Class A sound on a budget! Reisong A12 tube integrated amp.
Вставка
- Опубліковано 7 вер 2024
- #hifi #audiophile #amplifier #stereo #Integrated amp #tubes #classA
Non affiliated link :
www.china-hifi...
Gear used in this review :
Modified Focal 836W speakers (Used in the sound demo)
Silverline Sonata speakers
SVS Ultra bookshelves
SMSL Tabebuia
Exasound E28 DAC (Used in the sound demo)
Stock EL34 tubes
Sophia EL34 tubes
------------------------------
Track: Left Alone - Airixis [Audio Library Release]
Music provided by Audio Library Plus
Watch: • Left Alone - Airixis |...
Free Download / Stream: alplus.io/left...
------------------------------
Flower - Johny Grimes (No Copyright Music) | Release Preview
Thomas, you've been putting out some of the best and most engaging content right now and for quite some time, very few people are as genuine and knowledgeable. I only wish you lived down the road so I could hear some of the great stuff you test out and trade stories! Best wishes from the UK.
I appreciate that! UK? I was born there and last time I was there was about 15 years ago.
On my A10 I rolled all the tubes. EL34s are easy. I went with the Tung Sols and Telefunken EL34s. Tung Sol gets my vote, much smoother and cleaner than the Telefunkens. I also did the following: Stock Voltage amp tube 6N2J, replaced w/NOS JSC Voskhod 6N2P-EB/6AX7. Stock Rectifier Tube 5Z4PJ, Replaced w/NOS Mullard CV 1863 from the 60s. Sounds amazing. One caveat, the Mullard is taller than the stock tube and interferes with the tube cage.
Nice nice! Wow, those are some NOS you have there.
@@ThomasAndStereo Thank you. I very much enjoy your videos and your practical approach.
Tung Sol never made EL34 .....
TFK................very rare !....out of stock for decades ( 279$ single tube+ post at Tube world ) ........Often even made by RFT and labeled TFK
New TFK is in reality JJ , nothing to do with TFK , selected JJ ....yes/ overpriced YES: sound like TFK..NO !
Try to find EL34 Mullard/Philips........or Tesla ( not JJ-Tesla) brown base..
6CA7 russian has good reports also........best sounding is 6CA7 GE fat boy ....
@@edholmwood what did those extra mods end up costing?
Thanks! EL34 is famous for the mid-range... In my experience, signal tube rolling will change the sound more than rolling power tubes
I have a 12ax7 amp and replaced it with a pair of 12at7 tubes. For me, it smoothed out the upper frequencies in a better way. Don’t know how this particular amp will react with the same tube change.
yeah power tube rolling doesn't really make sense in the grand scheme.
Thomas! I've been a musician all my life. 10 years ago I decided to get into hifi....I've always played tube guitar amps so no brainer to get a tube integrated. Only reviews for tube integrateds started at over 5000$. It was discouraging! You my friend are the king of low cost good quality tube amps! It brings me joy to see you filling this space so well.
For many reasons... I am a fan of Chinese mfg. I need a new amp, and I am going to trust your advice. I love tube sound, have efficient speakers and, sadly, a small listening area. As an older man, I have HF rolloff. The mids & high mids matter more than ever for me! Thank you for your interesting content. I want class A single ended. I listen hours every day. ❤
Correction: Misunderstanding between me and Mr. Vintage, he did not open and measure the voltage of the 12AX7, sorry.
Keep in mind that the difference I hear could simply be the difference in tubes but not the actual machine.
www.china-hifi-audio.com/en/reisong-tube-amplifier-boyuuragne-audio-c-48/reisong-a12-12ax7-el34-tube-integrated-amplifier-single-ended-class-a-boyuurange-p-2347
Non-affiliated link
Does this Reisong "thump" when you turn it on/off?
@@wa2368 Nope.
A 12AX7 can use 6.3V filament voltage. The filament has a centre tap. Depending on the wiring of the filament pins, you can use 6.3V or 12.6V.
