I had to postpone it for a few days as I had not enough free time to do listening sessions for both. I need to spend some time on weekends with my family too :D
Was the faster amp you were remembering maybe the Brumester 933? I was also wondering if you've enjoyed the FM255 preamp. The first look was intriguing, does it pair well with these various amps? Excellent videos man, really enjoyable 😊
Thanks! I think you might be right, that probably was 933. FM255 is patiently waiting in line to be reviewed: I bought some stuff on every sale during summer to have a line ready for autumn and winter as shipping gets longer closer to xmas time.
@k4syx I also bought in every sale, just not as fancy as your purchases 😉 I did get the JC2 preamp you reviewed, really excited to hear about the rest! The FM 255 and bigger Accuphase clone in particular ✨
Hi Tom! Great video. Nice quality construction! I'm still very happy with my Transaudio D5 Pro that can finally drive my KEF reference Three Two's like they want. Now running daily for six months. Have you seen - there is now a Transaudio D9 Pro (like the D5 Pro) with XLR inputs. The JC 2 preamplifier saga is still ongoing - I sent it back to Sheng Teng Electronics Store and am now awaiting a replacement. All the best, Rob in Switzerland
@richardlui8914 Hi Richard - to be honest - not a lot because the JC-2 has a weakness regarding earthing and produces audible hum with the Transaudio D5 Pro. This is well recognised in the comments sections of relevant (German language) videos. Meanwhile some owners have 1) added extra earthing to the chassis from the power supply and 2) re-soldered some of the questionable quality solder joints. Some of those who have done this are VERY happy with the result (not necessarily combined with the D5 Pro). BTW did you know that the JC-2 apparently has a menu accessed by a long press on the volume control for eg. Limiting the volume, setting display brightness, setting turn-on statuses, etc. TBH the brightness was a nuisance, far exceeding anything in my listening room, so I will check this as soon as I receive my new JC-2 clone. I am in the process of providing an English language manual for the Sengterbelle JC-2 clone (because it comes with nothing). In it I will I will give as much info as possible about the earthing fix (do at your own risk). All the best, Rob in Switzerland
@@RobWhittlestone thank you for the information .. I received the jc2 and d5 pro, just received SPL90.. exact same chassis as jc2 just different circuit ..all the good stuff .. may be a separated power separated may make it better ... But still busy in the burn in process of my old new speakers with the fm255 and 300a..plus some new power cables, speaker cables and RCA cables and vibration isolators .. everyday I may be able to have one or two hours to listen.. my wife is doing an online master degree course and she is sensitive to sound even good sounds so .. After fm255 +300a combo My first plan is to play the SPL90 + d5 pro combo Then Jc2 + two TPA class d monoblocks ( A70 or za3) Combo .. And each combo will have three different speakers to match .. Plus coming the power conditioners and linear power supply So much stuff to play with .. I do not have a reference set up so far .. now try to find out one or two reference systems just based on the limited budget .. still all those toys total sum is cheaper than my previous speakers and integrated amp 15 years ago By the way .. ordered a lot of used cd. .. too cheap to neglect .. just $2 each .. after having a lowfi acceptable system get to remember the scope .. it is a tool to enjoy the music !
@@RobWhittlestone by the way .. I just got a pair of coaxial speakers Tannoy like medium box with 8 " coaxial driver how do you KEF r32 match with d5pro ?
@RobWhittlestone just opened the SPL90.. surprise they come with a 3 pages operation manual... The look is handsome ..Craftsmanship is good ..just the feeling to adjust the volume control is not the best Did you note about that the gold plated RCA plug. The color of the gold is different .. may be poor craftsmanship or they do electroplating twice ..
I got this clone. First feeling was that you want to volume up and up. Its so clear on high volumes. I was only listening for couple of hours. Started from some audiophile tracks and ended up listening to polish hip hop music (OSTR) which I wasn't expecting to find listenable. At least that was my experience from many amplifiers I owned before. This amp helped me to enjoy music a lot. Feeling rich on the budget - this is perfect description of this amplifier. Device is very sensitive for different speaker cables. I found cables that I didn't like before sounded great with this device (fake Ortofon 8N OCC). Nice very high quality finish. Overall very good value for the money.
Thanks for sharing! Dzięki :) I also felt its very clean and never noticed when I crossed "too loud" level until someone family member shouted at me :)
@@k4syxI have hooked in Polk Audio R200 today with this amp. Perfect synergy. I would say budget audiophile set with plenty of power,dynamics and clarity. Polks are on sale for little as £374 for pair.
@@EricEs-f6o Exactly, these clones lower the entry barrier for guys on a budget like me. Im gonna test these chineese speakers that are on the way to maybe find best synergy setups for least amount of money. Polks, as Elacs, are very good entry speakers for such a setup - and in time, there is a space for an upgrade as the amp will not be a bottleneck
@@k4syxIf we are talking about budget. I just hooked up Magnat Signature 703. Lovely 3 way bookshelf - 2 X tweeter plus middle bass driver going down to 31.5Hz. Probably purchased the last available new pair in Europe,from Slovakia. I am blown away with this and Gryphon clone. Speakers shine and sign well above 10K PLN bookshelf from competition. I highly recommend auditioning.
There is another Polish HiFi reviewer, 'VirtualHiFi', who has some of the best sounding audio test recordings I have heard on yt. No idea what gear he uses but it certainly sounds good in his videos.
That guy owns two brands manufacturing high quality speakers, he describes the gear he uses in his channel. The mics alone are 3.000 USD, not mentioning the rest of the gear and the room treatments. I suppose they are using that setup for calibrated speaker measurements
@@k4syx He had one video, now removed, where he compared a cheap Class-D amp against a $3000 amp. The Class-D amp didn't sound as good but I immediately noticed that he had accidently wired the speakers out-of-phase. Once I corrected the phase on my PC, it sounded good. It is an easy mistake to make, even PS Audio has done it at the 2024 Montreal audio show. What was puzzling for me were the number of comments where people preferred the out-of-phase audio?
@@mddawson1 Out of phase will not allow you to pinpoint sound locations but it sounds unnaturally wide - you can locate the sounds, but they are all around you. Some people may prefer that especially when listening to YT on headphones :)
Yes I am always amazed seeing sale price differences (clearances too) as its disturbing how big margin distributors have. For example ML XT B100 that I got recently are 1600USD (base price) in US. And local distributor has them listed for almost 3000USD!
@@k4syx lol))) the charger usb cable, that costs $2 retail on Ali, costs $12-15 in our local outlets. And some prices, say for orthopedic gear, multiply by 8-10 times.
