Thomas said you might end your channel. DONT! We love your content and are obsessed with music and gear. you do an amazing job and it’s truly appreciated.
I bought this amp last fall, this review pretty much sold me on it. I'm still loving this amp, it paired well with my Triangle BR03's and now with my Elac Uni-Fi Refence. I'm also happy to share that the service from the seller on Amazon is great. A couple of weeks after receiving the amp the rectifier tube went bad. I sent the seller an email on Amazon and they quickly sent me a replacement no questions asked. After spending months listening to this amp, I have to say your description with it's sound signature is dead on. I'm constantly amazed by the sound quality. If you're on the fence about this amp, I wouldn't hesitate. It's sound and build quality is worth much more than the asking price. Thanks for the review and keep up the good work Sean.
Hello, just wanted to write a quick thank you for your review on the X7 . I found your review both informative and honest. Iv been dreaming of owning a vacuum tube amplifier since I was seventeen , now I'm fifty seven and I have finally bit the bullet and treated myself . Having a very limited budget I really wanted to get the best for what I could afford so after much research and review watching finally decided to buy the Muzishare x7. I received it just two days ago and I am blown away by the build and quality of this amp. After taking time to set it all up , I put a record on and oh my goodness the sound is amazing. I have it hooked up to my vintage SFI-25 speaker and it's a great combination. This thing is absolutely beautiful to look at and listen to. Thanks again for a great review keep up the good work..
I bought one based on this review. It came today. It was ready to go out of the box, etc. Playing through a pair of Triangle Borea 3's. All I can say is that I am totally blown away. The sound is spectacular. Really. I also have a IOTA stack and I love it also, but the Muzishare X7 is just something amazing. Can't wait to try it on different speakers, etc.
nice just curous do you still have the X7 and BR03? I plan on getting the X7 after hearing it but I cant bring along my speaker system so I'm working if they still hold up in your books?
I have this amp and I am super impressed with it. Very powerful clean and anyone that comes over is drawn to it. Having tried numerous speakers on this amp I feel it can power just about anything and in some cases where certain speakers felt flat to me on solid state, this unit gave them life and opened the sound up nicely.
Zero Fidelity At this price point I regard the Muzishare phono stage as a “thrown in.” A very good to maybe excellent tube phono stage is in the $500 range, at least.
I would to love to see how this compares to the Wellsenton R8 with KT88s. I has a more aesthetically pleasing look, and has a lower price with the same power output.
@@mcplutt It's not the same product. Willsenton run from one factory whereas Muzishare run from the same production line as the Line Magnetic amplifiers.
I would also love to see a head-to-head of these two amps. I suspect the build quality of the X7 would be slightly higher but close. The R8 would have slightly better low end bass. I am only basing this on watching reviews of both as I am still trying to decide which one to buy. I think the R8 looks nicer but I am going to use it with a separate pre-amp and the R8 resets the input to CD each time its powered on where the X7 does not.
I love that you're featuring some decent Chi-Fi gear on your channel. I believe this amp is made by Line Magnetic. The Muzishare products look very similar, but maybe some internal quality differences. I have the LM-508 and it's an absolute beast while being as light as a butterfly at the same time. Fantastic amp. If the Muzishare products can get 80-90% of the performance at these prices then they are a steal.
@@matthewtaylor6405 Oh no there are at least two big factories. One under control of chinese estate where Cayin and others are made and one where Line Magnetic and Muzishare and others are made.
This is kind of an off topic thing but I have a deep feeling that you can plug a $30 blu ray player into a high end DAC and it would probably sound awesome. Like a Chord DAC or something on that level.
as always great review Sean, more importantly i appreciate that you are reviewing Chinese gear. As you know I am here in China for 20 years and started Dragon Quartz Audio almost two years ago, my trips to Guangzhou's audio markets reveal amazing Chinese brand audiophile quality in today's marketplace including the tube - based brands. After sales service is the weakness of course. If there is a problem which is not often, you need to find a local guy who knows hot to fix it, otherwise you're shipping heavy gear back to China for repair, not convenient. Cheers, Mario
Just bought this from Amazon last week. It will be arriving tomorrow, can't wait. I will update with anything I find. Only problem is, it's now $1,450. Phono input is listed only for moving magnet, so I will be using my tube phono preamp and taking another set of RCA inputs, bypassing the on board photo input completely. I have a MC cartridge.
I have built plenty of tube amplifiers and my I always fall back on Class A with zero feedback minimal parts while pushing less than 2 watts, now that's pure audio joy! Thank for your review, very informative!
Yes Ramisdad,i agree with you:tha X7 it's a great tube amplifier with a stunning sound and incredible build quality.Could i give you a tip?To get the really best from this amp.you have to re-tube all the stock tubes with the fabulous JJ's set .The KT88 matched quad with the std KT88 JJ,GZ 34 with the std GZ34 JJ,the ECC83 with the ECC803S gold pins long plate(always the selected one)and finally the ECC82 with the ECC802S gold pins long plate(always matched!).These are just a cup of tips that will lead you to get a huge improvement from this incredible amplifier.Always remember to re-bias at 40mA(typical value...)each KT88 to avoid X-over distortion .I've bought the X7 a cup of years ago and still sounds so great!It's a real bang for the buck!
Well..I got to tell you:even the stock tubes are not that bad!They are made by the PSVANE audio(a great chinese brand from ex Shuaguang audio)and they are the basic line called HIFI series of this brand ,but, the JJ's(ex JJ/Tesla brand) came from another planet:sturdy build and structure(heavier than the others),inner materials used for cathode,grids,anode and so one...even the thick of the glass is better.Also,and that what really matters, is the sound improvement like full bodied bass response(electric basses,acoustic bass guitars,timpano,drums etc,etc),you hear more rounded and full sound came out from your speakers.Also mid and high frequencies becomes more magical,sweet,so pleasant that you can not get enough to listen to the music for hours and hours....I have to be honest:chinese tube brands has reached great standards nowadays but manufacturers like JJ still have the knowledge of the "ancients" just like few ones can hold.You can hear the difference "immediately":a cup of songs in your turntable or cd player and this amplifier will bring the listen to another level.If you need other tips to get the best from your X7,just ask.Have a good day...
Great review, but why doesn't someone demo this amp with some 60s or 70s rock music. I'm so tired of hearing it playing jazz or soft music on every review I've seen. That goes for just about any amp review, not just this amp. Always soft music. I listen to rock and jazz, just like ten billion other people. How about it.
Another very entertaining and informative review. I've been looking into tube amps for a few months now and this review was right on time. Any thoughts on pairing this with the SVS Ultra bookshelf speakers that you reviewed awhile back. Thanks for all the work you do to post these videos
Looks like a nice amp. This summer I bought the Yaqin MCS13, which is a similar amp that I absolutely love and has some really strong support out there regarding its quality. I will definitely say changing the tubes helped quite a bit, but I did go back to the original power tubes. For the preamp tubes though Gold Lions or Electro Harmonix are great choices! I also recently bought the same Marantz solid state amp he compares it to at the end and honestly I love it too. They both are just different, the Marantz is more accurate and strong, but the tube amp is more "musical". I use the Marantz in the living room with my Klipsch towers and the Yaqin in the bedroom with my Klipsch RP600s. The Marantz is built like a tank and is good to have on all day for TV or music, but you want a tube amp honestly dedicated to just music to extend the tube life. If you love good sound and love the hobby of trying to put something special together, you owe it to yourself to own a tube amp at some point.
I also have a MC-13s. Great amp! Chi-Fi audio really has come a long way. I'd love to demo this Muzishare and be able to roll several sets of tubes through it, just to hear the differences (I currently run EH gold pins in my Yaqin).
Good review especially regarding the caveats. Since after sales support is non existent it’s good to know the pitfalls before going in especially with regards to speaker matching. The new wave of Chinese audiophile products presents a wonderful value proposition as long as one is aware of the eccentricities.
Sean, my view about tubes is that they are best employed in preamps. Using a good tube preamp along with a good high-powered solid state power offers the best of both worlds: the warmth, body, and rich tone of tubes and the dynamics, slam, and bass control of high-power solid state. Thoughts?
Yep I'd agree. You want the meat of solid state with a flavour of tubes. Also saves you having to replace expensive power tubes. It's something I'm working towards.
Most of the "tube sound" actually comes from the slight imperfections when using power tubes and output transformer. A hybrid amp with preamp tubes will certainly sound good but not like a real tube amp. Also, small signal tubes don't look half as cool as big power tubes.