Can you cover the "mod" to the Focals please Thomas? I have the 826 Ws and am most interested.
Hi Thomas, Thank You A LOT for this comprehensive review ! Highly informative, esp. for "Tube Amp Beginners" like me :-) ! Due to this, I recently ordered the A12, and it did not disappoint me. The stock tubes are ok for the price and are already sounding good.
BUT when I changed the tubes to 2x 12AX7A-C premium selected ones from TubeAmp Doctor in pre, and 2x matched TungSol EL34Bs in final stage:
MAN - it really blew me away !
Super detailed mids and highs, great 3D soundstage, and a Bass so precise and punchy that I think I use a solid state Amp with substantial more power ! On top NO audible hiss, hum or noisefloor; and my speakers are 96dB @ 1W/m ! Absolute fun to listen to, also longterm, I did not notice any flaws, distortion and whatsoever. And I listened to many genres of music.
It seems the schematic has some slight changes to the previous versions.
THIS is a real bargain to start with- I paid only 416€ , shipping from EU warehouse included especially if you consider that you have the FULL SELECTION of 12AX /ECC83 preamp tubes to fine tune it to personal preferences! THANKS again for your expert tip !!
Think I will never sell this nice little amp.
I use mine with Klipsch Heresy speakers and dedicate this system to the mono set up, due to room size,. speaker placement is less restrictive, sounds great
Hi Thomas go glad you have time to review this, you are one a few (Steve, Sean) who convinced me to try tubes, now have a Bob Carver 275 and it helped my B & W 803s speakers bring that warmth (not as bright), looking forward to going with class A single ended. Take Care
I would love to see a reviewer challenge. For example, $10k total budget to play Pink Floyd - Time in a 20’wide, 30’deep, 9’ tall room with carpet and a couch. You pick the format and can add cables, room treatments and so on as part of the total budget. No headphones and no used gear. Each reviewer to post their entry video on their channel with a link to the original video posting the challenge in the description with a list of the build and prices. Only one complete build; not a bunch of options in that price range. Not required to actually build the system. Winner is the video with the most likes.
I have the A10 and found that I can swap out the stock signal tubes with 12AX7 tubes by using an adaptor.
I actually had some time to do tube rolling on this amp. Replaced the EL34s with J&J KT88s and also replaced the 6N2s with Gold Lions 12ax7. The last change had a large impact on bass/treble response .. I actually like this configuration more for rock and almost all other genres of music. Yet for classical I keep coming back to the EL34 tubes.
I also hooked the amp to a function generator and oscilloscope and was really impressed with what I saw. There were some even harmonics but overall the baseline was less than -80dB. People have complained about the baseline in this unit but I think it is superb!
I actually love my Reisong A10 and think it will go down in history with likes of the NAD 3020. Affordable and delivering huge sound !
The transformer should not be able to handle kt88, maybe it is running at kt88 half power? I wonder if it will shorten the life of your amp?
@@ThomasAndStereo let’s hope not .. apparently other have tried it. Not only that someone actually substituted kt66 tubes and even replaced the rectifier from 5r4 to 5v4. They had to change the bias resistors from 500 ohms to 420 ohms. I’m sure that’s risky .. but its actually part of the fun of owning the A10. Learning is also another form of entertainment this unit provides…
@@ThomasAndStereo sorry I meant kt77
@@nathanas64 Ah that makes more sense since KT77 is a EL34 replacement.
Funny you posted this now because i got my A12 about a week ago, and your A10 review helped make me make that choice. If this video was posted a few weeks earlier that would have made up my mind earlier lol. I was previously under the impression they were essentially the same save for the 12AX7s and the wider array of options for replacement tubes for the A12. Glad to hear that it is better all around than the A10. This is my first foray into tubes and I am loving it so far. Thanks for your content.
Glad it was helpful and you are enjoying the A12.
What kind of speakers do you use ?
Thanks.
If you already have the A10 just buy 12ax7 adapters on ebay. I did this to mine and swapped to some Genelex Gold Lion 12ax7 tubes and got a dramatic improvement.