MAYBE a winning combination, especially for a second system: * Cary SLP-90 clone tube preamplifier - 321€ * Burmester 933 speaker amplifier clone - 351€ 👉For 672 € at home (Spain/EU)
@@matytinman I dont think at the moment Id like to pair 933 with any preamp. It has ver raw and wild sound, probably by some happy accident (definetely not because of cheap components) I wouldnt like to add any tube sweetness and polish to it. At some point in time I will experiments with caps: I would like to make it better but retaining overall signature if possible So for like a second system I would just go with 933 and source - and thats it
Not really. I decided to let go any AP ideas because of the expenses (I do these in my free time after getting home from my regular job). But also for other reasons: some sellers actually do have AP benchmark results attached to the offers (I've shown them a couple of times in my videos) and as for stuff like power output I only care if they can drive my selection of speakers properly - and my electrostats are heavy and troublesome load. For my dynamic speakers like ML XT B100 anything above 100W is an overkill (and that 100W is also very generous here :))
I really enjoy and appreciate your insight and video reviews. The Gryphon seems like a sweet integrated amp, I actually purchased a Dartzeel clone D9 w/balanced and have just eclipsed the 300 burn in and it sounds great thank you! I was wondering if you might recommend a phono preamplifier/ phono stage
I honestly cant, as I dont have a turntable, though some of te viewers recommended d.klimo clones (I dont know which ones exactly as there is a few of them)
Nob question: Why upgrade the capacitors? Would it make better sound, or just be more durable? Second stupid question, what would be a good pre-amp to match to this? Or is that even necessary?
There are no stupid questions, we all learn by asking them ;) Different capacitors due to their build, parameters like internal resistance (ESR) can affect the sound quality.If the device - amp, preamp, DAC is transparent enough - like all hiend gear - you are able to hear that difference. If the device is not transparent (sound wise) you will not hear any change as there will be something else that will be a bottleneck. As for pre amp recommendations I would go for CARY SLP-90 for this one as its similiar somewhat to D5Pro in sound signature, and Cary with D5Pro is great match. You would use preamp with that only to change its sound slightly, but that amp is integrated amp meaning you have source selection and volume control here so you dont _have_ to use preamp. This amp is also excellent on its own
One silly out of the topic question.. let say the system has two monoblocks power amp.. i can move the monoblock position to adjust the distance of speaker cables and intercinneciton cables Do you want to have a shorter speaker cables or shorter xlr balanced interconnection cables..simply does speaker cables or the xlr balanced intercommection has more interference to the signal?
If you can do that its always adviseable to have longer interconnects and shorter speaker cables. Why? Because the load the speaker creates for the amp may become comparable with speaker cable impedance for longer cable runs and thats bad. Notice that in audio fairs they usually have amps on the floor right by the speakers, and thats no coincidence.
@k4syx the a70 monoblocks come to my mind , then active speakers.. The design of active speakers should be good in theory but the amp quality is another issue .. good at producing speakers may not be good at producing amp.. We are talking about digital crossover .. if we can separate high and low frequency .. then we can separate left high, left low and then right high and right low ... Totally four power amp .. no preamp no crossover .. I can move the little monoblocks A70 behind the speakers shorten the distance of speaker cable ... Simple way 12" full range speakers + super tweeter or tweeter ( only add one resistance at the signal path) on top of the full range speaker box No crossover but need a preamp .. and do not need digital volume control
The electrostatic panel may work .. almost full range down to 400hz just a special subwoofer can compensate that 400hz and below.. but it is very complicated may be dangerous because the high voltage of it is not a professional design , so no ..
@@richardlui8914 There is one guy locally that I was speaking to last year, he was buying ZA3 (3 pieces) to use as open baffle drivers, separately, with DSP crossover. He said he had great results with test builds and simpler amps
@@richardlui8914 Exactly, simple and clean setup. I got two A70 monos last month, bought them on sale for a review - first look vid will be up soon, and then full review with audio quality will follow
Received mine a week or so ago, just running in now, but sounds better than some very expensive amps I have heard. Also I got lucky as mine has the blue Vishay 10,000uF caps that they seems to be offering as upgrades on some amps now.
Thanks for sharing! It will be even better after burn in is complete. I wonder if the Vishays that were earlier sold in "upgraded" versions are there because there are some shortages in Elnas that they were using (and everyone though they are fake). Enjoy this gem! :)
@@jono8705 that was my take on this too as I am beggining to hear in D5Pro video comments that new production units also come with blue ones instead of Elnas. Which - again, if true - makes me think that Elnas are real here
Another gd review, keep up your great work, really thankful for your passion & effort. Just curious if a preamp output voltage mite or will saturate the line input stage of the integrated amp?
@k4syx And as those elkos are not great brand they are new and imho I would use them as is for couple of years and then change them for something better
Grazie al tuo prezioso contributo con questo nuovo amplificatore, molto superiore a quello usato finora pagato 1.800 euro, sto vivendo una nuova esperienza ascoltando come se fosse la prima volta i miei numerosi vinili collezionati in più di 40 anni. Dopo i cavi e l'amplificatore made in Cina ascoltando i tuoi consigli sono tentato di cambiare anche le casse. Grazie.
Hello , first i want to say we really appreciate what you do for us, helping us decide . Just wanted to ask you , there are some purifi amplifiers sold in China , like 1ET400 from Suqiya . Really curios about these class D amps ... Di9d you have the chance to compare a class D with lets say Dartzeel clone ? Thank you
I've actually reviewed ZeroZone monos based on TPA3255 and liked them so much that they will stay part of my collections regardless of any "clone race" results - check my video on that. I havent heard any Purifi amps from China (yet!)
Thanks for the review. The 12 big, green filter capacitors are from the south korean samwha capacitor group. I don't think that they are really bad. Greetings from Germany, Michael
Yes Samhwas are not bad, they are very often found in PC power supplies - for example. But I do have very good experiences with nichicons and mundorfs, though the mundorfs are terribly expensive.
@@k4syx The Samhwas are fairly awful in my opinion, Vishay, BC components or BHC Aerovox are better, but the Mundorf AG's would make it a completely different amplifier, they bring out detail and dynamics through the entire audio range. The difference is so dramatic that if you had one amp with Samwhas and one with Mundorfs you would think they were different amps.
@@jono8705 I know! Exactly! :) But the Mundorfs have one big problem :) PRIIIIICEEEEEEEE!!!!! They are really expensive, though you know what you've paid for the second you hear the results.
As we can see in the newest video of "A British Audiophile" the manufacturer Sugden uses Samwha capacitors for quite a long time because their performance and their reliability. In his video WE can see such capacitors in a Sudgen Masterclass IA4 amplifier which is for 7.900,- Euros.
