[[email protected]]

I am a newbie. Well, the subject says all.
I see some advertisement of selling 'integrated power tube amp', but I
wonder whether there is any difference from 'integrated tube amp'.
Thanks in advance.

[Laurence Payne]

On 24 Aug 2006 13:47:47 -0700, wrote:

I am a newbie. Well, the subject says all.
I see some advertisement of selling 'integrated power tube amp', but I
wonder whether there is any difference from 'integrated tube amp'.
Thanks in advance.

If you tell us what model it is we might be able to tell you WHAT it
is.

[Walt]

wrote:

I am a newbie. Well, the subject says all.
I see some advertisement of selling 'integrated power tube amp', but I
wonder whether there is any difference from 'integrated tube amp'.


Probably the same, but given some manufacturers propensity to use terms
incorrectly or just flat out make things up, who can say? Here's a
brief synopsis of standard terminology:

A power amp usually just takes one signal input (or two for stereo) and
amplifies it so that it can drive a speaker. An preamp takes several
inputs, provides a mechanism to switch between them, a volume control,
some sort of tone and balance control (usually but not always), and puts
out a single signal at line level. You plug your sources into the
preamp, plug the preamp into the power amp, and the power amp into the
speakers.

An integrated amp is just a preamp and a power amp in the same box. If
it has a radio tuner incorporated as well it's called a receiver. If it
has tubes it's called a tube integrated amp or a tube receiver.


//Walt

[[email protected]]

Thanks for the explanation.
The amp I am looking for is Yaqin MC10L, a chinese made integrated
power tube amp.
There is one for sale in ebay, item #300021029941.
As you see the pics, there is no tone control. Just a volume knob and
input selector.

MC10L is one of the cheapest integrated tube amps with 50WPC I can find
on the net. New Jolidas will sell similar ones at over $1000, and
decent european/us made amps with similar features will cost around
$3000. On ebay from Hong Kong, it will be a little bit over $500 USD.

I wonder whether it is a common practice not to include tone control on
high end integrated amps. Then, how about "integrated POWER amp"?

Google search on MC10L did not show much hits, but there are quite a
few on MC10K which seemed to be MC10L's predecessor and have many
reliability problems.

Anyway, further help would be appreciated.

cho

Walt wrote:
wrote:

I am a newbie. Well, the subject says all.
I see some advertisement of selling 'integrated power tube amp', but I
wonder whether there is any difference from 'integrated tube amp'.


Probably the same, but given some manufacturers propensity to use terms
incorrectly or just flat out make things up, who can say? Here's a
brief synopsis of standard terminology:

A power amp usually just takes one signal input (or two for stereo) and
amplifies it so that it can drive a speaker. An preamp takes several
inputs, provides a mechanism to switch between them, a volume control,
some sort of tone and balance control (usually but not always), and puts
out a single signal at line level. You plug your sources into the
preamp, plug the preamp into the power amp, and the power amp into the
speakers.

An integrated amp is just a preamp and a power amp in the same box. If
it has a radio tuner incorporated as well it's called a receiver. If it
has tubes it's called a tube integrated amp or a tube receiver.


//Walt

[Laurence Payne]

On 25 Aug 2006 07:16:26 -0700, wrote:

The amp I am looking for is Yaqin MC10L, a chinese made integrated
power tube amp.
There is one for sale in ebay, item #300021029941.
As you see the pics, there is no tone control. Just a volume knob and
input selector.

It appears to have 4 sets of RCA sockets accepting a nominal 400mV
input. If you have sources that suit these, it may be all you need.
I think "Integrated" in this case means the two amplifier channels
share a box and a power supply. Some audiophiles think separating
them is desirable.

[bob]

wrote:
Thanks for the explanation.
The amp I am looking for is Yaqin MC10L, a chinese made integrated
power tube amp.
There is one for sale in ebay, item #300021029941.
As you see the pics, there is no tone control. Just a volume knob and
input selector.

That's probably enough to qualify it as an integrated amp, as the term
is commonly used.

MC10L is one of the cheapest integrated tube amps with 50WPC I can find
on the net. New Jolidas will sell similar ones at over $1000, and
decent european/us made amps with similar features will cost around
$3000. On ebay from Hong Kong, it will be a little bit over $500 USD.

I wonder whether it is a common practice not to include tone control on
high end integrated amps. Then, how about "integrated POWER amp"?

It's quite common for high-end gear to omit any tone controls. It's a
purist approach that appeals to many audiophiles, although the
technical case for omitting them isn't very strong.

My guess is that "integrated power amp" is just a literal translation
of the Chinese. What you've got here does what an integrated amp does.

Google search on MC10L did not show much hits, but there are quite a
few on MC10K which seemed to be MC10L's predecessor and have many
reliability problems.

That's not a good sign.

Anyway, further help would be appreciated.

Well, if you want a 50-watt tube amp for under 500US, the pickings are
going to be slim. I recommend you relax at least one of your
conditions:
1) less power
2) more money
3) solid state

My own view is that tubes are not for newbies, and--no disrespect
intended--you sound like you are still learning. Tubes require care and
feeding, including careful matching with other components. Solid state
comes much closer to plug-and-play. But to each his own.

If you want further help, you need to provide some more information:

1) What do you need--a power amp alone, or a preamp & power amp (either
separates or integrated)?

2) What are you planning to connect to this--sources and speakers?

bob

[[email protected]]

My own view is that tubes are not for newbies, and--no disrespect
intended--you sound like you are still learning. Tubes require care and
feeding, including careful matching with other components. Solid state
comes much closer to plug-and-play. But to each his own.

I totally agree that tubes are not for newbies. My friend has vintage
tube pre and power amplifiers rated at 35WPC. He has a Jolida tube CD
player and $1000 (forgot the brand) turntable. He had spent a lot of
money and time for getting (close to) perfect sound. He has JBL L7 and
B&W floor stand speakers (forgot the number), but he was not satisfied
with the sound. Then, he tried my Klipsch KLF-20. It was so much a
better sound with my Klipsh. I could not also belive that my Klipsh is
so much lively and musical with his equipment.
My amps has been NAD 314, Yamaha RXV3000, Nakamichi STR-4a Stasis
Receiver, and Marantz 2230 receiver. None of these amps/receiver
produced such lively music as with my friends tube amps.
Then, he was considering horn speakers, and now he got Klipsh LaScala.
Wow, the sound is even more lively and the vocals and horn sections are
so real! The base is rather weak though.

That is the story why I am thinking of having tube amps. Integraged
amps would be better than separates for newbies like myself. 50WPC may
be a bit too much for my Klipsh but even for 30WPC Jolida, I need to
pay more than $500. Since Jolida uses cheap Chinese made tubes, it will
be over $700 after the upgrades. For future speaker upgrades, I thought
50WPC would be big enough.

If you want further help, you need to provide some more information:

1) What do you need--a power amp alone, or a preamp & power amp (either
separates or integrated)?

2) What are you planning to connect to this--sources and speakers?

bob

I have NAD 541i CD player and Rotel turntable with Grado Black
cartridge. Currently the set up is 5.1 with RXV3000 and Klipsh KLF-7
center and KSP-6 rear.
I am thinking of a tube integrated amp as first step upgrade.

Again, many thanks for terrific help.

cho