Audio post

[MiNe 109]

On another group, someone who says he's a reviewer posted some blind
items representing audio bargains. I couldn't figure them all out so I
thought I'd present them here to get the discussion going.

1. "great performing MOSFET 150+ Watt/channel stereo power amp for
$200"

2. "fine sounding 65 Watt/channel KT88 tube amp that is a dual mono
design, with 5 pairs of line-level inputs, separate power
supplies(including separate power transformers!) and ceramic tube
sockets and all hand wired, gorgeously finished for under $700"

3. "marvelous tube preamp that's circuit-wise a virtual copy of the
famous Marantz 7 for about $250"

4. "quiet, FET preamp (and a copy of an older Nelson Pass design)
with a decent phono stage for $200"

5. "24-bit/96KHz DAC that perform superbly for @$100"

Me and Mr google have some guesses:

1. There have been many mentions of a cheap Behringer amp with a street
price like that but I don't know if it has MOSFETs. A500 Reference?

2. That's the price of half a PrimaLuna Prologue 2.

3. Mr google maybe scores one, Octave-Electronics M7i.

4. Nada.

5. One-third of the MF V-DAC.

That's casual knowledge and twenty minutes of computer time. Have fun!

Stephen

[Trevor Wilson]

"MiNe 109" > wrote in message
...
> On another group, someone who says he's a reviewer posted some blind
> items representing audio bargains. I couldn't figure them all out so I
> thought I'd present them here to get the discussion going.
>
> 1. "great performing MOSFET 150+ Watt/channel stereo power amp for
> $200"

**"great sounding MOSFET" is an oxymoron (unless the amp happens to be
mostly operating in Class A).

>
> 2. "fine sounding 65 Watt/channel KT88 tube amp that is a dual mono
> design, with 5 pairs of line-level inputs, separate power
> supplies(including separate power transformers!) and ceramic tube
> sockets and all hand wired, gorgeously finished for under $700"

**More Chinese crap with crap output transformers. Ho hum.

>
> 3. "marvelous tube preamp that's circuit-wise a virtual copy of the
> famous Marantz 7 for about $250"

**Chinese? Again?

>
> 4. "quiet, FET preamp (and a copy of an older Nelson Pass design)
> with a decent phono stage for $200"

**Uh-huh.

>
> 5. "24-bit/96KHz DAC that perform superbly for @$100"

**That's hardly rocket science.

>
> Me and Mr google have some guesses:
>
> 1. There have been many mentions of a cheap Behringer amp with a street
> price like that but I don't know if it has MOSFETs. A500 Reference?

**Pretty certain Behringers are BJTs. Not certain though.

>
> 2. That's the price of half a PrimaLuna Prologue 2.
>
> 3. Mr google maybe scores one, Octave-Electronics M7i.
>
> 4. Nada.
>
> 5. One-third of the MF V-DAC.
>
> That's casual knowledge and twenty minutes of computer time. Have fun!

**It was fun for me.


--
Trevor Wilson
www.rageaudio.com.au

[MiNe 109]

In article >,
"Trevor Wilson" > wrote:

> "MiNe 109" > wrote in message
> ...
> > On another group, someone who says he's a reviewer posted some blind
> > items representing audio bargains. I couldn't figure them all out so I
> > thought I'd present them here to get the discussion going.
> >
> > 1. "great performing MOSFET 150+ Watt/channel stereo power amp for
> > $200"
>
> **"great sounding MOSFET" is an oxymoron (unless the amp happens to be
> mostly operating in Class A).

Split the difference between 'performing' and 'sounding'! I wouldn't be
surprised if the amp powers up.

> > 2. "fine sounding 65 Watt/channel KT88 tube amp that is a dual mono
> > design, with 5 pairs of line-level inputs, separate power
> > supplies(including separate power transformers!) and ceramic tube
> > sockets and all hand wired, gorgeously finished for under $700"
>
> **More Chinese crap with crap output transformers. Ho hum.
>
> >
> > 3. "marvelous tube preamp that's circuit-wise a virtual copy of the
> > famous Marantz 7 for about $250"
>
> **Chinese? Again?

Malaysian. Maybe a kit.

> > 4. "quiet, FET preamp (and a copy of an older Nelson Pass design)
> > with a decent phono stage for $200"
>
> **Uh-huh.
>
> >
> > 5. "24-bit/96KHz DAC that perform superbly for @$100"
>
> **That's hardly rocket science.

I have one in my $150 receiver.

> > Me and Mr google have some guesses:
> >
> > 1. There have been many mentions of a cheap Behringer amp with a street
> > price like that but I don't know if it has MOSFETs. A500 Reference?
>
> **Pretty certain Behringers are BJTs. Not certain though.
>
> >
> > 2. That's the price of half a PrimaLuna Prologue 2.
> >
> > 3. Mr google maybe scores one, Octave-Electronics M7i.
> >
> > 4. Nada.
> >
> > 5. One-third of the MF V-DAC.
> >
> > That's casual knowledge and twenty minutes of computer time. Have fun!
>
> **It was fun for me.

Thanks for playing.

Stephen

[Bret L]

The Chinese and other oriental vendors sell many variants of a
"Marantz 7 clone" on a pcb with no switching or tone controls in many
forms, from bare boards to complete units. The board costs $5 in 500
piece lot, they retail the bare board for $35, stuffed for $100-150,
and in a cheap case with tubes, P/S and connectors from $250 on up.

The volume control is a $1 double pot and there is no tone stack or
any switching ot speak of. Other than that, it's just like a Marantz 7.