I love this amplifier. It;s paired with JBL control monitors, which are really efficient speakers. Great imaging. I use the Ultra Linear mode almost exclusively now, after experimenting with the two settings for a few months. I think it's important, particularly for a tube amp, to allow a "break-in" period of a hundred hours, or so, just to allow the components to marry for a bit. And that's true for most tube amps. The highly efficient 4311's allow me to run the amp at only about 30-to-40 percent power, which gives me good presence and very low distortion, since I'm not pushing the amp to hard. (Happy that it has plenty of reserve power for dynamics.) So glad that I chose this piece of equipment! I did add a Schitt equalizer to the phono and, because of the low output level, had to place a small tube preamp in the signal path to the X7 to one of the auxillary inputs, so I don't actually use the phono input now. I would have preferred having the option of adding a small EQ built in to the X7 by way of a couple of jumpers between the preamp and final amp stages, but I suppose you can't have everything for$1300...
i brought this amp few mth ago and its work really well wth my JBL studio 530 and sound amazing plus my HD 820 and all my other's high-end headphones i had replaced all the tubes I replaced them wth goldlion kt88 and rca for the small tubes plus mullard gz 34 sound much better than b 4 ..very plz with it
It’s a nice looking amp. The name is not too bad either. The internal is very neatly laid out. Am sure it will sound better when you tube roll it. Great review as usual. 👍👍
Interesting that you specifically point out the Buchardt S300 speakers. I bought the S300 speakers and Mads from Buchardt pointed to this amplifier specifically as being an affordable tube amp that paired well with his speakers. I did change the KT88 Muzishare tubes with JJ KT88's tubes and I like those too. I was impressed with the pairing but am just getting into the hobby.
I suggest you review the Wilsenton R8 and compare with this Muzishare X7. Most of your comparisons are against amps that cost more than 3 times the price. Wilsenton R8 would be a more leveled comparison.
I really like Sean's work and my critical comment here is not only about Sean but all the UA-cam reviewers who review tube amplifiers with the stock tubes? Tubes are probably 30-40% of the amplifier sound quality so reviewers better be equipped with some tubes. in their arsenal. I bought both a Willsenton R8 and Line Magnetic LM211ia el34 amplifier. In the case of the R8, the stock SL7 tubes were shocking and held the amp back sounding hard in the upper mids. In the case of the Line Magnetic, the stock tubes were supper bass and trebble heavy, where was my el34 midrange? The ability to tune the sound is a major trait of tube amps and their attractiveness. So it has to be part or reviews and reviewers needs to be experienced with tubes, have some tubes in their cupboard they can roll. My take...
Another master piece Sean. Love the comparison, it really helps to settle my mind on whether I would buy it. Thank you for what you do. I appreciate the fact that it can toggle between the forward and warm option. The VU meter is a winner! I wonder why there aren't more companies building their amps with VU meters... Care to share Sean?
Gorgeous styling! Switching between ultra linear and triode modes! Elegant lay out! Delicious tube sound! Point to point wiring! OH...Uh..UHN..OOOOOOHHHHHHH!!!!!!
Great review. This was a great video. I like the way you told us things we as normal people with real world money can relate to and understand. Thank you.
I've bought this incredible amplifier a coup of years ago from a very serious website called Hifi Exquis from China and, believe me, it's a real jewel. It's a piece of art. Stunning appeal, great sound and, just not to forget, it comes with aluminum remote control! I'm fully satisfied with my X7! The phono stage it's built around the ultra classic dual op-amp with RIAA passive equalization :not extraordinary but not so bad... (I use the fabulous Domino phono pre from Tisbury audio, a great choice!). I've also change the Kt 88 stock set with the dream Kt88 JJ quartet. Anyway all the other tubes as been changed with JJ tubes with an astonishing sound improvement (just try and tell me....). You just have to buy this fantastic Muzishare X7! You will be not disappointed!! 🤗 🤗
Many thanks for the tumb up! There is a new version of the X7 on the market today. It's always the fantastic tube amp that it is but with the Inter stage coupling cap. improved. Personally I'm not a huge fan of the "easy game" : try to recap your device and see the wonder that cames! .... There are so many different aspects that must be considered that can make the difference between the great and the poor.... Always we have to consider the entire project, not only the single component before make any decisions of upgrading... I've changed the stock tube set due to the fact that one of the Kt88 was" kathode failed " and made spikes of signal from the right channel.. Anyway :the stock tubes made by Psvane audio,are the basic "hifi series", must to be replaced with better ones and accurately re-biased.It's so hard to get anything to compare on the market today:the Muzishare X7 ,made from the ex"Line Magnetic"factory,still remain one of the best sounding budget price tube amp. actually made.
Hi Francisco, sorry if I answer you so late but I was at work .. It is important to know this: to obtain the best results and the most homogeneous sound possible, I recommend replacing ALL the valves with the same brand (not necessarily of the same type), this to avoid mixing of sounds and then not understanding who or which valve makes its contribution. Now I answer you: it is the whole audio spectrum that improves. The basses are more present and full-bodied; the medium frequencies (percussion, six-string guitars, piano, voices etc ..) more realistic than ever; the highs follow the magic of what I just wrote to you. Do not look for the "absolute or perfect sound" but the tips that I am giving you are used to obtain that warm and full sound that only the audio tubes, combined with a good circuit design, they know how to give.And now: replacement and re-tubing: the GZ34 replaced with the standard JJ GZ34; the 12AX7 with the fantastic JJ803S long plates gold pins; the 12AU7 with the JJ802S long plate gold pins; all the KT88 replaced with the standards JJ KT88 I repeat: fundamental is to set the bias of each Kt88 correctly by checking for several minutes after when the bias current is stable to 40mA and not too much!These tubes are really robust with a construction standard from another planet compared to the stock ones So: patience and patience ... The cross-over distortions are rather annoying and typical of all push configurations pull..Other story .. If you need more answers, write to me. Greetings and good listening
@@gianlucavessio3562 thank you Gianluca! This is my first tube amp, and should be arriving between the end of January and February, I'm very excited. I really appreciate you taking the time to explain this :) Regards from Mexico City!
Sure Francisco! You will enjoy the X7 and that's for sure. Give it the right burning period. It will takes about a coup of days to get the first improvement from the amplifier(even with the stock tubes) . Another very important thing! Always connect the main speakers to the amplifier (and the source too) before you switch on. This to prevent damaging over tensions on the output transformers.For any question.... Have a good day. 😉
Tubes are amazing for sound reproduction. My main amp is a Peachtree Nova 300. It's my first "audiophile-grade" amplifier. When I first started using it, it sounded beautiful to me and yet, many reviews online said it was rather dry and lifeless, as many class D amplifiers are characterized to be. I thought the Tube Amp crowd were exaggerating their claims and were simply trying to justify their "boutiquey" sound systems. Then, I happened upon a good deal on a Schiit Valhalla 2 (a tube-based headphone amp/pre-amp). I decided I would try to get the tube amp sound without the tube amp, so I looped the Valhalla into my Peachtree amp. Let me tell you, the difference is night and day better. It's like one minute you're looking through a dirty windshield, and the next, you've just gotten your car back from a premium car wash. Everything is clear, the details are stunning, the air lets you float through the musical landscape like a butterfly. The lows and mids are just as impressive, solid and present, responsive, dynamic and detailed, even at lower volume. Because of my experience upgrading my Class D amp with a tube preamp stage, I am convinced that tube amps are the way to go and so am now seriously considering the Muzishare X7. Thanks for sharing your experience.
This is such a great review. It seems obvious at this stage to pick a winner between this amp and the Willsenton R8. If you can’t do a straight up review comparison, could you please tell us which you would choose between the two? Thanks in advance.
I have this amp and its awesome, as an integrated and as a standalone power amp, but I decided to use the the headphone amp, and found out that the sound is still playing through the speakers as well as the headphones,,, usually the sound should mute on the speaker side...
Nice job, Sean! I am awaiting delivery on some Tekton Pendragons. This amp has my attention. Hoping you are able to send it off to Thomas and Stereo. I'd love his thoughts on it too!
@@serg2963 I owned both of them. I started with X5. Had it for a month and than returned it back to the store where I bought it and got X7. X7 has bigger sound. It sounds better to me than X5.
@@YMishtal Very interesting to hear that. I changed tubes on my X5 to KT77s... huge improvement in bass punch. That's where the biggest difference went. Glad you love your X7; I may end up with one as well.
hey sean, very nice review! i encourage you to urge your peers to take a look at this amp as well or to say a few words following up on your impressions. there’s little information about this promising amp online, paired with a lot of demand for how compares to the hype of the willsenton r8.
Jo zero you won't believe, but amazon also is available outside north america 😙 Phono Stage nearly doesnt matter. It is mm for sure and will have about 50-100 kOhm ready for most mm cartridges.
Just got one. Love it. The build policy is impressive. Looks beautiful and sound is excellent. Going to do some tube rolling just for entertainment but factory tubes sound good. I love having tubes back in the system. It costs about the same as my Schiit Raganok 2 so I have it covered both ways. Thanks Shawn. I was glad to see a review that was NOT a Willsenton R8 One amp Id like to see reviewed is the Musical Paradise from canada (Made in China) I read some good words on this tube amp and it pumps out 55 watts per channel with the 150 output tubes.
Excellent Content. I have watched several of your videos and always find your down to earth and plain English analysis refreshing. Love to see you to a shoot out between three or four of the recent Chinese players to the Tube Amplifier world...