Are the 6n2j tubes hard to Get?
I bought a tube amp that looks like(chrome chassis, size and trans covers, etc) the A12 more than 5years ago, I converted it to accommodate the KT88 to increase the power output to about 10-12watts/channel. That changes the character of the sound totally because of the tube rather than the power output.
The loading resistors(fixed) for bias might have been altered too (8W>12W) ?
@@lawjog6246 Can't remember, I changed them a few years back, I altered the circuit, very different from the original, eg. I use 12AX7 instead of the tube supplied.
BTW I still own this amp. still works.
If you are after a tube amp get push-pull EL34, don't consume too much power(global warming) yet sound very good. It is playing NOW.
Besides using the kt-88(abundant) like you, I got a pair of output transformers of Tango XE-20s(long time ago brought in Japan) which would replace the original in someday by means of DIY.
Excellent video. It would be great to hear your take on the Boyuurange 300b amp. I home auditioned it with heresy 4. I loved the sound. More so then EL34. But i returned it only because the tube sockets were a bit too loose. The 300b tubes could easily move within the socket. But it would have been a keeper.
I recently set my a12 up with klipsch rp600m and it sounds great. Just ordered a matched pair 6ca7 electro harmonix big bottle tubes .My first tube amp can't wait to hear the difference. The only thing lacking was treble on stock tubes
My Asian brother uncle guy. You're perfect. This was a great video. Aesthetically and sonically pleasing.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Due to budget constraints I want to keep my tube amp in the $500 range. The A-10 and A12 are about $50 apart. Thanks for the review. I will go with the A-12 with tube upgrades down the road. Also Amazon will be the shipper and if there's a problem I can ship it back without the hassle.
Hi Thomas! Awesome looking unit. Absolutely love the price tag! Awesome aesthetics.
Never owned a tube amp, but i LOVE all the designs, works of art
Thx for the intro to the A12. I found someone here that builds tube amp so it will be interesting to find out how they compare.
Yes, Finally! This is the amp I have been looking for.
Hi Thomas. If Most audio reviewers, like yourself, heard both the Reisong A10 and A12 with the stock tubes, would it be safe to say that they would think both of them sounded the same? In other words, are both amps the same except for not needing tube adapters on the A 10 for tube rolling? I LOVE your videos and the passion you put into them. Keep up the FANTASTIC work!
They sound similar but 12AX7 tubes do sound slightly different. If you are into nuances, you will be able to pick out the differences but it is not night and day.
Nice amp !!!! I run a single ended 2a3 tube amp with a tube preamp by Cary.....ae3 which is good....but that Reisong sounds great....a must for better tubes to bring out the best !!!!....Ed in New York....😎
I'm just setting up the A12 today, thanks for your great video on it.
Enjoy it
@@ThomasAndStereo Thanks.
Looking good these days Thomas, I’m also liking your videos more every month, you keep getting better!
Given the very simple topology and the point to point execution I feel it would be easy to ascertain and interesting to hear what has been modified apart from the preamp tubes and their sockets.
Yeah, I am sure it is easy to figure out, they actually was going to modify one to use 6L6 instead of EL34 for me. I never got back to them on that actually.
I would love a chance to poke around in one of these and see how it does what it does..
Thanks for another good /informative video, I could hear the difference, and have a preference for the A12
Thanks for watching!
Great job Thomas. I love tubes too. Have you ever reviewed any gear with EL84 tubes?
Which EL34 tubes are used in the A10 for this sound demo? I do prefer the sound of A10 here, but that is probably due to the upgraded tubes. As always, thanks for giving us one of the best audio review sites on the web.
Thanks, I don't remember since it was a while ago. Most likely stock tubes.
Great channel really enjoy your reviews and presentation.....
Thank you so much 👍
i was even able to hear it through your recording, the a12 is really better in the mids!
Hi Thomas. If you’re looking for suggestions for products to review, I’d suggest the Willsenton R800 (845 version). Also, maybe some decware amps..? And would be great to have a video on matching speaker wire with amps and speakers. Thanks!
