that really does sound good. It is the SM3B with duel HA5002 buffers per channel. I have some 5534's biased into class A. This one has all the switches on front. Great fun, too bad. . . well you know. 
 
I also have a SM3 that Xin converted to a IV with all the switches I need to fire up. 
 
Having not listened to the SM3 for some time really gives me more of an objective view of this amp. It does sound different from most of the current amps. There is a presentation that is very spacious and yet intimate. I can see why some people still search for this amp and a couple of the later ones. 

ONO--a Phoenix arises from the ashes of obscurity.  you'd better tell the newbies who Xin is--or was.

I just wound up selling my super micro because it had been sitting around for the last couple of years not being used it was a great sounding amp I just love the P-51 more.

Yes, do not go to Xin's page and order anything. He is not producing amps now and normally does not respond to emails. 
 
Again, do not go and order an amp. I have made this inquiry just to see who is still using their Xin amps. I know they are very popular in Japan. 

My reference broke a while back.  Looks like it won't be fixed anytime soon/ever. 
 
Any news on what has happened to him?  He used to be my favorite portable amp builder, I loved my SM3 back in the day, as well as my reference and supermicro.  Too bad.  Would be awesome to see what he would cook up these days if he was still at it.

First of all I will repeat the warnings above ... do not order from Xin's site! He is not delivering amps. Having said so I have a couple of Reference Amps using the C5 and D5 modules which were the last versions he made, love the sound and the fact they have both a 1/8" and 1/4" headphone out.

Yes, the 1/4 out on a little portable is totally unique and effective. Too bad. . . . . 
 
With the huge cap it has it will run about 45 seconds just off of the cap charge. The reason for the very long time it took to select the right cap as it can totally affect the sound. So many caps were gone through to figure out the right one for the Reference and then the bypass. . . 

Just using my M4 (8620) today. Nice to expand the soundstage on the mower w/etys. Love the little thing.
 
My suspicion is he was called back to service for the motherland after his cover was blown.

Quote:

happy camper said:

My suspicion is he was called back to service for the motherland after his cover was blown.

Click to expand...

are you joking, or is this serious?  I'm so curious about what has happened to him, I'd consider any crazy idea.

SM4, SuperMicro, SuperDual (remember that one) and an old Supermini.   All work a charm....for now.
 
I too have progressed to the RSA P-51 and Shadow.   Awaiting a Pico Slim and ultimately the new JH3A.
 
I'm going to put a bunch of stuff on the market soon.  But not before I go back and give the Xin amps a try.

I'm still using supermicro IV and imo, it still great. and nothing come close if you factor in the size imo.

It would be cool if Xin would have teamed up with a builder and marketer, like the P Millet and TTVJ partnership.  I could see head-direct working with Xin very well.  Then Xin could just focus on the designs, which he clearly always cared more about then looks, packaging, actually building amps, customer service, etc.

I got a amp repaired by Xin about 2 months ago. I grabbed my SM4Maxed and the batteries were dead. I bought some cheap batteries at the convention I was doing and they leaked. I emailed Xin A he said send him the amp and he would take a look at it. He saved the buffers and the mods and the case and I bought a SM4 inside and he modded it for me. Xin's amps are very special to me. Like Macintosh  in the sixties. I Know he is working because I have emailed him several times and we did repairs. Why he answered my emails , I do not know. I have also talked to him on the phone. Several times over several years. I love all my Xin amps. Sometimes I think of thinning out the pack but have never sold even one. I got 7 of his amps. I would just order what I want and post a credit card and he never hit it till shipping time. I am about to order another SM4 Maxed. My hearing is off a bit and I use a amp for the right ear and one for the left to balance. Right now I use my Reference for one and SM4 for the other. Portable Mono Block. They sound very well together. So much better that I refuse to go back to one amp. I still use a cd player and I owm 4 Imods. Xin is there. Somewhere. I asked him several questions about new stuff. He never addresses anything he chooses to avoid.

maybe he's just not satisfied with his current amps so has been hesitant to make too many, and he's deep in research creating the one portable amp to rule them all?
 
still weird that he wouldn't post something on his site as to what's up