REVIEW: Qinpu Q-2 and A-3 Amplifiers and V-5 Speakers
Feb 25, 2009 at 8:17 PM Post #31 of 140
Feb 25, 2009 at 8:24 PM Post #32 of 140
Feb 25, 2009 at 8:45 PM Post #33 of 140
Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Turntables are not plug and play. They require a special phono preamp.

However, they do not have to be expensive. Here is an amazingly good sounding one for $70:

Phonopreamps.com TCC TC-760LC Details and Hookup


I guess I made that sound kind of "flip". I'm really not as dumb as I'm sounding. I have only plugged my decks into stereo receivers, which of course have the stage all built in. I assumed all amps had this, because I dont own a dedicated HP amp.. yet.... You learn a little every day. Thanks for the recommendation on the amp, I'll take a look at it.
 
Mar 4, 2009 at 3:06 AM Post #34 of 140
Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I have an A-3 shipping to me today, and I'll test with powering my Stax transformers and post a review. I will try to source a couple of nice tubes too.


HA, did you get the A3 yet? I await your opinions with anxious excitement!!
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Mar 4, 2009 at 4:07 AM Post #35 of 140
Quote:

Originally Posted by Keithpgdrb /img/forum/go_quote.gif
HA, did you get the A3 yet? I await your opinions with anxious excitement!!
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It's been burning in since Thursday, and after a couple hundred hours I will change the stock chinese tubes to some JAN GE 5670 and start working on a review. I also have some JAN Sylvania 5670 and some JAN Sylvania 2C51 in matched pairs.

It sounds good so far, even with stock tubes, and it can drive my SRD-7 Pro with Stax O2 Mk2 easily.
 
Mar 4, 2009 at 6:52 AM Post #36 of 140
Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif
It's been burning in since Thursday, and after a couple hundred hours I will change the stock chinese tubes to some JAN GE 5670 and start working on a review. I also have some JAN Sylvania 5670 and some JAN Sylvania 2C51 in matched pairs.

It sounds good so far, even with stock tubes, and it can drive my SRD-7 Pro with Stax O2 Mk2 easily.


man that sounds great. cant wait for your impressions! please bless this noob with some quick info. is there a difference in drivability between the srd-7, and the srd-7sb version? I've never really understood it well.
 
Mar 4, 2009 at 6:02 PM Post #37 of 140
Quote:

Originally Posted by Keithpgdrb /img/forum/go_quote.gif
man that sounds great. cant wait for your impressions! please bless this noob with some quick info. is there a difference in drivability between the srd-7, and the srd-7sb version? I've never really understood it well.


I don't think so, the difference is in how long it takes to build bias more than anything, I think.
 
Mar 17, 2009 at 7:21 AM Post #39 of 140
Quote:

Originally Posted by ddoingwell /img/forum/go_quote.gif
HA, will you be posting your thoughts on this amp herein or in a separate post? Do you think this amp will be a good match with AKG K501-601-701? Thanks, Don


I usually post in a new thread, so it doesn't get missed by people who passed it up the first time, but I can link to it here. I am burning in a new pair of JAN Sylvania 2C51 tubes, as the JAN GE 5670 were not as good with the K1000 as the stock tubes were, which in my case sounded VERY good after 300 hours. I also have some JAN Sylvania 5670 to try if needed later. The O2 Mk1 with Stax transformer were less picky about the tubes. And, i ahve only so far tested the speaker outputs, and still need to listen to normal headphones out of the 1/8" jack in the back (originally intended as a pre-amp for another amp or subwoofer, but made to be able to drive headphones like the Apogee mini-DAC1/8" out).

Blutarsky was very impressed with the stock A-3 driving a Stax SRD-7 Mk2 transformer with his Stax O2 Mk1 and my O2 Mk2. He wasn't sure my Maxed Woo GES was worth 3x the cost of the A-3 with SRD-7 Mk2 to get that last little bit of refinement and micro-detail. He already has an SRD-7 Mk2 on the way and decided not to buy a used maxed GES that he was considering. The sound was as rich and fun and punchy as it needs to be with just the A-3 amp and a Stax transformer.

I am using the A-3 with my SRD-7 Pro right now because the speaker out on the back of the transformer will accept banana plugs for my K1000, while the Mk2 can't. So, I can switch from Stax to K1000 off the same A-3 amp, and it sounds good. I'm also gonna hook up my 40 watt Sharper Image subwoofer to the 1/8" out and see how K1000 sound with a sub.
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Mar 17, 2009 at 5:03 PM Post #40 of 140
What about A-6000MKII ?

The weight almost doubled comparing to A-3. I am thinking about getting it for my W5000. So if i do read it correctly, I could potentially use A-3 to drive a small bookshelf speaker as well ?
 