I never know how good it can be until I put NOS Mullard EL34 and NOS Telefunken 12ax7 on it.
A10 sounds more holographic but the 12ax7 tubes are easier to find or change
You are a smart guy.. I like this review.
I find almost all reviews are on the A10. I am glad I went with the A12.
One thing I will state is with my RF-7 IIs 6 watts per channel can annoy my neighbors.........and has......
Nice, so far so good?
@@ThomasAndStereo Yes! I remember as a kid having tube stereos around the house but that was in the 70s. Decided to try them with something affordable to my pocket book. Glad I bought it. Its very different from my other systems.
Thomas with gel-ed hair, smart 👍👍👍
Needs a couple of more inputs ( 2 single ended RCA and 2 balanced (XLR) )
Auto biasing and yes, a remote would be nice.
i have to say the A 10 after my improvements i really enjoyed for a while, but the A 12 whas a huge disapointing in compare , no improvements at all , only disapointings , thats what i could read from other peoples experiences , finally i bought a McIntosh MC275 VI Tube Stereo Power Amplifier and woooow i need no other , i bought it 2hand for 440 € and not regret it ,only enjoy it more and more
You can use aan adapter to use 12ax7, I'm using Mulard 12ax7 and Golden Lions K88
I changed the retifier from 5Z4P to a 274B and found improvement on speed and clarity.
The 12AX7 will run 6 volts because the heater is center tapped. You just jump pins 4 and 5 and the other heater pin is 9.
There are these tubes left to try on this amp..........6CA7 GE ( fat boy ) and 5751A triple mica , black plates............
Maybe it's possible to buy an A10 and modify the pin out to 12AX7/ECC83 ( I don't know if schematics are the same )
CV1863 may be better than the china made rectifier....
OPT and power supply are limiting factors for this SE amp but for the price one will already hear the potential of this amplifier mode.........
The tease of the modded focals is real 😍
Hi Thomas, I just bought a A12 and I am looking forward to listening to it.
Ideally you need to pair them with efficient speakers.
@@ThomasAndStereo I am planning to get the A10. Do you think the triangle BRO3 are a good match? They are rated for 90db sensitivity.
@@DannySathya I have not tested them together but I might in the next few weeks. I will test it with the A50 too.
@@ThomasAndStereo appreciate it. Please let me know your thoughts.
Very good! Might try one! Thanks!
Wait for my A50 review too!
You can buy an adapter to use 12ax7 tubes with the original model A10. They cost 25 dollars US on eBay.
Enjoy your talks , very easy to listen to . My simple question is for an ‘entry’ tube amp purchase I’m caught between the Reisong A12 or Willsenton R8 . Is upgrade to Willsenton that strong ? I have average efficiency speakers with a solid state marantz and toppingD90 . I’m looking for a ‘softer musical format’ strings vocals etc . Again keep up the enjoyable talks .
The R8 is more for the general audience because it does everything ok. The A12 is for a specific audience because it does only one thing well but really well.
It's a shame they didn't go with the 12AT7 instead of the 12AX7, it's a better driver tube for this purpose. There would be many, many more NOS tube rolling options that are reasonably priced than the 12AX7 which is used often in guitar amps and thus nice NOS 12AX7 tubes are quite costly. I've seen the schematic for the A10 and they're just paralleling the triodes for the input/driver tube and the 12AT7 would have almost as much gain but more grunt (lower plate resistance). If I bought one of these amps I'd see it as a tube amp mad scientist's experimentation kit.
I have used adaptors for 12AX7 in the Reisong A10 and works perfectly!!
Ah, good to know. Thanks.
I have the adapters in transit now. So far its good with Russian 6n2. I'm running a tube phono pre,cd player is ah! Njoe with tubes,and klipsch heresy 1.
