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Vintage Audio Review
United States
Registrace 1. 03. 2022
Thanks for stopping by Vintage Audio Review (VAR). I have enjoyed collecting, repairing and of course listening to stereo equipment for many years and thought I would start this channel to further this hobby of mine. Hopefully you will enjoy some of the equipment that I show here as well as find the topics interesting and possibly useful. I hope there will be good discussions/comments as well. The first video has an introduction which talks a little bit more about VAR.
Neohipo ET30 Speaker/Amplifier Switcher: Vintage Audio Review Episode #127
In this episode I look at the performance and features of the Neohipo ET30 Speaker/Amplifier switcher with Vu Meters.
Email your question(s) for a future video to: VintageAudioReview@proton.me
00:00 Introduction
02:31 “Tour” of the ET 30
05:41 Operating the ET30
09:47 Remote control operation
13:21 Test Data
23:27 Summary/ Final Comments
Email your question(s) for a future video to: VintageAudioReview@proton.me
00:00 Introduction
02:31 “Tour” of the ET 30
05:41 Operating the ET30
09:47 Remote control operation
13:21 Test Data
23:27 Summary/ Final Comments
zhlédnutí: 345
Video
Aiyima T9 vs. Marantz 8B Amplifier A/B Test: Vintage Audio Review Episode #126
zhlédnutí 459Před 21 hodinou
In this episode I conduct a “blind” A/B listening test to compare a $100 Aiyima T9 integrated “partial tube” amplifier with a DAC & Bluetooth, against a ~$3800 vintage Marantz 8B tube amplifier. Basic electrical performance data from each is included. Email your question(s) for a future video to: VintageAudioReview@proton.me 00:00 Introduction 06:25 Electrical Performance Data 10:47 Test Setup ...
BSR EQ14/14XR Equalizer: Vintage Audio Review Episode #125
zhlédnutí 310Před 14 dny
In this episode I look at BSR EQ14/14XR Equalizer- its performance & features. Email your question(s) for a future video to: VintageAudioReview@proton.me 00:00 Introduction 02:14 “Tour” of EQ 03:30 Measurement Data Starts- THD & Loss 05:20 THD with EQ set for 12dB 05:47 THD with EQ set for 6dB 06:42 Frequency Response 07:46 Boosting bands by 6dB plot 08:50 System Noise 09:15 Multitone 09:30 Har...
McIntosh MC250 Power Amplifier: Vintage Audio Review Episode #125
zhlédnutí 294Před 21 dnem
In this episode I look at McIntosh MC250 Power Amplifier- its performance & features. Email your question(s) for a future video to: VintageAudioReview@proton.me 00:00 Introduction 01:52 “Tour” of MC250 04:47 Measurement Data Starts- THD 1w/8ohms & 4ohms 06:00 Frequency Response 07:28 Max Power & THD 4/8ohms 10:56 Output Impedance 11:23 THD vs Freq & Output power 12:01 IMD 12:26 Crosstalk 12:54 ...
Marantz 8B Power Amplifier: Vintage Audio Review Episode #123
zhlédnutí 783Před 28 dny
In this episode I look at Marantz 8B Power Amplifier- its performance & features. Email your question(s) for a future video to: VintageAudioReview@proton.me 00:00 Introduction 01:43 “Tour” of 8B 04:23 Measurement Data Starts- THD 1w & 5w/8ohms 06:33 Frequency Response 08:05 Output Impedance 08:27 Crosstalk 08:49 Max Power & THD/Harmonics 8ohms 10:18 Multitone Response 10:40 System Noise 11:20 I...
Acoustic Research 2Ax Loudspeakers- Vintage Audio Review Episode #122
zhlédnutí 633Před měsícem
In this episode I discuss the AR 2ax loudspeaker, as well as basic measurements of the speaker itself. Email your question(s) for a future video to: VintageAudioReview@proton.me 00:00 Introduction 02:28 “Tour” of speaker 03:35 Frequency Response 08:00 Impedance Measurements 09:25 Listening/ Comments
Quad 405-2 Power Amplifier (with clone boards): Vintage Audio Review Episode #121
zhlédnutí 708Před měsícem
In this episode I look at Quad 402-2 Power Amplifier- its performance & features following replacement of the original boards with “clone boards”. Here are are the clone boards that I purchased: www.ebay.com/itm/113104288954 Email your question(s) for a future video to: VintageAudioReview@proton.me 00:00 Introduction 07:25 “Tour” of the Quad 11:36 Measurement Data Starts- THD 5w/8ohms & 4ohms 1...