G'day Sean, The Chinese have been making very decent tube amps at a variety of price points for years. They seem to have an distinct interest in tubes. Haven't heard of the brand, great you've chosen to review something virtually unknown and at a very fair price. The tube topography is very standard and ya, I'd be quick to get some nice NOS tubes (Mullard perhaps) to get rolling. I'm not sure I dig the switching of mode operation; I kinda think that's gonna create issues down the track. It seems like a nice option, I'm just not convinced. It's a bit like trying to cover all bases, without being great at any. But, I could be wrong. Thanks fella and all the best over the festive season and New Year's. Have fun and be safe. 🎶🎶🎶
Yep. China's been pumping out great, affordable tube amps for many years. Back when I started out, Jolida and Antique Sound Labs were all the rage. As for my focus on lesser known gear: I like to feature products that are often overlooked by most publications / reviewers. There are some real gems out there, and the only way to find them is to take a chance. Thanks for the well wishes. Hope you have a great rest of your holiday season a well!
I have owned this amplifier for 3 months, before reselling. I found the sound quallity on my system not so good. In fact, my Yaqin ms34D was sounding much better than this Muzishare x7...The Muzishare is a stunning looking amplifier, but don't expect great "tube" sound out of it. I did take a look inside the amp, and upgraded the coupling caps with solen tinfoil types. The phono section is a solid state printed cirquit, and the kt 88 output stage, is fed by solid state rectifiers. The vu meters look stunning, but you must drive the amp reasonally hard, to get the needles moving.(my loudspeakers are 93 db sensitive) So short comment, amp looks stunning, but soundwise, not my cup of thee. I have moved to a solid state amp, the Iotavx sa3, and i am very well pleased with that amp and sound!
@@pkal244 Hi. I dont have experience with the wilsenton amp , but the ability to easily change the output tubes for kt88/el34/6550 , and better preamp tubes on that amp, would be my first choice...
@@jhallo7740 that's what I thought too but reviewers are saying the internals of the Muzishare are better built. And I dig the 70's-esque VU meters. I wish wish it were an easier decision! Check this post: www.stereo.net.au/forums/topic/322276-muzishare-x7-tube-amp-owners-out-there/?do=findComment&comment=4640068
I am writing what perhaps is a cautionary tale when buying this or the Reisong A10 amplifier. After hearing both Sean's and Steve's (aka "The Audiophiliac") excellent reviews for the Reisong A10, I decided to order that amplifier. It never made its way out of the UPS carrier facility in Monroe, OH and was deemed "lost" by Amazon. I then ordered a replacement. This time, the A10 made it all the way to a UPS distribution facility in New Jersey and never to be heard from again; Amazon considered this one "lost" as well. Oh well, I chalked this up to bad luck. At this point, I listened to Sean's review of the Muzishare X7 and took this opportunity to "upgrade" my purchase . I place my order for the Muzi and it made its way from the distributor (TubeAmplifierStore, which is the seller for both the Reisong and the Muzi) to my house, this time via the US Postal Service. The unit weighs about 50 lbs and the postal carrier was not very happy; it was left upside down on my driveway. It seemed no worse for the wear and I set it up and turned it on. Nothing. No power LED light. Nothing. I checked the fuse, the power code, re-read the instructions, etc. Nothing. DOA. I will say the amp may have been a repackaged return because the instruction manual was dog-eared and turned to an odd page. I dutifully packed the amp up and called Amazon to order a return pickup and request a replacement. The replacement was scheduled to arrive in a week, but after five days I got a text telling me it was delivered. Wow! What luck! I went outside and couldn't find it. Maybe it was delivered to a neighbor? I checked the tracking instructions and sure it enough it said "Delivered": this time to an address in Indiana. I live in Massachusetts. They say the definition of crazy is to continue to perform the same action over and over again while expecting different results. To avoid insanity, I cancelled the order, requested a refund and decided to go the tube preamp and solid state power amp route via a US company: Schiit. Wish me luck!!
Should I buy this one or the Willsenton? I like the looks of this more... double VU meters, phono input, however will I miss the flexibility of changing to EL-34 tubes? FYI, I have a EL-34 SET which I love!!! But have some gear lust with this. Someone mentioned the Yaqin MC-100b, and that looks great, especially with 2 separate power sections. But the inside guts don't look as nice. Any suggestions appreciated.
Nice looking unit, build quality also looks pretty good. Reminds me of a Cayin amplifier. I would be concerned with resale value at this price point. Even if build quality is good name recognition will kill resale on this amp.
Resale value is a valid concern. Although one could make the argument that you get curb stomped with most hi-fi gear in the aftermarket, outside of products like Harbeth, Klipsch heritage, and maybe a handful of others. Still, a valid point worth considering.
Sean: based on your review I've ordered one. They had two left. It's nice that they sell it with scheduled delivery. I'm planning to bring home a pair of Cornwall IV soon to try out, and this will make for a nice double-down on the audition. PS: You DO have a head!!! Shocking!
@@ZeroFidelity Here's an update. I ordered the amp on Amazon on December 19 and scheduled delivery for December 30 between 6-9am. A couple days before delivery I got an email saying the carrier, a company called NonstopDelivery (sic), would be here between 9-12 on the 30th and would call 30 minutes before. That wasn't the window of time I chose, but oh well, I chalked it up to a timezone discrepancy. I then Googled NonstopDelivery and they have the absolute WORST, most ABYSMAL Yelp reviews ever! Uh oh. I was home all day on the 30th; they never called, came to my house, or anything. The next afternoon I got a text that my package was undeliverable. Again, no contact from the carrier at all. Just now I got on chat with Amazon and got a refund. Could have been a cool amp, but someone's got their logistics quite messed up...
Sean, greatly appreciate your in-depth reviews. Curious, you mentioned the Denafrips stack had a tube like sound. Did you prefer the Denafrips sound over the Muzishare in triode mode?
Hi, nice video. You sad that tried Harbeth p3esr and it is good. I have 2 very small 13.5w Fatman tube. One use with Harbeth, Tube is 100$ speakers more then 1000. I have nice sound but I fill I missed something., may be price? NEW NAD D3020 Hybrid Digital Amplifie or Muzishare X7 for my Harbeth in your opinion? Will i get big difference sound from what I have at the moment or speakers ie the main. If not may be to buy another pair of Hatbeth to my sitting room with Fatman for this price? Once I tried to compare CAYIN SPARK MT-12N VACUUM TUBE with Fatman tube and no difference.Thanks for you job
Sean that is one great looking machine! I am a sucker for VU meters. Very nice looking front panel. Cool price tag. I really like KT88's. Nice convenient back panel layout. I like it!
Oh yeah forgot.Saw a interview with Rachel owner of Grant Fidelity and she points out that a lot of people complain about not being able to get info from Chinese manufacturer websites and this is a cultural thing.The Chinese consumer is basically told what is important in so many areas of life that this also applies to consumer products.Instead of data points they want reviewers to tell them what is better or not and this ends up affecting product information and whats available for product info.Sounds like less to work with but on other hand less neurotic.Me well I at will take to much info as long as when things blow my tech can grab schematics you know?This is why I personally thing getting an Elekit or say the Musical Paradise that Thomas reviewed recently is safer because you have a Canadian designer and importer spec'ing out the thing - either company can go teats up but at least in Canada you know you have that information readily at hand
I agree. I am trying to find a cheaper alternative to the Primaluna. I should just bite the bullet and go with the Prima but their entry level am is is $1000 more but is it worth a grand more?
@@mikecampbell68 I own the Primaluna Prologue Four which I bought new for $900 two years ago. If you keep your eyes peeled, you may be able to find a prologue premium on the used market for a decent price.
So in case you're wondering, the story goes like this: I have no idea where the ballcap is. Under Armour, are you reading this!? Sponsor me senpai! Also... I forgot to show off the aluminum remote that comes with the Muzishare X7 - - which I also misplaced. It's probably under the ballcap somewhere..
Great review!. Just a question with speaker compatibility. Had you try different tap connection to hear if that makes a difference? Based on your mention on difficulty with large drivers, could it be from low damping factors or transformer saturation? Or is the problem with mid range or treble?
I’m new to 2 channel audio and I went to my local hifi store and guy showed me the Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum iii are you familiar? If so what are your thoughts?
You know a lot of products are Chinese made. This amplifier is really easy to service. Standard, off the shelf parts. The Phono stage is a MM phono stage, and it is really crappy. Honestly, do not use the phono stage in this amplifier. Even now (it's still being made) the phono stage is garbage. You need the right speakers with any amplifier. Tubes tend to be a little warmer, so if you have warm speakers, the amp will make them even warmer. You also need to look for higher sensitivity speakers. Tubes really don't need to be replaced as often as people make out. I have a 60 year old Grundig table radio, and it has the original tubes and they are still strong. Tubes are really not the thing that tends to fail. Sure, they do weaken over time, but people make out they are sensitive things that need replacing regularly, and reality is tubes are quite robust and don't really fail often, as long as the circuit is well designed around them. If you get faulty capacitors coupling stages that leak DC power, or your BIAS is screwed up, then the tubes will fail quickly, but other than that, expect many years enjoyment from your tube equipment.