Curious about Single ended vs. Push Pull tube amps. I have the Push pull MT 34 version of this which is fantastic. Very good on vocals, even male vocals. Also, very good on string instruments.
ua-cam.com/video/DuD4Ij9F6UI/v-deo.html
Thomas, did you say Mr. Vintage found that the 12AX7s in the A12 work at only 6 volts? (Assuming you mean he measured the plate voltage and not the heater voltage) If so that is very interesting. Normally they can be used with anywhere between around 90 up to 300 volts. Running them at such a low voltage is called "starved plate," it's quite uncommon, but some people really like it.
Would be an interesting experiment to try 5751 tubes instead of 12AX7s if you haven't already. 6N2P-EVs, 5751WAs, and 12AX7WAs are the heavy duty military grade versions available, and might be worth a try too.
A bit off-topic, but have you/will you ever try any Luxman tube gear? I heard the LX-380 integrated amp over a year ago and still the experience has stuck with me...
Yup, it only works at 6 v. Yeah, I need to try more tubes. I have never heard Luxman tube gear and hopefully sometime this year.
Correction: Misunderstanding between me and Mr. Vintage, he did not open and measure the voltage of the 12AX7, sorry.
I had to mod the heck out of the A10 to make it sound good. It is not 6 Watt, tops 4 Watt but the first Watt out of the box sucked. In fact I changed it into a A12. Without the mods internally the tube rolling is not really worth it. Out of the box it only has muddy bass.
I would not even consider the A12, being twice as expensive while being exceptionally close to the A10
designwise. 25$ for adapters to 12ax7 pinout is a sensible way to go.
It's only 100 difference after shipping
@@ThomasAndStereo Well, that of course depends on where you are living. The A10 costs 215$+30$ for point-to-point soldering = 245$.
Shipping by train & DHL 80$ to Sweden = 325$ to compare to 498$ for A12
As a burgeoning Audiophile I have been putting together an audiophile system bit by bit.
I have my Logitech speakers (powered- bass module and 4 cubes) hooked up to my Acer laptop. On Tom's advice I have upgraded the speakers wires to the Monster's Cables which REALLY brings out the BASS and 3D surround sound aspect of the soundstage.
Any ideas to bring my Audiophile system to the NEXT LEVEL would be welcome!
If your laptop is providing DAC duties that needs to be replaced with a dedicated DAC. Built-in computer DACs are not audiophile material. Enjoy your journey!
If your some body who loves vocals you need a tube amp
Great Review, as always! How about using the A12 as a preamplifier to drive speakers below 90 dB via the power of a power amp or integrated amp?
Those are low power amps. Tubes can give excellent sound, but any stereo needs power to punch out the thud of a bass drum. The peak power this requires instantly will exceed the amps. Tubes operate at high V, but only mA. For the bass drum punch, A are needed, which exceeds the capabilities of the tubes.
Yes, you are right. No remote is indeed a deal breaker. Well... maybe. I’ve been wanting to set up a stepper motor for my vintage Marantz
A DAC with a remote would do the trick. I'm using the A50 amp with 300B tubes and it was a neat hack.
Thomas - I really enjoy your channel. I am new to tube amps. I bought the A10 a year ago and love it. What would you recommend for a tube upgrade and where to purchase them? Thank you...
“TEDDY-BEAR” THOMAS! I like it
Good morning.. I always love tube amplifier
Amazing price point, from what i got from your review is pair with a neutral effeciant speaker 😃 Thanks Thomas bro3? I had a chance to buy the focal 936v and passed they needed new tweeters ehaaa should have bought one state over from me in Tenn 900.00US !
Oh, Focal 936v will be really different compare to most of the speakers you owned. Br03 would be kind of ok but ideally 94db and up.
@@ThomasAndStereo dang it I should have bought them i never heard focal Thomas what happened to the 906 sale? At one time they where like 1k U.S now they been $1800.00 for awhile just wait me Triangle Comete 40th anniversary edtion is pre ordered lets say .
With up grade to a Magnesium tweeter thats lighter and stiffer for lower distrortion and the midrange driver has a better Suspension and the Cabniet is HDF board high density Fiber with more internal bracing than the MDF board , And Santos Rosewood piano gloss venner !
Big thanks to my goto guy Frank !
