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Post by ocezam on Oct 10, 2010 10:10:44 GMT -5
I have been looking at these tube buffers also. I've got Magnepan 1.6's powered by XPA-5. I'm waiting for both Visn and ejman to report back. Thanks in advance guys
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Post by VisN on Oct 26, 2010 15:10:14 GMT -5
Just received my Yaqin CD1 Tube Buffer bought off EBay from stores.ebay.com/china-hifi-audio. Pretty smooth transaction, delivered to my door within 7 days once he had it in stock. Very well packaged in thick rubberised foam like material, not much chance of it being damaged in transit. I'd happily buy from this store again. It is a very well made piece of equipment, sturdy with a thick aluminium face plate. It feels pretty solid and looks as though it will definitely last. It also came with a free 6H1n Russian made tube. I've hooked it up between the CD player and UPA-1 using the CDP's variable output. After a 15 minute warm up I did a bit of listening to 10 000 Maniacs Unplugged, Floyd's DSOTM and Brandon Flowers' Flamingo. It's still early days but the buffer has certainly added something to the bottom end and seems to have smoothed out some of the highs. Natalie Merchant's voice did taken on a 'better tone' with the buffer in line. I think it will be a good addition to any setup but in my particular system with poor room acoustics and the Dali Ikon 2s twin tweeter arrangement it is a definite boon. I will try out the 6H1n tube as well later on. All in all I am very very pleased with the purchase and I can't wait for the tube rolling fun to begin. $120 well spent. |
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Post by monkumonku on Oct 26, 2010 16:18:20 GMT -5
Just received my Yaqin CD1 Tube Buffer bought off EBay from stores.ebay.com/china-hifi-audio. Pretty smooth transaction, delivered to my door within 7 days once he had it in stock. Very well packaged in thick rubberised foam like material, not much chance of it being damaged in transit. I'd happily buy from this store again. It is a very well made piece of equipment, sturdy with a thick aluminium face plate. It feels pretty solid and looks as though it will definitely last. It also came with a free 6H1n Russian made tube. I've hooked it up between the CD player and UPA-1 using the CDP's variable output. After a 15 minute warm up I did a bit of listening to 10 000 Maniacs Unplugged, Floyd's DSOTM and Brandon Flowers' Flamingo. It's still early days but the buffer has certainly added something to the bottom end and seems to have smoothed out some of the highs. Natalie Merchant's voice did taken on a 'better tone' with the buffer in line. I think it will be a good addition to any setup but in my particular system with poor room acoustics and the Dali Ikon 2s twin tweeter arrangement it is a definite boon. I will try out the 6H1n tube as well later on. All in all I am very very pleased with the purchase and I can't wait for the tube rolling fun to begin. $120 well spent. Thanks for your impressions. I'm jealous since I ordered the same thing from the U.S. distributor, Pacific Valve on 10/7 and was told there would be about a 3 week wait before it even ships to me. And I paid about $100 more than you did!!! Well, this one comes with a couple of "upgraded" tubes so the difference is a bit smaller, but I am just disappointed at having to wait so long since I am so impatient. I can't wait to hear the difference it makes. I plan on connecting it between the USP-1 and XPA-2. |
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Post by VisN on Oct 26, 2010 17:03:10 GMT -5
monkumonku,
I understand the impatience, my sympathies. I went the EBay Chinese vendor route because it was a small purchase to test the waters first. This vendor also promised the quickest shipping, some of the others quoted 8-10 weeks for delivery.
The Yaqin brand certainly seems like a good one, only time will tell. I'm pretty sure that Shanling, Shengya (Vincent) and some of the others are also good.
Hope you get yours soon. Please post your impressions here as well.
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Post by monkumonku on Oct 26, 2010 17:11:48 GMT -5
monkumonku, I understand the impatience, my sympathies. I went the EBay Chinese vendor route because it was a small purchase to test the waters first. This vendor also promised the quickest shipping, some of the others quoted 8-10 weeks for delivery. The Yaqin brand certainly seems like a good one, only time will tell. I'm pretty sure that Shanling, Shengya (Vincent) and some of the others are also good. Hope you get yours soon. Please post your impressions here as well. Thanks, VisN. I will do that.. meanwhile as you get in more listening time please add to your impressions! |
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Post by VisN on Oct 26, 2010 17:31:24 GMT -5
Certainly will.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2010 17:35:07 GMT -5
how do you like the XPA-5 driving the 1.6's ?