@@neosystas Yes, Im not saying they are bad, but they would be my upgrade path because there are better. These are just like a good value caps. I have to check that vid though, I havent seen BA opening stuff earlier (but I havent seen all his vids too ;))
@k4syx Hi, Is it possible to use this amp without any preamps, same as an integrated amplifier or would I need a preamp / risk damages if used without one with the modern CDs/DvD players? Thanks.
Hi! Yes this one is a regular integrated with input selection and volume control. No remote though. But you can connect any modern CD or DVD as a source (or DAC) and it will be fine
@@k4syx just one more question - not sure if easy to answer though - if you had to pick only one amp from all clones reviewed for acoustic / jazz / classical music which one would it be? I am kind of torn between this one, fm300a and hood 1969. Any words of advice?
@@udowehab6756 I honestly cant really answer that as I also listen to many other genres, the answer would be artificial and like "in theory, probably, maybe, I would go with" so nothing real
It would be nice if you set up a table or something where you can compare all of the amplifiers you have reviewed. They are a lot and it could ease up the buying process
Yes I want to have something like that, preferably on some external website, to have running top tens. But first I need: 1. finish all single reviews 2. do comparisions with scoring 3 find time to setup hosting server. I do all of these reviews in my free time as I have regular job that pays the bills for that amp extravaganza ;)
@@k4syx Thank for this info. To be honest I have just ordered Gryphon. Something tells me this what I need for my speakers. I actually need to narrow down scene and bring back midrange in my Elac Unifi Reference ubr62. This may do the trick. If not it will be perfect amplifier for my bedroom setup with old cheap Dali Zensor 3.
@@k4syx Thanks a lot for your reviews. I have the integrated MBL/ Dartzeel D5PRO clone and didn't notice any hiss, it is dead black in the background. However, perhaps it is a question of burn In, It is a bit on the dark side, meaning the treeble are not over emphasized, Did you notice that on the Dartzeel clone only PowerAmp ? And if yes, did it open in the treeble after burn IN ? I use mine to drive Harbeth 7 es3 XD speakers, bought it at SUQIYA seller, very good packaging and timeline respected.
@@olivierleroy6983 D5Pro is very open and transparent in the treble, it gets even more refined with burn in, but right from the start its clean and transparent. So maybe thats what he meant about not the pest pairing. But its good to know that there is no hissing, that puts that amp back on my list :)
@@k4syx Thanks for your answer, my understanding is that the MBL preamp in it is built around OPA 604 op amps. I asked SUKIYA, the Ali Express distributors if I could swap them with a pair of simple Burston Audio Classic V7, if there was no voltage issue. Intersting to see if it changes the sound character. Otherwise, this integrated is a very solid component. (same case as this Gryphon clone.
Thanks for the review but the most important on UA-cam is a sound demo !!! If you don't want to be demonetised, you can create two speparate videos. ;)
Theres a problem with sound quality in sound demos. Im working on a mic setup and repeatable procedure for demos so they wont sound as sh*tty as 99% of yt demos :D Thats something I definetely want to have here and I will find something thats not so heavily copyrighted (and these will be separate videos for more reasons than this one)
Nice build but don't they realise that by including a remote operated pot they would likely double sales? Who is using an integrated amplifier without R/C these days? In addition, this amplifier looks NOTHING (again, I've mentioned this before with clones) like it's genuine name sake, the Gryphon Taboo. This seems a common theme with all these clones. If anyone is in any doubt just google the real article and see for yourself. In fact, many of these clones seem to follow/have similar internal construction/layout to each other. I don't want to diminish the value one is (probably) getting with one of these but I wished they would stop using the genuine brand's name and nomenclature in association. These have little to do with the real thing/s. Thanks for the review
Yes, thats not simple 1:1 copy :) Some of the clones have PCBs retraced for new layouts in new chassis, thay are also very ofther stacked like here because they are prepared for DiY builds and need to be able to fit many different generic cases. So basically you get the schematic od the device and then redesign the boards with slightly different goals in mind: simpllicity, easy access to connectors and elements for replacements etc. In some cases new pcbs will also include fixes for known problems with the originals. And some other clones are just blunt 1:1 copies down do pcb colour. As for remotes - I guess Its about the price limit. Most of the cloned preamps include some kind of remote (often something very cheap but still!)
@ The issue I have is with the word ‘clone’ which implies a copy. These are not, far from it. It misleads some folks into thinking they get something equal which is of course nonsense at this price point. We all want something for nothing but it just doesn’t work like that. These amps may be decent value but you forgo back up, history and research not to mention pride of having the real deal. Additionally, come re-sale, you will get little back. Other than that I have no issue with competition from china snd I enjoy your vlogs.
They are the same, but the amps being the same boards (not mirrored!) are mounted in different positions so one of them is rotated. So if you look from above you see top of one channel and bottom of the second one if that makes sense.
Good question. FM300a and MFA1 have better mids. Dartzeel has better 3d and detail on par, less bass. Burmester is wild thing with better rhytm, but less details. So all in all they are trading blows as equals, and then you look at the prices and see that twin 851W will set you back today for (second hand) like 3000USD
They all made in China anyway. CA 851W with 851E sounds terrible. This combo lasted one weak in my household. Fortunately I found buyer and got rid with it quickly. Literally I would prefer listen to screaming baby more than any CA gear.
@k4syx I was running it with Fyne Audio F501 and topping D90. To be clear technically everything was fine,but I could not listen to it for a long time . Very fatiguing in the middle range and vocals. My ears hated the CA sound signature. Everything was clinically clean,but lacked the soul. Probably coaxial drivers didn't work well with CA. Another factor is that I was comparing it to my daily setup that time Pass Aleph 5 ,1.7 pre amp clones which sounded much more musical. I was hoping that CA would give me a big jump compared to Chinese clones. I was wrong. I didn't like it and sold it quickly. This is only my opinion. I know 851W is probably the best they ever made. The guy who bought it from me was extremely happy. It's only me that didn't like it.
@@EricEs-f6o I think that moving from Aleph may be explanation, it seems you like warm sound signature (musical) and 851W is all about precision and clarity. Its ruler flat, it doesnt have any errors in mids so maybe the fyne audios were not the best paring here - that unfortunately happens sometimes, you get two devices great on their own but together in this particular pairing they may sound bad. I love my 851Ws for clarity, transparency and speed, these are one of the few amps that can really show what electrostat speakers are capable of. And they heat my listening room in winter pretty well too ;)
The original amp, has 0.07% THD, while this 0.0014%. Such number, very difficult to get even with NFB. Then, that amp runs cool, so this is not a class A, not a regular class A at least. So how that .0014% THD possible? Or there is a circuit, with NFB, and this is not exactly Gryphon Century, or the seller made a mistake with the numbers. And here, we coming to interesting moment: there are unique measurements of amplifier, like temperature, power draw, output voltage at idle, that I never saw before, but amplifier, is a bit more, than just heater, or battery charger. There is interesting to see, the real THD vs power and frequency, noise floor, IMD. Really, the gear, to perform these measurements costs half of the price of the reviewed clone. And this is not all. I saw very interesting approach of one guy, that reviewed audio gear also: in addition to objective measurements of amp, he just left the precision ADC connected to the loudspeaker terminal, while playing music. Then he shared a links, to the audio files, captured just from the amplifier output, giving possibility to watchers listen not only subjective thoughts of the reviewer, but the actual voice of the gear.