Whoa: The price has increased twofold, Thomas.
Only for your information, I´m a satisfied owner of an A10, and it´s possible to do tube rolling on the preamp stage of the A10, you only need 2 adapters of 6N2 to 12AX7, currently i´m running a pair of ECC83 on it. So no need to pay the double for the A12...
Cool cool, thanks for sharing. Glad you are enjoying the A10.
I bought the Reisong Boyuu KT-88 amp from China Hi-fi. I really don't understand why that amp is not getting more attention. It's got enough power that you don't need as efficient speakers and it has some good dynamics. What is it about the specs that are turning people off from it?
I have the sound artist version which is wired for 12AX7. Replaced all the tubes and the caps with Russian PIO, it sounds great with a pair of Heresy III.
I have enjoyed the A10 for almost a year but have just taken delivery of an Elekit 8600 single ended 300B. It’s a well reviewed higher end amplifier so I’m interested in how different it will sound from the A10. I enjoy your reviews Thomas!
Thanks, let me know about the 300B, I am curious too.
Hello Colin. Mr. Fujita from Elekit makes really exceptional amplifiers for the price. I love my Elekit TU-8200DX with 6L6WGC or 7581A Tung-Sol. I can't imagine the result of the TU-8600 with 300B's, but it must be exceptional. enjoy ! Sincerely from France.
@@douxreveur131 Nice to hear from an Elekit fan in France! I have started my build today and so far, so good. We have a very strong distributor in North America in Victoria Chung out of Vancouver so help isn’t too far away if needed. Thanks for checking in.
i was going to buy a little AIYIMA T9 PRO on sale, but i keep getting crawn to the Reisong A12. i just may save up some dollars and buy it instead.
Well, you can always try the Aiyima first on Amazon since you can return it. A12 is good but does not have a lot of power and it really will depend on your speaker while the Aiyima have more power and have better chance with speaker matching.
@@ThomasAndStereo i have a vintage rotel that is rated at 5w p/ch which can drive hales transcendence one bookshelves which are 85db. the others are jamo 807+concept9+klipsch. i figure he 807s will be ok. my listening area is only 8 feet from the speakers. i am figuring though 5w out the rotel isnt the same as a handful out of the A12. right now with the T9 only 110 dollars, maybe worth just buying and using, i have a media pc with a pyle class d and elac bs41's, can always move it to the media box. please excuse my spelling, went to eye docs this morning and the universe is blury.
@@ThomasAndStereo also it seems the A10 and A12 use El34 tubes ? amazon have them at 390 and 499. would there be a whole bunch of difference with the A10 ?
i rewatched the vid, so its the power tubes that are different, but the sound signature is vanilla vs vanilla+1, so i could likely get the A10 and then shop around for some replacement power tubes and still be less than the A12
Hi Thomas. I own a Sparks (Cayin) MT-40 integrated tube amp. And wondered if I could get better sound quality by switching out the EL34 power tubes to say KT77’s? Some people I have followed on different channels have said the KT77’s and KT 88’s produce deeper bass and high’s with more clarity. Would a change like this in any way compromise any other internal components within the amplifier?
Hi. I am from UK. What's thr vest amp I can buy for £250 or under? I'm from the UK. Thank you.
Great review Thomas. I've seen you unbox a few thing using the steak knife. Might be time for a manly upgrade. :)
Too cheap! 🤣
Hi Thomas, your take on the A12 vs Muzishare X5 ($800 ish) and the Deckware super zen ufo ($995)? Thanks!
👍 I THROUGHLY ENJOY YOUR ENTHUSIASM 😁😍😍😍
😊 thank you
The Sophia Tubes will kill the Unison Simply Italy - the Parameters are different to the original ones
Hi Thomas!
Have you tried running the A10 using adapters from 6N2J to 12ax7, and then assessing remaining difference?
I would strongly recommend that! Adapters 6N2J to 12ax7: 14$ at ebay.....
