Nobsound Little Bear T7 Vacumn Tube Mini Phono Pre-Amp

[HiFiJeff]

Since all this talk has come up on the FX Audio Tube Pre-Amp. I have bee researching other inexpensive avenues for tube phono pre-amps. Anyone have any experience with this $59 phono from Nobsound?

https://www.amazon.com/Nobsound-Lit..._rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=PEJY0909GHQNRTBEFRYG

 

[grantly]

I have not heard it, but there is a thread on it:
http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/little-bear-t7.724564/

Seems it has some sonic limitations that are noted deeper in the thread. Could be fun to play with, though.

 

[KlipschFan61]

MIne sounded pretty good. Swapped out the stock tubes for a 'matched' pair of JAN GE 5654s and it served its purpose well. I've since upgrade to the Yaqin MS-23B but I still use the Little Bear upstairs on the Tech 12.

 

[Poultrygeist]

It's AC.

Jeff, your $30 FX is DC 12V and with a $30 Pyramid regulated power supply it is stupid good.

 

[Dr. Ears]

MIne sounded pretty good. Swapped out the stock tubes for a 'matched' pair of JAN GE 5654s and it served its purpose well. I've since upgrade to the Yaqin MS-23B but I still use the Little Bear upstairs on the Tech 12.

You should try a pair of 5751's, black plates only,in your Yaqin, they are known as an audiophile's 12AX7 because they offer only 70% of the gain of a 12AX7, which means lower noise and distortion, they are especially good in phono sections.

 

[KlipschFan61]

You should try a pair of 5751's, black plates only,in your Yaqin, they are known as an audiophile's 12AX7 because they offer only 70% of the gain of a 12AX7, which means lower noise and distortion, they are especially good in phono sections.

I will look into that. I'm currently using a matched set of 1958 RCA Slanted D-getter 12AX7's and found them to be nice and buttery with plenty of gain.

 

[bigx5murf]

I have this, it's a terrible phono, very low output, and poor SQ. There's a switch to just use it as a tube pre, it works ok in that way.

 

[KlipschFan61]

I have this, it's a terrible phono, very low output, and poor SQ. There's a switch to just use it as a tube pre, it works ok in that way.

Didn't work out for you huh?

 

[bigx5murf]

Didn't work out for you huh?

What do you mean? I bought it on one of the aliexpress sales for like $40 shipped. It works, and does what it says it does, just not very well. I did try tube rolling, since I had a bunch already.(GE Jan5654, voshklods, a few others). As a phono, it's a terrible device, extremely low output volume, and what you get sounds broken. I have 3 other cheap phonos that are worlds beyond this device (rolls vp, realistic 42-2101a, ps audio phono II). As a tube buffer pre, it works fine, but there are devices that are cheaper that do exactly this.

 

[wushuliu]

The 1 star reviews are scathing and consistent. This isn't a well-designed unit like the FX Audio pre in the other thread. Internals look like the typical cheap Chinese pres. It's luck of the draw with these - maybe it'll work, maybe it won't. Maybe it'll work for a while, maybe it won't.

 

[MarkJosh]

Don't quite understand the hatred for this. Its a tube buffer design which is not necessarily a bad thing. Mine has plenty of output as a phono stage and doesn't sound muffled at all. Tube rolling makes a difference. What do you expect for $50?

 

[fredgarvin]

I wouldn't waste money on it, there are plenty of products out there with a well founded reputation for sound and low prices.

 

[Dr. Ears]

I

Don't quite understand the hatred for this. Its a tube buffer design which is not necessarily a bad thing. Mine has plenty of output as a phono stage and doesn't sound muffled at all. Tube rolling makes a difference. What do you expect for $50?

I bought the Japanese version of the FX Audio, which I feel is constructed better than the Chinese version and for more than twice the price it should be,
$68.49 versus $31.99 for the Chinese version, still a gift from the audio g-ds. The Japanese version adds a very critical switch, which enables you to toggle between zero gain and minus 6 db's of gain, the latter setting reduces the voltage by 50%. Both FX Audio's run best on 6AK5's IMO after rolling nearly two dozen other types of tubes in. I can buy tubes for these at $5 a pair from a surplus electronics store, but I left all other types on their shelves because I never go back to second best after I find tubes that I like.

The Japanese version's minus 6 db's setting was just what I needed to tame my recently acquired MAC 1700. The MAC's built in SS preamp has too much gain to my ear, I would have gotten rid of it until I placed the FX Audio in between my stand alone DAC's outputs and the MAC's Tape Inputs. I am now throughly enjoying my MAC, the two pots are both very good and allow me to come up with the desired amount of gain. The pair of 6AK5's also adds a very pleasant tube sound to the SS receiver with a tubed tuner.

I am enjoying it enough to upgrade the capacitors and any other parts that I can.
I have owned several preamps with the common 12AU7's driving 12AX7's and I find the single pair of 6AK5's to be more pleasing.
Don't be deceived by the price, this is one great preamp / tube buffer!

 

[Poultrygeist]

I

I bought the Japanese version of the FX Audio, which I feel is constructed better than the Chinese version and for more than twice the price it should be,
$68.49 versus $31.99 for the Chinese version, still a gift from the audio g-ds. The Japanese version adds a very critical switch, which enables you to toggle between zero gain and minus 6 db's of gain, the latter setting reduces the voltage by 50%. Both FX Audio's run best on 6AK5's IMO after rolling nearly two dozen other types of tubes in. I can buy tubes for these at $5 a pair from a surplus electronics store, but I left all other types on their shelves because I never go back to second best after I find tubes that I like.

The Japanese version's minus 6 db's setting was just what I needed to tame my recently acquired MAC 1700. The MAC's built in SS preamp has too much gain to my ear, I would have gotten rid of it until I placed the FX Audio in between my stand alone DAC's outputs and the MAC's Tape Inputs. I am now throughly enjoying my MAC, the two pots are both very good and allow me to come up with the desired amount of gain. The pair of 6AK5's also adds a very pleasant tube sound to the SS receiver with a tubed tuner.

I am enjoying it enough to upgrade the capacitors and any other parts that I can.
I have owned several preamps with the common 12AU7's driving 12AX7's and I find the single pair of 6AK5's to be more pleasing.
Don't be deceived by the price, this is one great preamp / tube buffer!

How bout a link for the Japanese FX?

 

[Dr. Ears]

How bout a link for the Japanese FX?

I do know how to copy links, search Ebay for this model number: FX Audio 01J