Transaudio guys are giving AP measurements and you can actually see the amps in measurement rigs and output data. But I think they are the only ones doing that. You have to bear in mind that many of these designs are rather old and now you can get better quality, higher precision parts so its not impossible to beat original specs (which doesnt necessarily translate to better than original sound quality). I'm measuring what I can with the equipement I have: temperature is important, because some of us have limited spaces for equipement and its important to know how much heat will have to be dissipated. I dont own AP: Im not a youtube reviewer, just a regular guy with weird hobby and day job that pays the bills for all these amps. I'm very open for any donations towards AP though, even more for anyone that would own AP and would be willing to buy these amps as I do for measurements ;) Having said that, if the ad income will allow, I may get AP. Now its like 200USD per month so its ridicolous. Using ADC at speaker taps is not a good idea for sound quality assesment as it will never provide real dynamic load for the amp with frequency dependent impedance. And amps are highly tied to load from speakers and can sound completely different with different loads. Im working on a ADC with mics setup, but that far from being at the quality level I need it to be. But we're get there :)
@@k4syx why to spend $200 for rent AP each month, while possible to pay once only. Absolutely no problem connecting ADC to amp output; while ADC below clipping, it’s THD level at -120-130dB, so where is quality loss? Just use correct ADC, capable acquire wide bandwidth of the signal levels. You can load amp just with resistor, or either easy to drive loudspeaker. Then new parts, and new designs. - there is good video on this subject here, one guy tested best amp output circuits on modern semiconductors. 0.004% without NFB, is the best result ON SIMULATION!!! So I still sceptic about 0.0014%
@Anatoly_Panchenko I was saying that UA-cam generates 200usd income per month, not that I'm renting AP for 200usd per month :) I don't have a use for AP home, so getting it only for yt reviews I do as a hobby in my free time is not really an reasonable expense. Resistor load will still be linear, it will be better with it than without it though it will still be an approximation of the real sound with real load. I would rather get ADC input parallel to the speaker taps of the real speaker. ADC shouldn't be a load, with high input Z it would work more like a voltage converter. So I would like to have a real speaker there to work as real load and I ADC would record real, frequency dependent, audio signal. I wasn't talking about quality loss from ADC. I was taking about the signal that would be recorded being different from real thing as the amp would be working without load so I'd expect for it to behave differently, probably for worse. That's my guesstimate. That's theory, it's interesting exercise to try to plan it. I may try it some day out of curiosity, for now I'll stick to mic setup that I'm building as this will be useful for speakers too. As for THD my 851Ws are specced to have 0.005%, and these are power monsters so I guess it's easier to reach lower levels with simpler setups. Though I might be wrong here, the last time I was actually designing discrete amp was like 20y ago :D But I
@ it is not a problem load good amp with either resistor or speaker. The speaker, as a complex, reactive load, will unleash flaws of stability, and ability to drive real load, of the amp. Take a look at E1DA Cosmos ADC ISO. Sold on ali, reviewed on the audiosienese. I personally purchased an older model, with no USB isolation. In short- I just happy with it
I knew I recognized that "M" letter, but I couldnt place the brand on them in my memory :) Yes, these are good and its very good to see not just one good brand across the PCB but a few of them, as this may mean (lets hope so) that they were chosen for best sound quality in particular positions
Transformer is way too small for the rated power. Primary filter capacitors are very poor quality, (non audiophile grade) and not even 105 C rated. Point to point wiring looks sloppy.
Yes trafo could be bigger and caps are first mod path. Wiring is not that bad though - I actually liked it. Still, for the price its excellent. Better transformer = bigger price, better caps= even more expensive.
These are not that rare across the EU and you can get some between 2600 and 3000$ for pristine units (at least on the photos). They were not that expensive back in the day as new Gryphons are now.
My round.......Thanks for your time doing these. Cheers.
Thank you! Cheers! :)
Thanks for your grat reviews, and keep up the good work! Greetings from Norway!
😃✌
Thank you! Now I will have to look for a proper beer from Norway! :)
@@k4syx You're welcome, and I suggest Rignes pilsner! Bentzen 👍
Your reviews are greatly appreciated, I am awaiting the arrival of my D5 Pro...yes, as per your review! Pozdrowienia z Australji!
Thanks! Pozdrowienia!
Another excellent review. Thank you. I hope your channel grows !!
Thank you! :)
i am waiting on the FM trans amp review also! your channel is going to blow up! good job!
I had to postpone it for a few days as I had not enough free time to do listening sessions for both. I need to spend some time on weekends with my family too :D
Was the faster amp you were remembering maybe the Brumester 933? I was also wondering if you've enjoyed the FM255 preamp. The first look was intriguing, does it pair well with these various amps? Excellent videos man, really enjoyable 😊
Thanks!
I think you might be right, that probably was 933. FM255 is patiently waiting in line to be reviewed: I bought some stuff on every sale during summer to have a line ready for autumn and winter as shipping gets longer closer to xmas time.
@k4syx I also bought in every sale, just not as fancy as your purchases 😉
I did get the JC2 preamp you reviewed, really excited to hear about the rest! The FM 255 and bigger Accuphase clone in particular ✨
Hi Tom! Great video. Nice quality construction!
I'm still very happy with my Transaudio D5 Pro that can finally drive my KEF reference Three Two's like they want. Now running daily for six months. Have you seen - there is now a Transaudio D9 Pro (like the D5 Pro) with XLR inputs.
The JC 2 preamplifier saga is still ongoing - I sent it back to Sheng Teng Electronics Store and am now awaiting a replacement.
All the best, Rob in Switzerland
How do you like the sound d5 pro and jc2 combo?