Kenwood KR-5030 Stereo Receiver- Vintage Audio Review Episode #120
zhlédnutí 375Před měsícem
In this episode I look at the performance, & features of a Kenwood KR-5030 AM/FM Stereo Receiver. Email your question(s) for a future video to: VintageAudioReview@proton.me 00:00 Introduction 02:14 Outside “Tour” 04:03 Inside view with covers removed 04:32 Measurements start- THD SNR 5w/8ohms & 4ohms 05:25 Freq response 5w/8ohms & 4ohms 06:21 Max Power Measurement (8ohms) 07:18 Max Power Measur...
Sansui AU7700 Integrated Amp- Vintage Audio Review Episode #119
zhlédnutí 422Před měsícem
In this episode I look at the performance, & features of a Sansui AU7700 Integrated amp. 00:00 Introduction 01:39 Outside “tour” 04:16 Inside view with covers removed 07:04 Measurements begin- THD SNR @ 5w 08:45 Freq Response 10:06 Output Impedance 10:39 Crosstalk 11:28 Max Power 8 & 4 ohms 14:14 THD vs Freq & output power (8ohms) 15:03 Multitone 15:25 System Noise 16:24 Filters 17:02 IMD 17:46...
McIntosh C48 Preamplifier- Vintage Audio Review Episode #118
zhlédnutí 409Před 2 měsíci
In this episode I look at McIntosh C48 Preamp- its performance & features. 00:00 Introduction 01:55 C48 Operation 05:28 Rear of C48 07:03 Inside of C48 07:28 Measurement Data Starts- THD (unbalanced inputs) 08:40 Frequency response (unbalanced) 09:13 EQ Bypass On/OFF 10:33 Crosstalk 11:12 Max Output Voltage @ 1khz 12:10 Max Gain @1khz & SNR 13:12 System Noise 13:27 Input to Input Isolation 14:1...
Pioneer QX8000 Quad Receiver- Vintage Audio Review Episode #117
zhlédnutí 267Před 2 měsíci
In this episode I look at the performance & features of a Pioneer QX8000 AM/FM Quadraphonic Receiver. 00:00 Introduction 01:25 Outside “Tour” 04:10 Inside “Tour” 05:17 Measurements Start- THD/SNR 5w/8ohms Front 06:20 THD/SNR 5w/4ohms 06:46 Frequency Response 8ohms Rear 08:12 THD/SNR 5w/8ohms Rear 08:47 Rated Power Rear 09:66 Output Impedance 10:19 IMD 10:56 Multitone 11:25 Crosstalk 12:10 THD/S...
Sansui 7000 Stereo Receiver- Vintage Audio Review Episode #116
zhlédnutí 500Před 2 měsíci
In this episode I look at the performance, & features of a Sansui 7000 AM/FM Stereo Receiver. Email your question(s) for a future video to: VintageAudioReview@proton.me 00:00 Introduction 01:56 Outside “Tour” 03:50 Inside-top view with cover removed 04:35 Power Limiter Circuit 05:10 Measurements start 05:15 THD SNR 5w/8ohms 06:00 Freq response 5w/8ohms 06:37 Max Power Measurement (8ohms) 07:48 ...
Using the QuantAsylum QA40x (pt2) to measure a McIntosh MC2300- Vintage Audio Review Episode #115
zhlédnutí 1,5KPřed 2 měsíci
In this episode I use a QuantAsylum QA40x audio analyzer to measure a McIntosh MC2300 Power amp and look at its performance and features. This would be part 2 of using the QuantAsylum QA40x. Email your question(s) for a future video to: VintageAudioReview@proton.me 00:00 Introduction 05:35 “Tour” of Outside 09:10 “Tour” of Inside 12:45 Measurement Data Begins 18:50 THD/SNR 5W/8ohms 21:30 Freque...
Realistic STA-120 Receiver- Vintage Audio Review Episode #114
zhlédnutí 597Před 3 měsíci
In this episode I look at the performance, & features of a Realistic STA-120 AM/FM Stereo Receiver. Email your question(s) for a future video to: VintageAudioReview@proton.me 00:00 Introduction 01:53 Front “tour” 03:34 Rear “tour” 05:06 Inside views with case removed 06:30 Measurements 06:35 THD/SNR @5w/8ohms 07:05 Frequency Response @5w/8ohms 07:55 Max Power Measurement (8ohms) 11:26 Crosstalk...