I use Hi-end 12ax7:s in my A10 using adapters, Psvane 12AX7-T-MII/2 (=ECC83) matched pair 85euros , and the improvement in detail and resolution was substantial over the 6N2J:s.
I would guess it is hard to justify the almost doubled price for the A12 after such an upgrade of the A10.....!
No, I mentioned it is a solution at the end of the video. Actually once you add in shipping and upgrade options, the price difference is not as big. The A12 price already includes shipping.
@@ThomasAndStereo Well, when I ordered end of December 2020 I had to pay 270$ including shipping, ( train thorough China ) while the Amazon price was 480$..... That is a significant difference, don't you think?
@@vespass225 wow, amazing deal. I don't know if it still the same now since things have changed regarding shipping.
@@ThomasAndStereo They have raised the A10 prices at china-hifi.com now. When I ordered, you got the upgraded = hand soldered point-to-point, without cage, for 200$ and then 70$ shipping by train.
Thomas, how would one be able to use headphones with this unit?? Or, is there another tube integrated amplifier that has a headphone jack
Respectfully Mike
Hi Thomas, always enjoy your videos. Can you recommend the best tubes for my Musical Paradise MP301, please? I am using the JJ 6L6GC and the inhouse preamp tubes. Many thanks.
I don't have one anymore. Have you conisder trying other tubes like 6550, EL34? Those are more 'musical' and less neutral. You can have more power with KT88. I mean there are many options and if you are going to tube roll, you might as well try other tubes unless you like the neutral sound of 6L6.
@@ThomasAndStereo Many thanks. I will give them a try.
@@josephyap698 I have a MP-301, I found this machine sounded best with the 6L6 family, the stock 6p3p is neutral and natural, very nice, the NOS brown base 5881 give a bit more details and air, but a bit less bass. The 6j8p need to be replaced by the red base 5693. I won't try to save on this one. I swapped more than a dozen variety on it already.
Hi. I have a Simply Italy too. Together with quite efficient Cabasse speakers.I use Gold Lion tubes. What tubes are you using? Thank you.
I am using Tungsol and Sophia tubes
I have a Simply Italy on order. Would you say it's better than Cayin cs-55a in Triode mode? 12 watts vs 18 watts.
If you are into vocals, I would say so. Its different. Class A sound vs class AB sound.
@@ThomasAndStereo ok thanks! Did you try Simply Italy with Kt77?
Hi Thomas, alright i got Zu audio omen mk2 dw coming in june and i am looking for an integrated amp for them thats less than 1000 dollars. any suggestions
Thomas, a while back you mentioned that you put a platter under your speakers-like a cutting board? Is this wooden or another material and where have you purchased these?
I did ? I don't remember!
Hi Thomas. I wanted to get your opinion on Skunkie Designs Electronics and her opinion that the A12 is basically not a very good amp without her suggested mods? Thoughts?
Well a lot of A12 owners would disagree with her regarding the sound. Sure it might not measure well and maybe the A12 can sound even better after fixing it but everything is a function of price. If someone can built a similar amp that measures well at the same price,then kudos to her.
Thanks Thomas.
Ahhhh...Focal! I have the 807W. I have wondered how they would sound if modded out and if worth it? Any thoughts on Omega Super 3 High Output Monitor with low power amps tube or otherwise?
I like Omega speakers with tube amps. 807 mod? I don't think it is worth it and I will explain in my video.
@@ThomasAndStereo Thanks. How do you think or expect the Omega 3 HO Monitor with dual drivers would compare with Focal 807W regarding SQ?
I am looking to switch to lower power amps and lighter amps, using a Keces E40 (hint, a review possibility?) which I really like, but I also have a Hegel h160. As you get get older you appreciate lightness as long as SQ is good.
What I like about the Focals are its' dynamic range, it is punchy and still subtle, separation is very good, it shows layers but am looking for speakers which give as much depth as possible at higher efficiency without giving up much of what the Focals do right. Absolute resolution isn't as important as musicality...I didn't like the Quad S-2, more refined but boring and a 2D flat soundstage, imo.
Can the Reisong work with 6 ohm speakers like the Monitor Audio RS6?