A most excellent review! I am also tied between the X7 and the Willsenton R8. Decision's, decision's! Did you get to tryout the Triangle Borea BR 03's with the X7? I was considering pairing the two.
I wonder if ultra linear mode is a sneaky way of switching between tube sound and solid state/digital which we all know gives you more power to play around with, not that this is a bad thing but it just seems a bit odd that an amp gives you the choice of two completely different sound. Almost like saying i want my amp to sound both like im playing a CD and then having the choice to make it sound like an all tube amp. Ya know what i mean, its kinda like being able to say, i have a car that i can make sound like an old school muscle car and then make it sound like todays 4 cylinder or 6 cylinder Fast & Furious cars. But it is a very good looking amp, and with huge VU meters to. My old H.H. Scott 208 may not have VU meters but i did give it (4) milliamp meters one for each 7591 power tube, a great way to see the performance of the tubes while in operation, i put blue led's in them also, if ya'll want to see it just type in WOODNESIUM in the search box, i have a few things that might be interesting to creative people. Please tell me what you think in the comment section, all comments wellcome, besides, if we cant speak freely then why speak at all.
How do you think the Muzishare will pair with Triangle Comete EZ bookshelves? Eventually I want I plan on doing a build kit with GR Research open baffle NX Otica's as well so wonder how it will do with those too. . Any input is greatly appreciated. Love your work Sean.
I got one and retubed it with some Russian reissue Mullard tubes that were matched and burned in for 24 hours. Found on Ebay. It's a really nice sounding amp. I am just so content to sit and listen to this amp in my system.
@@rebeccahendriks5119 Hi Rebecca, No pop sound upon turn off, no noise when putting in headphones either. . I replaced stock tubes with Mullards and then Genelex Gold Lions. No noise with any of the tube sets I listen to a lot of vocal, Classic Rock, Steely Dan, Dire Straights, blues some jazz. Whatever moves me.
Oops. Speakers; I have used Dynaudio Evoke 20 and Triangle Bro3 speakers with it. Front end is a Schiit gunner with an Audiolab 6000 transport. This is a long shot but could there be a problem if your interconnects are not shielded?
@@fletchermunson6225 Thanks for your great reply! I have just ordered this amp, and was reading that some people were experiencing this pop sound issue at power down It is encouraging that it is not not too common by the sound of it and like you say it maybe due to external influences and system setup etc. I will be pairing the amp with a set of Klipsch Chorus-II speakers, looking forward to see how it runs.
@@fletchermunson6225 I am really glad to hear that the amp sounds great across a broad range of music, some amps can be be really narrow in what music plays best on them.
@Zero Fidelity Can you comment on how the X7 sounds with the Forte's? I own a pair and am a little curious if it's a good match. I've seen the Cornwalls powered with 15watts. So I would imagine there isn't a issue there, but do they play well together?
Can I ask what model Klipsch speakers did you test the Muzishare X7 amplifier with? I'm considering buying this amplifier and was trying to identify some suitable speakers - I understand high efficiency speakers suit tube amps and thought the Klipsch RP-8000F would be good as I like floor standing speakers and they have a 98dB sensitivity
Does this Tube Amp support Bluetooth? I have tons of music on digital platforms now and wondering if I need a run a cable from AUX or is there BT hookup? Would I have to get a separate box for BlueTooth? Thanks in advance for any gouge.
Hi, will it be possible for you make a head to head duel of this X7 vs R8. As I think its about time for a side by side comparison of these 2 integrated tube amplifiers. 😊
I had a tube headphone amp but don't like having to replace the tubes every couple of years so traded it for SS. Paul McGowan claims tubes should be changed about once per year, which is too much hassle for me.
My experience with a number of Chinese tube audio components is that the build quality and the transformer quality is very good, but where they fail is the Chinese tubes, especially the power tubes. Nasal sound quality and short life sums it up. Replacing with premium NOS American or European, or new Slovakian or Russian tubes makes a big difference. I favor the JJ (Tesla) brand as being very consistent and long-lasting.
Was this thing "burned in" before you acquired it for review? Tubes require at least 3-4 days near constant use to burn in and open up. Just wondering. Nice review btw!
Review is ok but I wish a little more emphasis on biasing was mentioned. Don't have to go into detail, but a few basics like if a multimeter is needed or not would have been great. As for the headphones, if people own quality headphones like a Sennheiser 600hd or a high end AKG it be nice to get some feedback on that. Too many amplifiers don't even offer headphone jacks, and that's a really a shame because good ones offer a perspective speakers don't. Well, it's between this and the Willsenton R8, and the biasing might be the difference maker, but I just can't find much info on that for this amplifier.
Thomas said you might end your channel. DONT! We love your content and are obsessed with music and gear. you do an amazing job and it’s truly appreciated.
I bought this amp last fall, this review pretty much sold me on it. I'm still loving this amp, it paired well with my Triangle BR03's and now with my Elac Uni-Fi Refence. I'm also happy to share that the service from the seller on Amazon is great. A couple of weeks after receiving the amp the rectifier tube went bad. I sent the seller an email on Amazon and they quickly sent me a replacement no questions asked.
After spending months listening to this amp, I have to say your description with it's sound signature is dead on. I'm constantly amazed by the sound quality. If you're on the fence about this amp, I wouldn't hesitate. It's sound and build quality is worth much more than the asking price.
Thanks for the review and keep up the good work Sean.
Hello, just wanted to write a quick thank you for your review on the X7 .
I found your review both informative and honest. Iv been dreaming of owning a vacuum tube amplifier since I was seventeen , now I'm fifty seven and I have finally bit the bullet and treated myself . Having a very limited budget I really wanted to get the best for what I could afford so after much research and review watching finally decided to buy the Muzishare x7.
I received it just two days ago and I am blown away by the build and quality of this amp.
After taking time to set it all up , I put a record on and oh my goodness the sound is amazing.
I have it hooked up to my vintage SFI-25 speaker and it's a great combination.
This thing is absolutely beautiful to look at and listen to.
Thanks again for a great review keep up the good work..
I bought one based on this review. It came today. It was ready to go out of the box, etc. Playing through a pair of Triangle Borea 3's. All I can say is that I am totally blown away. The sound is spectacular. Really. I also have a IOTA stack and I love it also, but the Muzishare X7 is just something amazing. Can't wait to try it on different speakers, etc.
Good to hear you dig/dug yours. I just bought one on Amazon. My Naim has to go in for service, and I’ve wanted tubes again anyway. 🤞
nice just curous do you still have the X7 and BR03? I plan on getting the X7 after hearing it but I cant bring along my speaker system so I'm working if they still hold up in your books?
Thanks for opening the amp up.It is a huge factor for me before buying a product.
I have this amp and I am super impressed with it. Very powerful clean and anyone that comes over is drawn to it. Having tried numerous speakers on this amp I feel it can power just about anything and in some cases where certain speakers felt flat to me on solid state, this unit gave them life and opened the sound up nicely.
Does it have a power guard feature to prevent clipping and damage to the tweeters?
Are you still happy with your amp? Is this reliable?
I still use the amp and it's been solid and reliable. Very powerful as for clipping protection I am unsure. But I love this thing.
I'm now aware of the phonostage being a MM. The info was added to the Amazon and China-Fi listing after the review. Thanks!
Zero Fidelity
Sean, do you still have the amp to do a review of the phono section?
Zero Fidelity At this price point I regard the Muzishare phono stage as a “thrown in.” A very good to maybe excellent tube phono stage is in the $500 range, at least.
meanblackchow I was referring to the high quality of the Muzishare phono stages as being very much a bargain given the price of the unit.
I would to love to see how this compares to the Wellsenton R8 with KT88s. I has a more aesthetically pleasing look, and has a lower price with the same power output.
It's probably the same product.
@@mcplutt It's not the same product. Willsenton run from one factory whereas Muzishare run from the same production line as the Line Magnetic amplifiers.
@@mcplutt How can two products, that look totally different, be the same product?
@@SG-ji5ij Same on the inside, different on the outside :-)
I would also love to see a head-to-head of these two amps. I suspect the build quality of the X7 would be slightly higher but close. The R8 would have slightly better low end bass. I am only basing this on watching reviews of both as I am still trying to decide which one to buy. I think the R8 looks nicer but I am going to use it with a separate pre-amp and the R8 resets the input to CD each time its powered on where the X7 does not.
I love that you're featuring some decent Chi-Fi gear on your channel. I believe this amp is made by Line Magnetic. The Muzishare products look very similar, but maybe some internal quality differences. I have the LM-508 and it's an absolute beast while being as light as a butterfly at the same time. Fantastic amp. If the Muzishare products can get 80-90% of the performance at these prices then they are a steal.
All these amps made by one Chinese consortium. They r fuckin beytees.
@@matthewtaylor6405 Oh no there are at least two big factories. One under control of chinese estate where Cayin and others are made and one where Line Magnetic and Muzishare and others are made.
