[[email protected]]

I=E2=80=99m thinking of buying an Eastern Electric Minimax Preamp to drive =
a Quad 520f. Can anyone tell me whether this is a good match?=20

The power amp has an input impedance of 20K


The specs for the preamp a

Tube Compliment: one 6X4 and two 12AU7

Frequency Response: 10Hz to 150kHz

THD : 0.015%

Output : 2 Volts

S/N Ratio: 93dB

Input Impedance: 100 kOhm

Output Impedance: 1.5 kOhm

Total Gain : 20dB

Power Consumption: 13W

[Peter Wieck[_2_]]

For that kind of $$, I would expect it to take out the trash each day and walk the dogs every week.

The bad:

a) 2V output, max. Sure most amps will deliver full power at 2V. Sustained voltage above 2V will cause clipping. But, if one listens to music with a P/A approaching 20 dB, you will be hard pressed to find a sweet spot between too loud and too soft. And if you by any chance have examples of 30 dB P/A (Saint-Seans Organ Symphony) it will be impossible. There is a much longer explanation of headroom, clipping a instantaneous peaks - but I will spare you.

b) No Phono stage. And...

c) ... only three inputs in any case.

d) Made in China.

Bluntly, I do not see any upside to this device, and pretty much any vintage but properly maintained Dynaco PAS device would run rings around it. And that is really diving to the bottom of the food chain. A fully tweaked PAS-3X would relegate this to a blacksmith shop.

Rule 1 of purchasing audio equipment: Unless you have the opportunity to listen to THAT item in your home for some sustained period of time, pay no more for it than you are willing to toss in the trash. And, if a device from an unknown (to you) supplier that comes from a long distance and has no live _LOCAL_ support, RUN, do not walk away.

Rule 2 - when in doubt, look at rule 1.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

[[email protected]]

Cheers. The amp was offered at £450 sterling. But your rule 1 brought me back to good sense!

Its very hard to buy hifi, Rule 1 is so evidently true, but how to hear things, especially if I buy on the used market?

[Peter Wieck[_2_]]

On Monday, July 2, 2018 at 12:53:38 PM UTC-4, wrote=
:
=20
It=E2=80=99s very hard to buy hifi, Rule 1 is so evidently true, but how =
to hear things, especially if I buy on the used market?

Used stuff is what I do, mostly. From any source including (really) dumpste=
rs and curbside gleanings. There are two purveyors of used stuff proximate =
to me - and I have 'a deal' with them - I will pay 5% of asking price per w=
eek or fraction thereof, not to exceed 3 weeks for a home audition. All to =
be applied to the purchase price if I choose that option.=20

On remote stuff, I am an unapologetic bottom-feeder. If I get it cheap enou=
gh and don't like it, I can (usually) sell it on and come out whole. And as=
I am moderately skilled in basic repairs, I am willing to take a few risks=
.. Have I been burnt? You bet! But, overall, I am still ahead of the game.=
=20

Take your time. As my Irish mother used to say: Marry in haste, repent at l=
eisure.=20

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA=20