@richardlui8914 Hi Richard - to be honest - not a lot because the JC-2 has a weakness regarding earthing and produces audible hum with the Transaudio D5 Pro. This is well recognised in the comments sections of relevant (German language) videos. Meanwhile some owners have 1) added extra earthing to the chassis from the power supply and 2) re-soldered some of the questionable quality solder joints. Some of those who have done this are VERY happy with the result (not necessarily combined with the D5 Pro). BTW did you know that the JC-2 apparently has a menu accessed by a long press on the volume control for eg. Limiting the volume, setting display brightness, setting turn-on statuses, etc. TBH the brightness was a nuisance, far exceeding anything in my listening room, so I will check this as soon as I receive my new JC-2 clone. I am in the process of providing an English language manual for the Sengterbelle JC-2 clone (because it comes with nothing). In it I will I will give as much info as possible about the earthing fix (do at your own risk). All the best, Rob in Switzerland
@@RobWhittlestone thank you for the information .. I received the jc2 and d5 pro, just received SPL90.. exact same chassis as jc2 just different circuit ..all the good stuff .. may be a separated power separated may make it better ... But still busy in the burn in process of my old new speakers with the fm255 and 300a..plus some new power cables, speaker cables and RCA cables and vibration isolators .. everyday I may be able to have one or two hours to listen.. my wife is doing an online master degree course and she is sensitive to sound even good sounds so ..
After fm255 +300a
combo
My first plan is to play the SPL90 + d5 pro combo
Then
Jc2 + two TPA class d monoblocks ( A70 or za3)
Combo ..
And each combo will have three different speakers to match ..
Plus coming the power conditioners and linear power supply
So much stuff to play with ..
I do not have a reference set up so far .. now try to find out one or two reference systems just based on the limited budget .. still all those toys total sum is cheaper than my previous speakers and integrated amp 15 years ago
By the way .. ordered a lot of used cd. .. too cheap to neglect .. just $2 each .. after having a lowfi acceptable system get to remember the scope .. it is a tool to enjoy the music !
@@RobWhittlestone by the way .. I just got a pair of coaxial speakers Tannoy like medium box with 8 " coaxial driver how do you KEF r32 match with d5pro ?
@RobWhittlestone just opened the SPL90.. surprise they come with a 3 pages operation manual... The look is handsome ..Craftsmanship is good ..just the feeling to adjust the volume control is not the best
Did you note about that the gold plated RCA plug. The color of the gold is different .. may be poor craftsmanship or they do electroplating twice ..
I am interested in this amp. Will you make a group sound test comparison of all those amps???
Yes thats the idea after I finish single reviews for all of them
@k4syx that will be fantastic. I can't wait.
Just bought Dartzeel after your great review. And I am happy like hell!
I'm happy for you!
The blue with gold -ve stripe capacitors you point out are Panasonic FC s.
Thanks! I knew I recognize the M letter!
I got this clone. First feeling was that you want to volume up and up. Its so clear on high volumes. I was only listening for couple of hours. Started from some audiophile tracks and ended up listening to polish hip hop music (OSTR) which I wasn't expecting to find listenable. At least that was my experience from many amplifiers I owned before. This amp helped me to enjoy music a lot. Feeling rich on the budget - this is perfect description of this amplifier. Device is very sensitive for different speaker cables. I found cables that I didn't like before sounded great with this device (fake Ortofon 8N OCC). Nice very high quality finish. Overall very good value for the money.
Thanks for sharing! Dzięki :)
I also felt its very clean and never noticed when I crossed "too loud" level until someone family member shouted at me :)
@@k4syxI have hooked in Polk Audio R200 today with this amp. Perfect synergy. I would say budget audiophile set with plenty of power,dynamics and clarity. Polks are on sale for little as £374 for pair.
@@EricEs-f6o Exactly, these clones lower the entry barrier for guys on a budget like me. Im gonna test these chineese speakers that are on the way to maybe find best synergy setups for least amount of money. Polks, as Elacs, are very good entry speakers for such a setup - and in time, there is a space for an upgrade as the amp will not be a bottleneck
@@k4syxIf we are talking about budget. I just hooked up Magnat Signature 703. Lovely 3 way bookshelf - 2 X tweeter plus middle bass driver going down to 31.5Hz. Probably purchased the last available new pair in Europe,from Slovakia. I am blown away with this and Gryphon clone. Speakers shine and sign well above 10K PLN bookshelf from competition. I highly recommend auditioning.
There is another Polish HiFi reviewer, 'VirtualHiFi', who has some of the best sounding audio test recordings I have heard on yt. No idea what gear he uses but it certainly sounds good in his videos.
That guy owns two brands manufacturing high quality speakers, he describes the gear he uses in his channel. The mics alone are 3.000 USD, not mentioning the rest of the gear and the room treatments. I suppose they are using that setup for calibrated speaker measurements
@@k4syx He had one video, now removed, where he compared a cheap Class-D amp against a $3000 amp. The Class-D amp didn't sound as good but I immediately noticed that he had accidently wired the speakers out-of-phase. Once I corrected the phase on my PC, it sounded good. It is an easy mistake to make, even PS Audio has done it at the 2024 Montreal audio show. What was puzzling for me were the number of comments where people preferred the out-of-phase audio?
@@mddawson1 Out of phase will not allow you to pinpoint sound locations but it sounds unnaturally wide - you can locate the sounds, but they are all around you. Some people may prefer that especially when listening to YT on headphones :)
Thanks!
Thank you!
Thank you for a very detailed review ! Much appreciatef ❤❤❤
Thanks!
If this amp was sold through a conventional distributor/dealer, it would cost every bit of $2500.
Factory direct is the new marketing model
Yes I am always amazed seeing sale price differences (clearances too) as its disturbing how big margin distributors have. For example ML XT B100 that I got recently are 1600USD (base price) in US. And local distributor has them listed for almost 3000USD!
@@k4syx lol))) the charger usb cable, that costs $2 retail on Ali, costs $12-15 in our local outlets. And some prices, say for orthopedic gear, multiply by 8-10 times.
MAYBE a winning combination, especially for a second system:
* Cary SLP-90 clone tube preamplifier - 321€
* Burmester 933 speaker amplifier clone - 351€
👉For 672 € at home (Spain/EU)
@@matytinman I dont think at the moment Id like to pair 933 with any preamp. It has ver raw and wild sound, probably by some happy accident (definetely not because of cheap components) I wouldnt like to add any tube sweetness and polish to it. At some point in time I will experiments with caps: I would like to make it better but retaining overall signature if possible
So for like a second system I would just go with 933 and source - and thats it
so do you do any actual testing on distortion, wattage, damping factor etc on things?
thanks for any insights
Not really. I decided to let go any AP ideas because of the expenses (I do these in my free time after getting home from my regular job). But also for other reasons: some sellers actually do have AP benchmark results attached to the offers (I've shown them a couple of times in my videos) and as for stuff like power output I only care if they can drive my selection of speakers properly - and my electrostats are heavy and troublesome load. For my dynamic speakers like ML XT B100 anything above 100W is an overkill (and that 100W is also very generous here :))
I really enjoy and appreciate your insight and video reviews. The Gryphon seems like a sweet integrated amp, I actually purchased a Dartzeel clone D9 w/balanced and have just eclipsed the 300 burn in and it sounds great thank you! I was wondering if you might recommend a phono preamplifier/ phono stage
I honestly cant, as I dont have a turntable, though some of te viewers recommended d.klimo clones (I dont know which ones exactly as there is a few of them)
Thanks for getting back to me, was wondering why I didn’t see any reviews but thanks. I will check that one out. Thanks again
The small dark blue capacitors are from Panasonic. FC range - good quality.
thanks! I knew that I've seen that markings before :)
Nice review. How does it compare with the fm300?