After doing some digging the phono pre is a MM. The amp manufacturer also has a connection with Line Magnetic-yup- that one!
This is kind of an off topic thing but I have a deep feeling that you can plug a $30 blu ray player into a high end DAC and it would probably sound awesome. Like a Chord DAC or something on that level.
This deserves a comparison with the Musical Paradise MP-501 V5 so BAD!!
similarly priced, close specs... Holy cow!!
as always great review Sean, more importantly i appreciate that you are reviewing Chinese gear. As you know I am here in China for 20 years and started Dragon Quartz Audio almost two years ago, my trips to Guangzhou's audio markets reveal amazing Chinese brand audiophile quality in today's marketplace including the tube - based brands. After sales service is the weakness of course. If there is a problem which is not often, you need to find a local guy who knows hot to fix it, otherwise you're shipping heavy gear back to China for repair, not convenient. Cheers, Mario
How about a segment on 1K integrated amps? Would love to see a comparison of Muzishare, Musical Fidelity, Yaqin, & Frenzel.
im on the same boat, so far i think im going with the Muzishare x7
FWIW. Frenzel is made in Texas and use 6L6GC or EL84 depending on the model not KT88 .
Just bought this from Amazon last week. It will be arriving tomorrow, can't wait. I will update with anything I find. Only problem is, it's now $1,450.
Phono input is listed only for moving magnet, so I will be using my tube phono preamp and taking another set of RCA inputs, bypassing the on board photo input completely. I have a MC cartridge.
That China Hi Fi web site looks as vintage internet as the amp -- love those flashing red arrows!!!
I have built plenty of tube amplifiers and my I always fall back on Class A with zero feedback minimal parts while pushing less than 2 watts, now that's pure audio joy! Thank for your review, very informative!
Low power, minimal parts class A is the best sound one can have. 👌 Nothing beats that, you just need to have efficient speakers.
Bought this amp after this review. Best audio purchase in my audiophile history. F*cking love this thing.
Yes Ramisdad,i agree with you:tha X7 it's a great tube amplifier with a stunning sound and incredible build quality.Could i give you a tip?To get the really best from this amp.you have to re-tube all the stock tubes with the fabulous JJ's set .The KT88 matched quad with the std KT88 JJ,GZ 34 with the std GZ34 JJ,the ECC83 with the ECC803S gold pins long plate(always the selected one)and finally the ECC82 with the ECC802S gold pins long plate(always matched!).These are just a cup of tips that will lead you to get a huge improvement from this incredible amplifier.Always remember to re-bias at 40mA(typical value...)each KT88 to avoid X-over distortion .I've bought the X7 a cup of years ago and still sounds so great!It's a real bang for the buck!
Thank you for the excellent information, I was wondering about that! How does that change the sound character?
Well..I got to tell you:even the stock tubes are not that bad!They are made by the PSVANE audio(a great chinese brand from ex Shuaguang audio)and they are the basic line called HIFI series of this brand ,but, the JJ's(ex JJ/Tesla brand) came from another planet:sturdy build and structure(heavier than the others),inner materials used for cathode,grids,anode and so one...even the thick of the glass is better.Also,and that what really matters, is the sound improvement like full bodied bass response(electric basses,acoustic bass guitars,timpano,drums etc,etc),you hear more rounded and full sound came out from your speakers.Also mid and high frequencies becomes more magical,sweet,so pleasant that you can not get enough to listen to the music for hours and hours....I have to be honest:chinese tube brands has reached great standards nowadays but manufacturers like JJ still have the knowledge of the "ancients" just like few ones can hold.You can hear the difference "immediately":a cup of songs in your turntable or cd player and this amplifier will bring the listen to another level.If you need other tips to get the best from your X7,just ask.Have a good day...
@@gianlucavessio3562 love it! I'll be sure to try it out! Thanks again!
Does it include remote control for volume adjustment?
See if you can get a prima luna from Kevin deal to review that would be high speed 👍 this amp seems pretty cool.
SCAMMER!! ->@Collin Darren
Incredible integrated tube amp. Bought mine from Amazon two months ago and have been enjoying it ever since. Have my eyes on their X10 model next.
Great review, but why doesn't someone demo this amp with some 60s or 70s rock music. I'm so tired of hearing it playing jazz or soft music on every review I've seen. That goes for just about any amp review, not just this amp. Always soft music. I listen to rock and jazz, just like ten billion other people. How about it.
Make no difference
I just purchased this unit based on your review (no pressure!), hope to see it in a week. Thanks for your reviews
How are you fining it 9 months later?
Everything is fine with no issues. I have it hooked up to klipsch speakers and it pushes them fine.
Another very entertaining and informative review. I've been looking into tube amps for a few months now and this review was right on time. Any thoughts on pairing this with the SVS Ultra bookshelf speakers that you reviewed awhile back. Thanks for all the work you do to post these videos
Looks like a nice amp. This summer I bought the Yaqin MCS13, which is a similar amp that I absolutely love and has some really strong support out there regarding its quality. I will definitely say changing the tubes helped quite a bit, but I did go back to the original power tubes. For the preamp tubes though Gold Lions or Electro Harmonix are great choices! I also recently bought the same Marantz solid state amp he compares it to at the end and honestly I love it too. They both are just different, the Marantz is more accurate and strong, but the tube amp is more "musical". I use the Marantz in the living room with my Klipsch towers and the Yaqin in the bedroom with my Klipsch RP600s. The Marantz is built like a tank and is good to have on all day for TV or music, but you want a tube amp honestly dedicated to just music to extend the tube life. If you love good sound and love the hobby of trying to put something special together, you owe it to yourself to own a tube amp at some point.
Love Gold Lions! Yeah, the Marantz 8006 is a great all-arounder.
I also have a MC-13s. Great amp! Chi-Fi audio really has come a long way. I'd love to demo this Muzishare and be able to roll several sets of tubes through it, just to hear the differences (I currently run EH gold pins in my Yaqin).
Good review especially regarding the caveats. Since after sales support is non existent it’s good to know the pitfalls before going in especially with regards to speaker matching. The new wave of Chinese audiophile products presents a wonderful value proposition as long as one is aware of the eccentricities.
Sean, my view about tubes is that they are best employed in preamps. Using a good tube preamp along with a good high-powered solid state power offers the best of both worlds: the warmth, body, and rich tone of tubes and the dynamics, slam, and bass control of high-power solid state. Thoughts?
Yep I'd agree. You want the meat of solid state with a flavour of tubes. Also saves you having to replace expensive power tubes. It's something I'm working towards.
Most of the "tube sound" actually comes from the slight imperfections when using power tubes and output transformer. A hybrid amp with preamp tubes will certainly sound good but not like a real tube amp. Also, small signal tubes don't look half as cool as big power tubes.
Hello Tom - The tube pre-amp/SS-amp combo is a classic approach! Been down that road quite a few times and totally support going in that direction.
@@westelaudio943 there are some v cool looking 6ns7 tubes..
I am curious about the sound differences of the opposite approach, say the new Benchmark LA4 SS preamp with an all tube amp?
I love this amplifier. It;s paired with JBL control monitors, which are really efficient speakers. Great imaging. I use the Ultra Linear mode almost exclusively now, after experimenting with the two settings for a few months. I think it's important, particularly for a tube amp, to allow a "break-in" period of a hundred hours, or so, just to allow the components to marry for a bit. And that's true for most tube amps. The highly efficient 4311's allow me to run the amp at only about 30-to-40 percent power, which gives me good presence and very low distortion, since I'm not pushing the amp to hard. (Happy that it has plenty of reserve power for dynamics.) So glad that I chose this piece of equipment! I did add a Schitt equalizer to the phono and, because of the low output level, had to place a small tube preamp in the signal path to the X7 to one of the auxillary inputs, so I don't actually use the phono input now. I would have preferred having the option of adding a small EQ built in to the X7 by way of a couple of jumpers between the preamp and final amp stages, but I suppose you can't have everything for$1300...
i brought this amp few mth ago and its work really well wth my JBL studio 530 and sound amazing plus my HD 820 and all my other's high-end headphones i had replaced all the tubes I replaced them wth goldlion kt88 and rca for the small tubes plus mullard gz 34 sound much better than b 4 ..very plz with it
Congrats!
It’s a nice looking amp. The name is not too bad either. The internal is very neatly laid out. Am sure it will sound better when you tube roll it.
Great review as usual. 👍👍
Fat Rat ... the dealer won’t let me open up the South Korean one. 😂
Fat Rat ... the dealer called the security when I brought out my screwdriver. 😬
Interesting that you specifically point out the Buchardt S300 speakers. I bought the S300 speakers and Mads from Buchardt pointed to this amplifier specifically as being an affordable tube amp that paired well with his speakers. I did change the KT88 Muzishare tubes with JJ KT88's tubes and I like those too. I was impressed with the pairing but am just getting into the hobby.
Please review the brand new Wharfedale EVO 4.3 or 4.4! I have yet to read any negative reviews or impressions of those tower speakers.