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Post by slbenz on Oct 26, 2010 23:51:42 GMT -5
how do you like the XPA-5 driving the 1.6's ? Well, I certainly like my XPA-5 powering my Magnepan IIIas. |
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Post by kingnordi on Oct 27, 2010 5:32:18 GMT -5
monkumonku, I understand the impatience, my sympathies. I went the EBay Chinese vendor route because it was a small purchase to test the waters first. This vendor also promised the quickest shipping, some of the others quoted 8-10 weeks for delivery. The Yaqin brand certainly seems like a good one, only time will tell. I'm pretty sure that Shanling, Shengya (Vincent) and some of the others are also good. Hope you get yours soon. Please post your impressions here as well. Thanks, VisN. I will do that.. meanwhile as you get in more listening time please add to your impressions! I also bought a Tube Buffer from a German Company: www.destiny-audio.com/cms/de/vorverstaerker/tube-buffer.htmlThe Buffer is similar to the Yaqin SD-CD 3 offered in Ebay. It came with cheap low cost chinese tubes 6N8P. They sound really bad. I replaced those tubes with a matched pair of the famous Electro-Harmonix 6SN7-EH-G Tube`s, that´s the gold-pin Version. Well, that was the Night and Day Difference i expected before. The Buffer is connected between the ERC-1 and the USP-1. The SQ increased dramatical, much more Details, smoother Highs and more depth. I`m very happy with the purchase especially with the Tube`s. |
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Post by ocezam on Oct 27, 2010 7:52:23 GMT -5
I bought a Grant fidelity grantfidelity.com/site/B-283+Tube+Processor+Buffer tube buffer from a guy on Audiogon for $75 plus ship. It should be here this week. I believe it is identical to the YAQIN SD-CD2 except for aesthetics. I'm very hopefull it will help the harshness of CD's played through my Magnepan 1.6's with my XPA-5. I think we completely hijacked this thread, but will post my thoughts after I receive it. |
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Post by VisN on Oct 27, 2010 16:09:19 GMT -5
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Post by oppman99 on Oct 27, 2010 22:07:10 GMT -5
I put in an offer on one yesterday, so I'm just waiting to see if the seller will bite. Should be just a little less than what you paid. The one I missed was in the states, so shipping would have been very affordable. I'm just afraid I'll like it and want a buffer with balanced in/outputs, and that gets expensive in a hurry.
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ejman
Minor Hero
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Post by ejman on Nov 4, 2010 9:47:21 GMT -5
Well, I have to report that the itch to replace the MMG's with the 1.7 has passed. I am so pleased with the sound I'm getting now: USP 1 > Yaqin CD1 > Upa 1 > MMG's with the assist of an HSU sub that I just don't have the motivation to go and experiment some more.
Putting my MMG's on a very short stand that allows them to be much more vertical opened the soundstage enormously while keeping the midbass just where I like it. I had experimented earlier with stands that raised the MMg's about a foot but found the resulting tonal balance unpleasant, too light in the midbass.
So for now, I guess the checkbook will get a rest
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Post by VisN on Nov 4, 2010 11:55:45 GMT -5
Glad that you're happy with your sound. On of these days I'm going to have to get me a pair of those MMGs.
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Post by strindl on Nov 4, 2010 19:55:49 GMT -5
Well, I have to report that the itch to replace the MMG's with the 1.7 has passed. I am so pleased with the sound I'm getting now: USP 1 > Yaqin CD1 > Upa 1 > MMG's with the assist of an HSU sub that I just don't have the motivation to go and experiment some more. Putting my MMG's on a very short stand that allows them to be much more vertical opened the soundstage enormously while keeping the midbass just where I like it. I had experimented earlier with stands that raised the MMg's about a foot but found the resulting tonal balance unpleasant, too light in the midbass. So for now, I guess the checkbook will get a rest Those stands look really nice...they match the wood on the MMG's. Did you make those yourself? |
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ejman
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Post by ejman on Nov 4, 2010 20:48:20 GMT -5
Thank you. Yes, construction is really simple. Just three squares the size of the MMG base with enough room for the MMG factory legs - Top and bottom 3/4 birch plywood with a 3/4 MDF center and a few coats of Tung oil. It was just plain luck that it matched the color of the MMG so closely.
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