FM300a has better midrange, this one has almost everything slighlty better or on the same level. What kind of music are you listening to?
Those ringemitter outputs are superb!
Nob question: Why upgrade the capacitors? Would it make better sound, or just be more durable? Second stupid question, what would be a good pre-amp to match to this? Or is that even necessary?
There are no stupid questions, we all learn by asking them ;)
Different capacitors due to their build, parameters like internal resistance (ESR) can affect the sound quality.If the device - amp, preamp, DAC is transparent enough - like all hiend gear - you are able to hear that difference. If the device is not transparent (sound wise) you will not hear any change as there will be something else that will be a bottleneck.
As for pre amp recommendations I would go for CARY SLP-90 for this one as its similiar somewhat to D5Pro in sound signature, and Cary with D5Pro is great match.
You would use preamp with that only to change its sound slightly, but that amp is integrated amp meaning you have source selection and volume control here so you dont _have_ to use preamp.
This amp is also excellent on its own
One silly out of the topic question.. let say the system has two monoblocks power amp.. i can move the monoblock position to adjust the distance of speaker cables and intercinneciton cables
Do you want to have a shorter speaker cables or shorter xlr balanced interconnection cables..simply does speaker cables or the xlr balanced intercommection has more interference to the signal?
If you can do that its always adviseable to have longer interconnects and shorter speaker cables. Why? Because the load the speaker creates for the amp may become comparable with speaker cable impedance for longer cable runs and thats bad. Notice that in audio fairs they usually have amps on the floor right by the speakers, and thats no coincidence.
@k4syx the a70 monoblocks come to my mind , then active speakers..
The design of active speakers should be good in theory but the amp quality is another issue .. good at producing speakers may not be good at producing amp..
We are talking about digital crossover .. if we can separate high and low frequency .. then we can separate left high, left low and then right high and right low ... Totally four power amp .. no preamp no crossover .. I can move the little monoblocks A70 behind the speakers shorten the distance of speaker cable ...
Simple way
12" full range speakers + super tweeter or tweeter ( only add one resistance at the signal path) on top of the full range speaker box
No crossover but need a preamp .. and do not need digital volume control
The electrostatic panel may work .. almost full range down to 400hz just a special subwoofer can compensate that 400hz and below.. but it is very complicated may be dangerous because the high voltage of it is not a professional design , so no ..
@@richardlui8914 There is one guy locally that I was speaking to last year, he was buying ZA3 (3 pieces) to use as open baffle drivers, separately, with DSP crossover. He said he had great results with test builds and simpler amps
@@richardlui8914 Exactly, simple and clean setup. I got two A70 monos last month, bought them on sale for a review - first look vid will be up soon, and then full review with audio quality will follow
Beautiful construction
Whene the naim integrated review? Thx
Waiting in line for me to have the time for listening session :)
Received mine a week or so ago, just running in now, but sounds better than some very expensive amps I have heard. Also I got lucky as mine has the blue Vishay 10,000uF caps that they seems to be offering as upgrades on some amps now.
Thanks for sharing! It will be even better after burn in is complete. I wonder if the Vishays that were earlier sold in "upgraded" versions are there because there are some shortages in Elnas that they were using (and everyone though they are fake).
Enjoy this gem! :)
@@k4syx Maybe they are running out of the Elnas and picked up NOS Vishays, I say that as the new ones are normally marked BC components.
@@jono8705 that was my take on this too as I am beggining to hear in D5Pro video comments that new production units also come with blue ones instead of Elnas.
Which - again, if true - makes me think that Elnas are real here
Construction looks ace but the transformator a bit lost/undersized in there. Keep up the good work👌👍
Yes that one could be bigger, definetely
Another gd review, keep up your great work, really thankful for your passion & effort.
Just curious if a preamp output voltage mite or will
saturate the line input stage of the integrated amp?
Thanks!
It will not, but you wont be able to use full pre volume scale.
You talk about volume up by remote... so with preamp, or dac volume?
It was straight from the DAC, so nothing else (just RCA IC) in the way of the audio signal. As pure as I can, so I can judge amp on its own
Here we gooooo ❤
It is a tempting amp!
The video is too bright. How to turn off HDR in UA-cam settings?
Thats weird, Ive just checked that on my notebook and its fine?
That yellow mkp caps would be my first choice for upgrading ...
yes, its simpler and faster than power caps. And cheaper, as you need only two 1uF units.
@k4syx And as those elkos are not great brand they are new and imho I would use them as is for couple of years and then change them for something better
@@IvicaMarusevic Yes, that would be the plan, choose something better, get it for the good price, no hurry and then do the upgrade
Grazie al tuo prezioso contributo con questo nuovo amplificatore, molto superiore a quello usato finora pagato 1.800 euro, sto vivendo una nuova esperienza ascoltando come se fosse la prima volta i miei numerosi vinili collezionati in più di 40 anni. Dopo i cavi e l'amplificatore made in Cina ascoltando i tuoi consigli sono tentato di cambiare anche le casse. Grazie.
Thank you!
Hello , first i want to say we really appreciate what you do for us, helping us decide . Just wanted to ask you , there are some purifi amplifiers sold in China , like 1ET400 from Suqiya . Really curios about these class D amps ... Di9d you have the chance to compare a class D with lets say Dartzeel clone ? Thank you
I've actually reviewed ZeroZone monos based on TPA3255 and liked them so much that they will stay part of my collections regardless of any "clone race" results - check my video on that.
I havent heard any Purifi amps from China (yet!)
Thanks for the review.
The 12 big, green filter capacitors are from the south korean samwha capacitor group. I don't think that they are really bad.
Greetings from Germany,
Michael
Yes Samhwas are not bad, they are very often found in PC power supplies - for example. But I do have very good experiences with nichicons and mundorfs, though the mundorfs are terribly expensive.
@@k4syx The Samhwas are fairly awful in my opinion, Vishay, BC components or BHC Aerovox are better, but the Mundorf AG's would make it a completely different amplifier, they bring out detail and dynamics through the entire audio range. The difference is so dramatic that if you had one amp with Samwhas and one with Mundorfs you would think they were different amps.
