygeist
Lunatic Member
What you experienced was the wonderful combination of a flea watt tube amp driving highly efficient open baffle speakers.
When I traveled down that road almost 10 years ago I replaced a Classe and Aerials with a cheap Chinese SET powering home brew OB's. Haven't looked back since.
When I traveled down that road almost 10 years ago I replaced a Classe and Aerials with a cheap Chinese SET powering home brew OB's. Haven't looked back since.
Frank Sol
Lunatic Member
Frank Sol
Lunatic Member
someone asked about the Gold Lion KT77 up thread
just so happens I put a pair KT77 in my Nobsound today - will give a minor review later
BTW -- sometime back I replaced the cheap Power switch (some people reported problems)
Pic shows the KT77 and the heavy duty off/on toggle w/black boot - also the Vol hole is left empty for I may put a good quality controller in some day taking the amp back to an 'integrated'
just so happens I put a pair KT77 in my Nobsound today - will give a minor review later
BTW -- sometime back I replaced the cheap Power switch (some people reported problems)
Pic shows the KT77 and the heavy duty off/on toggle w/black boot - also the Vol hole is left empty for I may put a good quality controller in some day taking the amp back to an 'integrated'
Frank Sol
Lunatic Member
Great tubes... a ballsier EL34
maybe not the midrange the EL34 is known for but have tighter bass and sparkly highs
Poultrygeist
Lunatic Member
I see it has a 5AR4 rectifier tube so has anyone tried a vintage replacement? If so was it worthwhile?
Frank Sol
Lunatic Member
freQ(*)Oddio
Super Member
Maybe im crazy but I cant believe the Chinese have not figured out that a brand name that appealed to the English language in the US could really improve their US sales. Their names are confusing and lame regardless of the quality. I always imagine what a confident sounding name could do from a Chinese audio maker, NOBO, DOUK, YAQIN, XIANG, LITTLE DOT, LITTLE BEAR exc?, if only "Pioneer" wasn't taken.lol ,o well nobo is a decent product and gets good reviews. that's most important.
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Poultrygeist
Lunatic Member
Back in the day Nakamichi and Onkyo sounded pretty strange.
mjw21a
Super Member
Xiang Shen, Yaqin, Douk and S.M.S.L. are reasonable brand names. I rather suspect that only Yaqin and S.M.S.L will still be around in 10 years as they're already semi established.
Really the thing that holds them back is lack of an official distribution channel and the associated support. This will of course push the price up and hurt their competiveness in terms of price. If they cost more then their overall quality needs to improve. Primaluna is already in this space.
Really the thing that holds them back is lack of an official distribution channel and the associated support. This will of course push the price up and hurt their competiveness in terms of price. If they cost more then their overall quality needs to improve. Primaluna is already in this space.