💯 Percent 👍
Merry Christmas 🎄 Thanks for being the honest person and sharing your expertise with us! All the best to you and yours.
Thanks for the post, really needed some recommedation for amps. I am about to get the new Monitor Audio Gold 100 5G.
I suggest you review the Wilsenton R8 and compare with this Muzishare X7. Most of your comparisons are against amps that cost more than 3 times the price. Wilsenton R8 would be a more leveled comparison.
i'm trying to decide between those 2, what would you recommend ?
Watch Skunkie. R8 is very flawed
Посмотри сравнение на ютюбе. Willsenton R8 нужно менять много компонентов внутри, чтобы он играл также как muzishare.
Thanks for another great review. As a old guitarist I have boxes of tubes. A descent set of kt88 about350 dollars
I really like Sean's work and my critical comment here is not only about Sean but all the UA-cam reviewers who review tube amplifiers with the stock tubes? Tubes are probably 30-40% of the amplifier sound quality so reviewers better be equipped with some tubes. in their arsenal. I bought both a Willsenton R8 and Line Magnetic LM211ia el34 amplifier. In the case of the R8, the stock SL7 tubes were shocking and held the amp back sounding hard in the upper mids. In the case of the Line Magnetic, the stock tubes were supper bass and trebble heavy, where was my el34 midrange?
The ability to tune the sound is a major trait of tube amps and their attractiveness. So it has to be part or reviews and reviewers needs to be experienced with tubes, have some tubes in their cupboard they can roll. My take...
Can you recommend a set tubes for X7 that sound warmer?
Another master piece Sean. Love the comparison, it really helps to settle my mind on whether I would buy it. Thank you for what you do. I appreciate the fact that it can toggle between the forward and warm option. The VU meter is a winner! I wonder why there aren't more companies building their amps with VU meters... Care to share Sean?
The short answer is: Real VU meters aren't cheap!
Gorgeous styling! Switching between ultra linear and triode modes! Elegant lay out! Delicious tube sound! Point to point wiring! OH...Uh..UHN..OOOOOOHHHHHHH!!!!!!
Great review. This was a great video. I like the way you told us things we as normal people with real world money can relate to and understand. Thank you.
I've bought this incredible amplifier a coup of years ago from a very serious website called Hifi Exquis from China and, believe me, it's a real jewel. It's a piece of art. Stunning appeal, great sound and, just not to forget, it comes with aluminum remote control! I'm fully satisfied with my X7! The phono stage it's built around the ultra classic dual op-amp with RIAA passive equalization :not extraordinary but not so bad... (I use the fabulous Domino phono pre from Tisbury audio, a great choice!). I've also change the Kt 88 stock set with the dream Kt88 JJ quartet. Anyway all the other tubes as been changed with JJ tubes with an astonishing sound improvement (just try and tell me....). You just have to buy this fantastic Muzishare X7! You will be not disappointed!! 🤗 🤗
Many thanks for the tumb up! There is a new version of the X7 on the market today. It's always the fantastic tube amp that it is but with the Inter stage coupling cap. improved. Personally I'm not a huge fan of the "easy game" : try to recap your device and see the wonder that cames! .... There are so many different aspects that must be considered that can make the difference between the great and the poor.... Always we have to consider the entire project, not only the single component before make any decisions of upgrading... I've changed the stock tube set due to the fact that one of the Kt88 was" kathode failed " and made spikes of signal from the right channel.. Anyway :the stock tubes made by Psvane audio,are the basic "hifi series", must to be replaced with better ones and accurately re-biased.It's so hard to get anything to compare on the market today:the Muzishare X7 ,made from the ex"Line Magnetic"factory,still remain one of the best sounding budget price tube amp. actually made.
Hi Gianluca!
How did the JJ's changed the sound?
Sean mentions that the mid frequencies are a bit hard tone in ultra linear mode, did it smooth that?
Hi Francisco, sorry if I answer you so late but I was at work ..
It is important to know this: to obtain the best results and the most homogeneous sound possible, I recommend replacing ALL the valves with the same brand (not necessarily of the same type), this to avoid mixing of sounds and then not understanding who or which valve makes its contribution. Now I answer you: it is the whole audio spectrum that improves. The basses are more present and full-bodied; the medium frequencies (percussion, six-string guitars, piano, voices etc ..) more realistic than ever; the highs follow the magic of what I just wrote to you. Do not look for the "absolute or perfect sound" but the tips that I am giving you are used to obtain that warm and full sound that only the audio tubes, combined with a good circuit design, they know how to give.And now: replacement and re-tubing: the GZ34 replaced with the standard JJ GZ34; the 12AX7 with the fantastic JJ803S long plates gold pins; the 12AU7 with the JJ802S long plate gold pins; all the KT88 replaced with the standards JJ KT88 I repeat: fundamental is to set the bias of each Kt88 correctly by checking for several minutes after when the bias current is stable to 40mA and not too much!These tubes are really robust with a construction standard from another planet compared to the stock ones So: patience and patience ... The cross-over distortions are rather annoying and typical of all push configurations pull..Other story ..
If you need more answers, write to me.
Greetings and good listening
@@gianlucavessio3562 thank you Gianluca! This is my first tube amp, and should be arriving between the end of January and February, I'm very excited. I really appreciate you taking the time to explain this :)
Regards from Mexico City!
Sure Francisco! You will enjoy the X7 and that's for sure. Give it the right burning period. It will takes about a coup of days to get the first improvement from the amplifier(even with the stock tubes) . Another very important thing! Always connect the main speakers to the amplifier (and the source too) before you switch on. This to prevent damaging over tensions on the output transformers.For any question....
Have a good day. 😉
Review the Frenzel tube amp. Made in the USA since the 50s. Made their name in guitar amps, and now have stereo amps, included integrated.
I've been waiting for someone anyone to review this amp..Frenzel ss4472...not one review on it anywhere except on their website!
I think you've sold me on this.....Thanks for the review and all you do. I really appreciate your presentation of the components characteristics.
Tubes are amazing for sound reproduction. My main amp is a Peachtree Nova 300. It's my first "audiophile-grade" amplifier. When I first started using it, it sounded beautiful to me and yet, many reviews online said it was rather dry and lifeless, as many class D amplifiers are characterized to be. I thought the Tube Amp crowd were exaggerating their claims and were simply trying to justify their "boutiquey" sound systems. Then, I happened upon a good deal on a Schiit Valhalla 2 (a tube-based headphone amp/pre-amp).
I decided I would try to get the tube amp sound without the tube amp, so I looped the Valhalla into my Peachtree amp. Let me tell you, the difference is night and day better. It's like one minute you're looking through a dirty windshield, and the next, you've just gotten your car back from a premium car wash. Everything is clear, the details are stunning, the air lets you float through the musical landscape like a butterfly. The lows and mids are just as impressive, solid and present, responsive, dynamic and detailed, even at lower volume.
Because of my experience upgrading my Class D amp with a tube preamp stage, I am convinced that tube amps are the way to go and so am now seriously considering the Muzishare X7. Thanks for sharing your experience.
This is such a great review. It seems obvious at this stage to pick a winner between this amp and the Willsenton R8. If you can’t do a straight up review comparison, could you please tell us which you would choose between the two? Thanks in advance.
I have this amp and its awesome, as an integrated and as a standalone power amp, but I decided to use the the headphone amp, and found out that the sound is still playing through the speakers as well as the headphones,,, usually the sound should mute on the speaker side...
Good review. This company reminds me of early Primaluna with their Prologue Series. Glad to see more glass. Again great information...😊
Nice job, Sean! I am awaiting delivery on some Tekton Pendragons. This amp has my attention. Hoping you are able to send it off to Thomas and Stereo. I'd love his thoughts on it too!
Thomas can get his own. :D Grats on the Pendragons. Hope you love em!
@@ZeroFidelity Lol!
If I didn't read the title first I'd think it's a new Luxman amplifier, it looks so much how luxman design their amplifier looks
How does it compare to the Muzishare X5 or even the Reisong A10 EL34 that you also reviewed recently?
I can vouch for the X5 being an exceptional amplifier; I love mine. Can't say how it compares to an X7.
@@serg2963 I owned both of them. I started with X5. Had it for a month and than returned it back to the store where I bought it and got X7. X7 has bigger sound. It sounds better to me than X5.
@@YMishtal Very interesting to hear that. I changed tubes on my X5 to KT77s... huge improvement in bass punch. That's where the biggest difference went. Glad you love your X7; I may end up with one as well.
hey sean, very nice review! i encourage you to urge your peers to take a look at this amp as well or to say a few words following up on your impressions. there’s little information about this promising amp online, paired with a lot of demand for how compares to the hype of the willsenton r8.
Hi, how's power transformer tempreture? Could you compare it to yaquin mc-13s? Thanks
Jo zero you won't believe, but amazon also is available outside north america 😙
Phono Stage nearly doesnt matter. It is mm for sure and will have about 50-100 kOhm ready for most mm cartridges.
Great review; have you tried the Willsenton R8 in the past?