@@jono8705 I know! Exactly! :) But the Mundorfs have one big problem :)
PRIIIIICEEEEEEEE!!!!!
They are really expensive, though you know what you've paid for the second you hear the results.
As we can see in the newest video of "A British Audiophile" the manufacturer Sugden uses Samwha capacitors for quite a long time because their performance and their reliability. In his video WE can see such capacitors in a Sudgen Masterclass IA4 amplifier which is for 7.900,- Euros.
@@neosystas Yes, Im not saying they are bad, but they would be my upgrade path because there are better. These are just like a good value caps.
I have to check that vid though, I havent seen BA opening stuff earlier (but I havent seen all his vids too ;))
@k4syx Hi, Is it possible to use this amp without any preamps, same as an integrated amplifier or would I need a preamp / risk damages if used without one with the modern CDs/DvD players? Thanks.
Hi! Yes this one is a regular integrated with input selection and volume control. No remote though. But you can connect any modern CD or DVD as a source (or DAC) and it will be fine
@@k4syx just one more question - not sure if easy to answer though - if you had to pick only one amp from all clones reviewed for acoustic / jazz / classical music which one would it be? I am kind of torn between this one, fm300a and hood 1969. Any words of advice?
@@udowehab6756 I honestly cant really answer that as I also listen to many other genres, the answer would be artificial and like "in theory, probably, maybe, I would go with" so nothing real
It would be nice if you set up a table or something where you can compare all of the amplifiers you have reviewed. They are a lot and it could ease up the buying process
Yes I want to have something like that, preferably on some external website, to have running top tens. But first I need: 1. finish all single reviews 2. do comparisions with scoring 3 find time to setup hosting server. I do all of these reviews in my free time as I have regular job that pays the bills for that amp extravaganza ;)
oh… those chips. hmm so what class is this considered? sorry if i missed that detail!
AB, I think I might have missed that myself for the video :)
Any idea on DarTZeel 108 with MBL pre circuit?
I've heard from a few sellers that I've asked about that that it has slight hiss, supposedly not the best combination
@@k4syx Thank for this info. To be honest I have just ordered Gryphon. Something tells me this what I need for my speakers.
I actually need to narrow down scene and bring back midrange in my Elac Unifi Reference ubr62. This may do the trick. If not it will be perfect amplifier for my bedroom setup with old cheap Dali Zensor 3.
@@k4syx Thanks a lot for your reviews. I have the integrated MBL/ Dartzeel D5PRO clone and didn't notice any hiss, it is dead black in the background. However, perhaps it is a question of burn In, It is a bit on the dark side, meaning the treeble are not over emphasized, Did you notice that on the Dartzeel clone only PowerAmp ? And if yes, did it open in the treeble after burn IN ? I use mine to drive Harbeth 7 es3 XD speakers, bought it at SUQIYA seller, very good packaging and timeline respected.
@@olivierleroy6983 D5Pro is very open and transparent in the treble, it gets even more refined with burn in, but right from the start its clean and transparent. So maybe thats what he meant about not the pest pairing. But its good to know that there is no hissing, that puts that amp back on my list :)
@@k4syx Thanks for your answer, my understanding is that the MBL preamp in it is built around OPA 604 op amps. I asked SUKIYA, the Ali Express distributors if I could swap them with a pair of simple Burston Audio Classic V7, if there was no voltage issue. Intersting to see if it changes the sound character. Otherwise, this integrated is a very solid component. (same case as this Gryphon clone.
Did the original have XLRs
One set of xlrs and 4 sets of RCAs.
but not this one
Thanks for the review but the most important on UA-cam is a sound demo !!! If you don't want to be demonetised, you can create two speparate videos. ;)
I don't agree. UA-cam sound quality might not confirm his observations moreover it might bring misleading conclusions for some of us.😮
Theres a problem with sound quality in sound demos. Im working on a mic setup and repeatable procedure for demos so they wont sound as sh*tty as 99% of yt demos :D
Thats something I definetely want to have here and I will find something thats not so heavily copyrighted (and these will be separate videos for more reasons than this one)
Nice build but don't they realise that by including a remote operated pot they would likely double sales? Who is using an integrated amplifier without R/C these days? In addition, this amplifier looks NOTHING (again, I've mentioned this before with clones) like it's genuine name sake, the Gryphon Taboo. This seems a common theme with all these clones. If anyone is in any doubt just google the real article and see for yourself. In fact, many of these clones seem to follow/have similar internal construction/layout to each other. I don't want to diminish the value one is (probably) getting with one of these but I wished they would stop using the genuine brand's name and nomenclature in association. These have little to do with the real thing/s. Thanks for the review
Yes, thats not simple 1:1 copy :) Some of the clones have PCBs retraced for new layouts in new chassis, thay are also very ofther stacked like here because they are prepared for DiY builds and need to be able to fit many different generic cases. So basically you get the schematic od the device and then redesign the boards with slightly different goals in mind: simpllicity, easy access to connectors and elements for replacements etc.
In some cases new pcbs will also include fixes for known problems with the originals.
And some other clones are just blunt 1:1 copies down do pcb colour.
As for remotes - I guess Its about the price limit. Most of the cloned preamps include some kind of remote (often something very cheap but still!)
@ The issue I have is with the word ‘clone’ which implies a copy. These are not, far from it. It misleads some folks into thinking they get something equal which is of course nonsense at this price point. We all want something for nothing but it just doesn’t work like that. These amps may be decent value but you forgo back up, history and research not to mention pride of having the real deal. Additionally, come re-sale, you will get little back. Other than that I have no issue with competition from china snd I enjoy your vlogs.
Exactly
@@roa5359 I dont really have a better word for them. Not copies, not 1:1, not fakes, not counterfeits. "Clone" was my best shot
@@k4syxDerivatives maybe?
i don’t understand why caps on left side are different (looking) than on right side…?
They are the same, but the amps being the same boards (not mirrored!) are mounted in different positions so one of them is rotated. So if you look from above you see top of one channel and bottom of the second one if that makes sense.
Hope for a November coupon to purchase D5pro
Getone tonight at midnight (the biggest ones will drop in a few hours)
Do you feel all of these clones sound better than your Cambridge Audio amps so far?
Good question. FM300a and MFA1 have better mids. Dartzeel has better 3d and detail on par, less bass. Burmester is wild thing with better rhytm, but less details. So all in all they are trading blows as equals, and then you look at the prices and see that twin 851W will set you back today for (second hand) like 3000USD
They all made in China anyway. CA 851W with 851E sounds terrible. This combo lasted one weak in my household. Fortunately I found buyer and got rid with it quickly. Literally I would prefer listen to screaming baby more than any CA gear.