Any chance of reviewing Raven Osprey or Raven Nighthawk with matching Celeste speakers? Not many used ones for sale ever and what few reviews I have found say it sounds better than their current system that is many more times the price.
No, I have not heard of the brand actually.
@@ThomasAndStereo lifetime warranty and made in the USA! And everybody talks about the fantastic support that Dave and his team offer. I think they have a 45 or 60 day in-home trial but charged 7% restocking fee which is around $400 but somebody said they got them to lower the price. But they never returned it. Just trying to dig through the hype. But now I am thinking luxman 380. Review stated it sounded so good it brought tears to the eye. Just got to figure out what speakers to go with it in my 15 by 15 foot room with 8-foot ceilings
Thank you Thomas. I wonder if these will pair well with the Triangle Borea BRO3
I never tried it with the Bro3, sorry. Maybe Sean would know.
@@ThomasAndStereo i got this A12 amp. They do not pair well with the Bro3. The top end is more bright and overall fatigue y. They however brought out Buchardt s400's alive in ways that I am not used to. But you are right. The main singer/voice pops out.
Yeah, you need strong bass to balance out with bright top end. Also, as I mentioned in many of my videos, class A sound is not fat and silky smooth, it has a slight leaness to it that makes it have a lot of texture. Good if you like that kind of 'real' voice but as I mentioned in my latest video, I look more for buttery smooth midrange. You just need to find the right speakers for it to shine these A12.
Hi Thomas:Heve you ever heard of the Eastern Electric Minimax tube amp,this is a must have for you,what this amp does is hard to believe,check it out dude!
Thanks for the tip! Never heard of them.
@@ThomasAndStereo They are great quality amps. They were made in Hong Kong and imported in to the U.S. They were based in the Chicago area. No longer in business.
Hi Thomas. Could you do a video about which speakers are better with tube amplification, full range drivers or with cross overs
I think some body who build speakers would be more qualified for that.
My Castle Conway 3 speakers sound great with my 240V A12, playing from a Marantz CD5005 CD player
Hey Thomas. Moving pretty quick. On Monday I will order either Doge 7 or the new Gustard X26 Pro Dac. Which is solid state but has crazy performance and engineering. Thoughts? Tubes vs probably far superior overall design.
Not really a big fan of the X26. For the Doge 7, I have yet to seriously listen to it, everyone I lent it to were impressed but it seems to level up when paired with the Doge 8. It will be months before I review it.
@@ThomasAndStereo what didn't you like about the x26? It looks so much more advanced. The doge dac section and power supply are so basic. (Are you sure you're talking about the x26 Pro, not the X26? Pro just came out).
@@ThomasAndStereo maybe I will wait, or maybe get a Pontus.
I just Googled this exact topic yesterday. It must be a sign
I would love to hear these amps with the klipsch Heritage speaker line anyone of them great to see if we can get somebody to review that (ps i do have la scalas hint hint
Very nice content @Thomas
Hi, good reviews. I found in Amazon a Boyuu HiFi that goes for $441 cdn vs the A12 at $689 cdn. The only difference is 2x 6N9P for HiFi vs 2x 12AX7 for the A12.
Can you educate me on the difference ans if it worth the $248 difference.
Thanks!!
The difference is not really big but there is. If you get the A10, people said they were able to get an adaptor to tube roll like the A12.
@@ThomasAndStereo sorry Thomas I was not very clear. I was referring to a Boyuu product Branded HiFi Exquis so I assume it is not the same as the A10. Please take a look at Amazon
t(hey cheap but also all two sucks as sound quality , even after upgrade they still very cheap at the end , lots of distortion and strange sounds coming out that arent included in the music , after long playing they giving headics , sorry for my english 😉 but i like your vidéo's after all , thats why i subscribed long time ago , keep going sir 🙏🙏
What is the regime of work of El34? Triode or Pentode?
Sorry I don't know.
Thx. Just bought the a10. Is there a phono preamp you suggest for this ?
Amp prono Kokubishi..