Just got one. Love it. The build policy is impressive. Looks beautiful and sound is excellent. Going to do some tube rolling just for entertainment but factory tubes sound good. I love having tubes back in the system. It costs about the same as my Schiit Raganok 2 so I have it covered both ways. Thanks Shawn. I was glad to see a review that was NOT a Willsenton R8
One amp Id like to see reviewed is the Musical Paradise from canada (Made in China) I read some good words on this tube amp and it pumps out 55 watts per channel with the 150 output tubes.
So how does it compare to the Schiit Ragnarok?
@@LexusAllTerrain1 Its been a while but probably the X7
Excellent Content. I have watched several of your videos and always find your down to earth and plain English analysis refreshing. Love to see you to a shoot out between three or four of the recent Chinese players to the Tube Amplifier world...
G'day Sean,
The Chinese have been making very decent tube amps at a variety of price points for years. They seem to have an distinct interest in tubes. Haven't heard of the brand, great you've chosen to review something virtually unknown and at a very fair price.
The tube topography is very standard and ya, I'd be quick to get some nice NOS tubes (Mullard perhaps) to get rolling.
I'm not sure I dig the switching of mode operation; I kinda think that's gonna create issues down the track. It seems like a nice option, I'm just not convinced. It's a bit like trying to cover all bases, without being great at any. But, I could be wrong.
Thanks fella and all the best over the festive season and New Year's. Have fun and be safe. 🎶🎶🎶
Yep. China's been pumping out great, affordable tube amps for many years. Back when I started out, Jolida and Antique Sound Labs were all the rage. As for my focus on lesser known gear: I like to feature products that are often overlooked by most publications / reviewers. There are some real gems out there, and the only way to find them is to take a chance. Thanks for the well wishes. Hope you have a great rest of your holiday season a well!
I have owned this amplifier for 3 months, before reselling. I found the sound quallity on my system not so good. In fact, my Yaqin ms34D was sounding much better than this Muzishare x7...The Muzishare is a stunning looking amplifier, but don't expect great "tube" sound out of it. I did take a look inside the amp, and upgraded the coupling caps with solen tinfoil types. The phono section is a solid state printed cirquit, and the kt 88 output stage, is fed by solid state rectifiers. The vu meters look stunning, but you must drive the amp reasonally hard, to get the needles moving.(my loudspeakers are 93 db sensitive) So short comment, amp looks stunning, but soundwise, not my cup of thee. I have moved to a solid state amp, the Iotavx sa3, and i am very well pleased with that amp and sound!
which speakers did you pair this setup with?
@@oclaytonyoung With mission m35 speakers.
Thanks for your honest review. It's either this, the Willsenton R8, or the Musical Paradise 501 for me.
@@pkal244 Hi. I dont have experience with the wilsenton amp , but the ability to easily change the output tubes for kt88/el34/6550 , and better preamp tubes on that amp, would be my first choice...
@@jhallo7740 that's what I thought too but reviewers are saying the internals of the Muzishare are better built. And I dig the 70's-esque VU meters. I wish wish it were an easier decision!
Check this post:
www.stereo.net.au/forums/topic/322276-muzishare-x7-tube-amp-owners-out-there/?do=findComment&comment=4640068
I am writing what perhaps is a cautionary tale when buying this or the Reisong A10 amplifier. After hearing both Sean's and Steve's (aka "The Audiophiliac") excellent reviews for the Reisong A10, I decided to order that amplifier. It never made its way out of the UPS carrier facility in Monroe, OH and was deemed "lost" by Amazon. I then ordered a replacement. This time, the A10 made it all the way to a UPS distribution facility in New Jersey and never to be heard from again; Amazon considered this one "lost" as well. Oh well, I chalked this up to bad luck. At this point, I listened to Sean's review of the Muzishare X7 and took this opportunity to "upgrade" my purchase . I place my order for the Muzi and it made its way from the distributor (TubeAmplifierStore, which is the seller for both the Reisong and the Muzi) to my house, this time via the US Postal Service. The unit weighs about 50 lbs and the postal carrier was not very happy; it was left upside down on my driveway. It seemed no worse for the wear and I set it up and turned it on. Nothing. No power LED light. Nothing. I checked the fuse, the power code, re-read the instructions, etc. Nothing. DOA. I will say the amp may have been a repackaged return because the instruction manual was dog-eared and turned to an odd page. I dutifully packed the amp up and called Amazon to order a return pickup and request a replacement. The replacement was scheduled to arrive in a week, but after five days I got a text telling me it was delivered. Wow! What luck! I went outside and couldn't find it. Maybe it was delivered to a neighbor? I checked the tracking instructions and sure it enough it said "Delivered": this time to an address in Indiana. I live in Massachusetts. They say the definition of crazy is to continue to perform the same action over and over again while expecting different results. To avoid insanity, I cancelled the order, requested a refund and decided to go the tube preamp and solid state power amp route via a US company: Schiit. Wish me luck!!
Should I buy this one or the Willsenton? I like the looks of this more... double VU meters, phono input, however will I miss the flexibility of changing to EL-34 tubes? FYI, I have a EL-34 SET which I love!!! But have some gear lust with this. Someone mentioned the Yaqin MC-100b, and that looks great, especially with 2 separate power sections. But the inside guts don't look as nice. Any suggestions appreciated.
I guess I’m the only one... I love the VU meters 🤪
I agree there a nice touch
no im a vu meter perv
I love them, too. I'm building a tube power amp and definitely will be showing ample meters on front.
ACESPacific What meters do you intend to use? There’s so many kinds and quality types.
@@ACESPacific i'd like to build a power amp with meters,too. do you know any projects or kits?
So what’s the competition for this this? Can it go head to head with an entry level prima luna?
Yay! was always curious about this amp, thanks for your review!
Please review the GhestAudio monoblocks next.
Nice looking unit, build quality also looks pretty good. Reminds me of a Cayin amplifier. I would be concerned with resale value at this price point. Even if build quality is good name recognition will kill resale on this amp.
Resale value is a valid concern. Although one could make the argument that you get curb stomped with most hi-fi gear in the aftermarket, outside of products like Harbeth, Klipsch heritage, and maybe a handful of others. Still, a valid point worth considering.
@@ZeroFidelity Absolutely! High-end gear is not something to invest in for one's retirement.
GREEETING FROM CHINA, PROBLEM WITH CHINA 5G!!!!! NOT SAFE TO USE IN USA.... YOU GUYS ALWAYS HAS SOMETING TO VALIDATE...
Sean: based on your review I've ordered one. They had two left. It's nice that they sell it with scheduled delivery. I'm planning to bring home a pair of Cornwall IV soon to try out, and this will make for a nice double-down on the audition. PS: You DO have a head!!! Shocking!
Dude, I think you're in for a great time! This amp absolutely sings with the Forte III's and Cornwall IV's.
@@ZeroFidelity Here's an update. I ordered the amp on Amazon on December 19 and scheduled delivery for December 30 between 6-9am. A couple days before delivery I got an email saying the carrier, a company called NonstopDelivery (sic), would be here between 9-12 on the 30th and would call 30 minutes before. That wasn't the window of time I chose, but oh well, I chalked it up to a timezone discrepancy. I then Googled NonstopDelivery and they have the absolute WORST, most ABYSMAL Yelp reviews ever! Uh oh.
I was home all day on the 30th; they never called, came to my house, or anything. The next afternoon I got a text that my package was undeliverable. Again, no contact from the carrier at all. Just now I got on chat with Amazon and got a refund. Could have been a cool amp, but someone's got their logistics quite messed up...
How did you hear about it, or why this amp?
@ Doug...good question. Was thinking similar. 😮
Because I'm worldwide!!
Hi Sean, thanks for the informative review. I've had my eyes on this amp for a long time. Question: do the binding posts accept large spade lugs?
Sean, greatly appreciate your in-depth reviews. Curious, you mentioned the Denafrips stack had a tube like sound. Did you prefer the Denafrips sound over the Muzishare in triode mode?
I've heard your closing the channel why, to be honest with you I think it's one of the better channels out there would be a shame.
John sweda What???????
@@epi2045 I don't know you'll have to ask Sean
Hi, nice video. You sad that tried Harbeth p3esr and it is good. I have 2 very small 13.5w Fatman tube. One use with Harbeth, Tube is 100$ speakers more then 1000. I have nice sound but I fill I missed something., may be price? NEW NAD D3020 Hybrid Digital Amplifie or Muzishare X7 for my Harbeth in your opinion? Will i get big difference sound from what I have at the moment or speakers ie the main. If not may be to buy another pair of Hatbeth to my sitting room with Fatman for this price? Once I tried to compare CAYIN SPARK MT-12N VACUUM TUBE with Fatman tube and no difference.Thanks for you job
Sean that is one great looking machine! I am a sucker for VU meters. Very nice looking front panel. Cool price tag. I really like KT88's. Nice convenient back panel layout. I like it!