Mar 17, 2009 at 5:20 PM Post #41 of 140
Quote:

Originally Posted by kodreaming /img/forum/go_quote.gif
What about A-6000MKII ?

The weight almost doubled comparing to A-3. I am thinking about getting it for my W5000. So if i do read it correctly, I could potentially use A-3 to drive a small bookshelf speaker as well ?


I was curious about that a-6000mkii as well. there are no good reviews regarding its headphone capabilities. it is 2x the weight, and looks like its frequency response is slightly wider. of course its a bit more expensive as well. I wish there was more info to compare the a3 with the a-6000mkii. they seem to be set up for the same type of use, but one is...bigger? more powerful? better??? not sure.

I am also considering the a3 for my stax setup with a self-biasing srd7.
 
Mar 17, 2009 at 5:50 PM Post #42 of 140
Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I usually post in a new thread, so it doesn't get missed by people who passed it up the first time, but I can link to it here. I am burning in a new pair of JAN Sylvania 2C51 tubes, as the JAN GE 5670 were not as good with the K1000 as the stock tubes were, which in my case sounded VERY good after 300 hours. I also have some JAN Sylvania 5670 to try if needed later. The O2 Mk1 with Stax transformer were less picky about the tubes. And, i ahve only so far tested the speaker outputs, and still need to listen to normal headphones out of the 1/8" jack in the back (originally intended as a pre-amp for another amp or subwoofer, but made to be able to drive headphones like the Apogee mini-DAC1/8" out).

Blutarsky was very impressed with the stock A-3 driving a Stax SRD-7 Mk2 transformer with his Stax O2 Mk1 and my O2 Mk2. He wasn't sure my Maxed Woo GES was worth 3x the cost of the A-3 with SRD-7 Mk2 to get that last little bit of refinement and micro-detail. He already has an SRD-7 Mk2 on the way and decided not to buy a used maxed GES that he was considering. The sound was as rich and fun and punchy as it needs to be with just the A-3 amp and a Stax transformer.

I am using the A-3 with my SRD-7 Pro right now because the speaker out on the back of the transformer will accept banana plugs for my K1000, while the Mk2 can't. So, I can switch from Stax to K1000 off the same A-3 amp, and it sounds good. I'm also gonna hook up my 40 watt Sharper Image subwoofer to the 1/8" out and see how K1000 sound with a sub.
very_evil_smiley.gif



Until I can get my review done, I just want to stress that my post was a very positive endorsement of the A-3 as a speaker amp to drive Stax and K1000. I have tried it with my SFI woodies and it can also power those well enough, while a Gilmore Reference 1:1 gain could not.

I will try other headphones with it over the next few days as well.
 
Mar 18, 2009 at 2:10 AM Post #43 of 140
Quote:

Originally Posted by Keithpgdrb /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I was curious about that a-6000mkii as well. there are no good reviews regarding its headphone capabilities. it is 2x the weight, and looks like its frequency response is slightly wider. of course its a bit more expensive as well. I wish there was more info to compare the a3 with the a-6000mkii. they seem to be set up for the same type of use, but one is...bigger? more powerful? better??? not sure.

I am also considering the a3 for my stax setup with a self-biasing srd7.


Early 2008 I bought a bunch of gear from Rich Ton Audio in HK through eBay. I'd dealt with them before and they'd been very straight up with me. at the time, I inquired about the A-6000MKII as a headphone amp and the reply looked something like this: "...it just OK. Buy better". I didn't buy the amp though I did buy about $2000AUD in other hi-fi at that time so who ever answered my query knew that I was a player. Who knows: maybe they were trying to sell up on me but they didn't suggest anything other than "...buy better". The seller did however highly recommend the Qinpu T1, an integrated amp look-alike to the A3. I was very tempted. All the products are on the CHPO Qinpu webpages here:

CHPO AUDIO
 
Jun 3, 2009 at 4:19 AM Post #44 of 140
Hi... newbie here, and I must confess that I am not most educated about stereo systems and their electrical theories.

I am really interested in this Qinpu Q2, as an amplifier for my computer. but I am not sure if this unit will be enough to drive my Advent Mini speakers (I believe it's 6 ohms, but I have no idea about the detailed specs)??

any insights/directions are greatly appreciated! Thanks!
 
Jun 3, 2009 at 4:21 AM Post #45 of 140
Quote:

Originally Posted by jarviw /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Hi... newbie here, and I must confess that I am not most educated about stereo systems and their electrical theories.

I am really interested in this Qinpu Q2, as an amplifier for my computer. but I am not sure if this unit will be enough to drive my Advent Mini speakers (I believe it's 6 ohms, but I have no idea about the detailed specs)??

any insights/directions are greatly appreciated! Thanks!


Hey, I cant answer your question. But I can say Welcome to Head-fi on your first post.
 
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