@@EricEs-f6o Thats interesting, what was the rest of your setup? what was so bad in 851W in your opinion?
@k4syx I was running it with Fyne Audio F501 and topping D90. To be clear technically everything was fine,but I could not listen to it for a long time . Very fatiguing in the middle range and vocals. My ears hated the CA sound signature. Everything was clinically clean,but lacked the soul. Probably coaxial drivers didn't work well with CA. Another factor is that I was comparing it to my daily setup that time Pass Aleph 5 ,1.7 pre amp clones which sounded much more musical. I was hoping that CA would give me a big jump compared to Chinese clones. I was wrong. I didn't like it and sold it quickly. This is only my opinion. I know 851W is probably the best they ever made. The guy who bought it from me was extremely happy. It's only me that didn't like it.
@@EricEs-f6o I think that moving from Aleph may be explanation, it seems you like warm sound signature (musical) and 851W is all about precision and clarity. Its ruler flat, it doesnt have any errors in mids so maybe the fyne audios were not the best paring here - that unfortunately happens sometimes, you get two devices great on their own but together in this particular pairing they may sound bad. I love my 851Ws for clarity, transparency and speed, these are one of the few amps that can really show what electrostat speakers are capable of. And they heat my listening room in winter pretty well too ;)
Ty
The original amp, has 0.07% THD, while this 0.0014%. Such number, very difficult to get even with NFB. Then, that amp runs cool, so this is not a class A, not a regular class A at least. So how that .0014% THD possible?
Or there is a circuit, with NFB, and this is not exactly Gryphon Century, or the seller made a mistake with the numbers.
And here, we coming to interesting moment: there are unique measurements of amplifier, like temperature, power draw, output voltage at idle, that I never saw before, but amplifier, is a bit more, than just heater, or battery charger. There is interesting to see, the real THD vs power and frequency, noise floor, IMD. Really, the gear, to perform these measurements costs half of the price of the reviewed clone.
And this is not all. I saw very interesting approach of one guy, that reviewed audio gear also: in addition to objective measurements of amp, he just left the precision ADC connected to the loudspeaker terminal, while playing music. Then he shared a links, to the audio files, captured just from the amplifier output, giving possibility to watchers listen not only subjective thoughts of the reviewer, but the actual voice of the gear.
Transaudio guys are giving AP measurements and you can actually see the amps in measurement rigs and output data. But I think they are the only ones doing that.
You have to bear in mind that many of these designs are rather old and now you can get better quality, higher precision parts so its not impossible to beat original specs (which doesnt necessarily translate to better than original sound quality).
I'm measuring what I can with the equipement I have: temperature is important, because some of us have limited spaces for equipement and its important to know how much heat will have to be dissipated.
I dont own AP: Im not a youtube reviewer, just a regular guy with weird hobby and day job that pays the bills for all these amps.
I'm very open for any donations towards AP though, even more for anyone that would own AP and would be willing to buy these amps as I do for measurements ;)
Having said that, if the ad income will allow, I may get AP. Now its like 200USD per month so its ridicolous.
Using ADC at speaker taps is not a good idea for sound quality assesment as it will never provide real dynamic load for the amp with frequency dependent impedance. And amps are highly tied to load from speakers and can sound completely different with different loads. Im working on a ADC with mics setup, but that far from being at the quality level I need it to be. But we're get there :)
@@k4syx why to spend $200 for rent AP each month, while possible to pay once only.
Absolutely no problem connecting ADC to amp output; while ADC below clipping, it’s THD level at -120-130dB, so where is quality loss? Just use correct ADC, capable acquire wide bandwidth of the signal levels. You can load amp just with resistor, or either easy to drive loudspeaker.
Then new parts, and new designs. - there is good video on this subject here, one guy tested best amp output circuits on modern semiconductors. 0.004% without NFB, is the best result ON SIMULATION!!!
So I still sceptic about 0.0014%
@Anatoly_Panchenko I was saying that UA-cam generates 200usd income per month, not that I'm renting AP for 200usd per month :)
I don't have a use for AP home, so getting it only for yt reviews I do as a hobby in my free time is not really an reasonable expense.
Resistor load will still be linear, it will be better with it than without it though it will still be an approximation of the real sound with real load. I would rather get ADC input parallel to the speaker taps of the real speaker. ADC shouldn't be a load, with high input Z it would work more like a voltage converter. So I would like to have a real speaker there to work as real load and I ADC would record real, frequency dependent, audio signal. I wasn't talking about quality loss from ADC. I was taking about the signal that would be recorded being different from real thing as the amp would be working without load so I'd expect for it to behave differently, probably for worse. That's my guesstimate.
That's theory, it's interesting exercise to try to plan it. I may try it some day out of curiosity, for now I'll stick to mic setup that I'm building as this will be useful for speakers too.
As for THD my 851Ws are specced to have 0.005%, and these are power monsters so I guess it's easier to reach lower levels with simpler setups. Though I might be wrong here, the last time I was actually designing discrete amp was like 20y ago :D
But I
@ it is not a problem load good amp with either resistor or speaker. The speaker, as a complex, reactive load, will unleash flaws of stability, and ability to drive real load, of the amp.
Take a look at E1DA Cosmos ADC ISO. Sold on ali, reviewed on the audiosienese. I personally purchased an older model, with no USB isolation. In short- I just happy with it
Bello! Se solo avessero un telecomando 😅
They usually do for preamplifiers, not so much for regular amps
sounds like you found a winner
Yes that one is good and has potential for being even better after simple recap :)
These smaller capacitors looks like Panasonic FC series. If these are original- that is WOW! These are really decend sounding caps….
I knew I recognized that "M" letter, but I couldnt place the brand on them in my memory :) Yes, these are good and its very good to see not just one good brand across the PCB but a few of them, as this may mean (lets hope so) that they were chosen for best sound quality in particular positions
$20,000 vs. $500, not a hard choice for those that aren't filthy rich.
.
Transformer is way too small for the rated power. Primary filter capacitors are very poor quality, (non audiophile grade) and not even 105 C rated. Point to point wiring looks sloppy.
Yes trafo could be bigger and caps are first mod path. Wiring is not that bad though - I actually liked it. Still, for the price its excellent. Better transformer = bigger price, better caps= even more expensive.
U repeat yourself too much I can't watch no more
Well I try to follow the same scheme for all reviews if thats what you mean.
Nothing like Gryphon Tabu......blah blah blah......
I would be comfortable paying extra 2000$ for the real deal.
These are not that rare across the EU and you can get some between 2600 and 3000$ for pristine units (at least on the photos). They were not that expensive back in the day as new Gryphons are now.
Thanks!
Thank you! :)