Oh yeah forgot.Saw a interview with Rachel owner of Grant Fidelity and she points out that a lot of people complain about not being able to get info from Chinese manufacturer websites and this is a cultural thing.The Chinese consumer is basically told what is important in so many areas of life that this also applies to consumer products.Instead of data points they want reviewers to tell them what is better or not and this ends up affecting product information and whats available for product info.Sounds like less to work with but on other hand less neurotic.Me well I at will take to much info as long as when things blow my tech can grab schematics you know?This is why I personally thing getting an Elekit or say the Musical Paradise that Thomas reviewed recently is safer because you have a Canadian designer and importer spec'ing out the thing - either company can go teats up but at least in Canada you know you have that information readily at hand
That was a great interview. :)
Good review. I'd love to see a review of a Primaluna. Thanks!
That would be Kevin Deal.
@champer slimmerthannone
comparison must be with line magnetic best Chinese high end.
What exactly do you use the “Pre In” input for? And would it make sense to get a separate pre amp with it or does it do a good enough job?
Thanks for the review. Is it compatible with wharfedale evo 4.2 and wharfedale linton? your opinion ?
Love the review. I’d love to hear your opinion of the primaluna line.
I agree. I am trying to find a cheaper alternative to the Primaluna. I should just bite the bullet and go with the Prima but their entry level am is is $1000 more but is it worth a grand more?
@@mikecampbell68 I own the Primaluna Prologue Four which I bought new for $900 two years ago. If you keep your eyes peeled, you may be able to find a prologue premium on the used market for a decent price.
I had the original ProLogue 1 and 2. That was 10+ years ago (dang I'm old!). I have no idea what their current gear sounds like.
@@rickbradshaw2148 $900 was a good price even two years ago.
mike campbell definitely, but I paid out the nose for my Focal Aria 926s. They cost me $2800
Excellent review, especially since you mentioned how it sounded with your different speakers. Perhaps the Buchardts are happier with more power.
So in case you're wondering, the story goes like this: I have no idea where the ballcap is. Under Armour, are you reading this!? Sponsor me senpai! Also... I forgot to show off the aluminum remote that comes with the Muzishare X7 - - which I also misplaced. It's probably under the ballcap somewhere..
Put a hat on ya hippie!
Jajaja happy holidays!!!
AND IT HAS A REMOTE?!!!!
Sounds like there is a short between the headphones! A little audiophile humor.Merry Xmas to all.
Don Endres this is a pretty amazing amp for just $1000
Great review!. Just a question with speaker compatibility. Had you try different tap connection to hear if that makes a difference? Based on your mention on difficulty with large drivers, could it be from low damping factors or transformer saturation? Or is the problem with mid range or treble?
I’m new to 2 channel audio and I went to my local hifi store and guy showed me the Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum iii are you familiar? If so what are your thoughts?
it's amazing. i'd buy it in a heartbeat if i had the money haha
Does it have a power guard feature to prevent clipping and damage to the tweeters?
It has vu meters so you can read its output to prevent clipping...
Oh man that's a nice piece!! KT88s sound very very sweet! The metal work and front panel looks very similar to my primaluna....same factory?
That’s what came to my head first Primaluna
Will work good with Triangle br03?
You know a lot of products are Chinese made.
This amplifier is really easy to service. Standard, off the shelf parts. The Phono stage is a MM phono stage, and it is really crappy. Honestly, do not use the phono stage in this amplifier. Even now (it's still being made) the phono stage is garbage.
You need the right speakers with any amplifier. Tubes tend to be a little warmer, so if you have warm speakers, the amp will make them even warmer. You also need to look for higher sensitivity speakers.
Tubes really don't need to be replaced as often as people make out. I have a 60 year old Grundig table radio, and it has the original tubes and they are still strong. Tubes are really not the thing that tends to fail. Sure, they do weaken over time, but people make out they are sensitive things that need replacing regularly, and reality is tubes are quite robust and don't really fail often, as long as the circuit is well designed around them. If you get faulty capacitors coupling stages that leak DC power, or your BIAS is screwed up, then the tubes will fail quickly, but other than that, expect many years enjoyment from your tube equipment.
A most excellent review! I am also tied between the X7 and the Willsenton R8. Decision's, decision's! Did you get to tryout the Triangle Borea BR 03's with the X7? I was considering pairing the two.
I wonder if ultra linear mode is a sneaky way of switching between tube sound and solid state/digital which we all know gives you more power to play around with, not that this is a bad thing but it just seems a bit odd that an amp gives you the choice of two completely different sound. Almost like saying i want my amp to sound both like im playing a CD and then having the choice to make it sound like an all tube amp. Ya know what i mean, its kinda like being able to say, i have a car that i can make sound like an old school muscle car and then make it sound like todays 4 cylinder or 6 cylinder Fast & Furious cars. But it is a very good looking amp, and with huge VU meters to. My old H.H. Scott 208 may not have VU meters but i did give it (4) milliamp meters one for each 7591 power tube, a great way to see the performance of the tubes while in operation, i put blue led's in them also, if ya'll want to see it just type in WOODNESIUM in the search box, i have a few things that might be interesting to creative people. Please tell me what you think in the comment section, all comments wellcome, besides, if we cant speak freely then why speak at all.
How do you think the Muzishare will pair with Triangle Comete EZ bookshelves? Eventually I want I plan on doing a build kit with GR Research open baffle NX Otica's as well so wonder how it will do with those too. . Any input is greatly appreciated. Love your work Sean.
I got one and retubed it with some Russian reissue Mullard tubes that were matched and burned in for 24 hours. Found on Ebay. It's a really nice sounding amp. I am just so content to sit and listen to this amp in my system.
hey Stagger Lee, what speakers are you running?
And do you experience the pop sound at power off?
Thanks!
@@rebeccahendriks5119 Hi Rebecca, No pop sound upon turn off, no noise when putting in headphones either.
. I replaced stock tubes with Mullards and then Genelex Gold Lions. No noise with any of the tube sets I listen to a lot of vocal, Classic Rock, Steely Dan, Dire Straights, blues some jazz. Whatever moves me.
Oops. Speakers; I have used Dynaudio Evoke 20 and Triangle Bro3 speakers with it. Front end is a Schiit gunner with an Audiolab 6000 transport. This is a long shot but could there be a problem if your interconnects are not shielded?
@@fletchermunson6225 Thanks for your great reply! I have just ordered this amp, and was reading that some people were experiencing this pop sound issue at power down It is encouraging that it is not not too common by the sound of it and like you say it maybe due to external influences and system setup etc.
I will be pairing the amp with a set of Klipsch Chorus-II speakers, looking forward to see how it runs.
@@fletchermunson6225 I am really glad to hear that the amp sounds great across a broad range of music, some amps can be be really narrow in what music plays best on them.
Would you recommend this pared with a power amplifier driving some magnepans or something similar?
@Zero Fidelity Can you comment on how the X7 sounds with the Forte's? I own a pair and am a little curious if it's a good match. I've seen the Cornwalls powered with 15watts. So I would imagine there isn't a issue there, but do they play well together?
Can I ask what model Klipsch speakers did you test the Muzishare X7 amplifier with? I'm considering buying this amplifier and was trying to identify some suitable speakers - I understand high efficiency speakers suit tube amps and thought the Klipsch RP-8000F would be good as I like floor standing speakers and they have a 98dB sensitivity
How does this compare to Willsenton R8 ?
Does this Tube Amp support Bluetooth? I have tons of music on digital platforms now and wondering if I need a run a cable from AUX or is there BT hookup? Would I have to get a separate box for BlueTooth? Thanks in advance for any gouge.
I recommend switching stock tubes to NOS or premium modern brands. Good thing after all is to recap it since Chinese amps use mostly fake components.
Hi, will it be possible for you make a head to head duel of this X7 vs R8. As I think its about time for a side by side comparison of these 2 integrated tube amplifiers. 😊
Great review! I actually purchased this amp based on your review and I’m very satisfied.
What tubes would you recommend changing to?
I had a tube headphone amp but don't like having to replace the tubes every couple of years so traded it for SS. Paul McGowan claims tubes should be changed about once per year, which is too much hassle for me.
super review,who can tell me what the plate voltage is.
greetings for all of you
My experience with a number of Chinese tube audio components is that the build quality and the transformer quality is very good, but where they fail is the Chinese tubes, especially the power tubes. Nasal sound quality and short life sums it up. Replacing with premium NOS American or European, or new Slovakian or Russian tubes makes a big difference. I favor the JJ (Tesla) brand as being very consistent and long-lasting.
Was this thing "burned in" before you acquired it for review? Tubes require at least 3-4 days near constant use to burn in and open up. Just wondering. Nice review btw!
Review is ok but I wish a little more emphasis on biasing was mentioned. Don't have to go into detail, but a few basics like if a multimeter is needed or not would have been great. As for the headphones, if people own quality headphones like a Sennheiser 600hd or a high end AKG it be nice to get some feedback on that. Too many amplifiers don't even offer headphone jacks, and that's a really a shame because good ones offer a perspective speakers don't. Well, it's between this and the Willsenton R8, and the biasing might be the difference maker, but I just can't find much info on that for this amplifier.