Testing the effect of fuses for Audio: Vintage Audio Review Episode #113
zhlédnutí 310Před 3 měsíci
In this episode I look at how standard fast blow fuses effect an audio signal. Email your question(s) for a future video to: VintageAudioReview@proton.me 00:00 Introduction 04:25 Test Data 13:28 Summary/ Final Comments
Aragon 8008 Power Amplifier: Vintage Audio Review Episode #112
zhlédnutí 947Před 3 měsíci
Aragon 8008 Power Amplifier: Vintage Audio Review Episode #112
QUAD 34 Preamplifier- Vintage Audio Review Episode #111
zhlédnutí 1,3KPřed 3 měsíci
QUAD 34 Preamplifier- Vintage Audio Review Episode #111
Sherwood S-8900a FM Stereo Receiver- Vintage Audio Review Episode #110
zhlédnutí 865Před 3 měsíci
Sherwood S-8900a FM Stereo Receiver- Vintage Audio Review Episode #110
USHER AU-8500II Integrated Amp- Vintage Audio Review Episode #109
zhlédnutí 398Před 4 měsíci
USHER AU-8500II Integrated Amp- Vintage Audio Review Episode #109
Dynaco Stereo 120 Power Amplifier: Vintage Audio Review Episode #108
zhlédnutí 1,4KPřed 4 měsíci
Dynaco Stereo 120 Power Amplifier: Vintage Audio Review Episode #108
McIntosh MC2125 Power Amplifier: Vintage Audio Review Episode #107
zhlédnutí 900Před 4 měsíci
McIntosh MC2125 Power Amplifier: Vintage Audio Review Episode #107
Marantz 4430 Quad Receiver- Vintage Audio Review Episode #106
zhlédnutí 523Před 4 měsíci
Marantz 4430 Quad Receiver- Vintage Audio Review Episode #106
Nakamichi Dragon Cassette deck: Vintage Audio Review Episode #105
zhlédnutí 3,2KPřed 5 měsíci
Nakamichi Dragon Cassette deck: Vintage Audio Review Episode #105
Soundcraftsmen RA7501 Amplifier: Vintage Audio Review Episode #104
zhlédnutí 2,8KPřed 5 měsíci
Soundcraftsmen RA7501 Amplifier: Vintage Audio Review Episode #104
McIntosh MX117 Tuner/ Preamplifier- Vintage Audio Review Episode #103
zhlédnutí 386Před 5 měsíci
McIntosh MX117 Tuner/ Preamplifier- Vintage Audio Review Episode #103
Yamaha NS-200M Loudspeaker- Vintage Audio Review Episode #102
zhlédnutí 856Před 5 měsíci
Yamaha NS-200M Loudspeaker- Vintage Audio Review Episode #102
Kenwood KA4002 Integrated Amp- Vintage Audio Review Episode #101
zhlédnutí 707Před 6 měsíci
Kenwood KA4002 Integrated Amp- Vintage Audio Review Episode #101
“What speakers would you take if you were stranded on a deserted island? Vintage Audio Review #100
zhlédnutí 431Před 6 měsíci
“What speakers would you take if you were stranded on a deserted island? Vintage Audio Review #100
$143 vs. $3 RCA to 3.5mm Cable Comparison: Vintage Audio Review Episode #99
zhlédnutí 1,2KPřed 6 měsíci
$143 vs. $3 RCA to 3.5mm Cable Comparison: Vintage Audio Review Episode #99
Altec Model 1570b Monoblock Tube Amp: Vintage Audio Review Episode #98
zhlédnutí 935Před 6 měsíci
Altec Model 1570b Monoblock Tube Amp: Vintage Audio Review Episode #98
looks like a Toaster
A toaster with big meters!
DQ-10s in the background?!
Thanks so much more the question, but those are 27" computer monitors for my workbench PC. I have never owned any Dalquist speakers.
The last thing the signal path between an amp and speakers need is more switches or relays. The better the system the more it would destroy the sound. And "VU" meters? Outright LIE! "VU" as a meter spec is useless for power amps! Actual VU meters don't measure Peaks which you would want in Power meters, they measure RMS averages with a needle response rise time of 300 ms, way to slow! 0 VU is 1.228 Volts RMS across a 600 ohm resistance. Useless for measuring the voltage 20V - 60V most amps put out to 8 ohms. 100Watts is roughly 28 volts @ 8 ohms.
First, thanks so much for sharing your comments! I Agree with you about the whole VU thing. They are not power meters and do not show watts. But they can be useful to do a quick matching to set the amplifier output levels at say 1khz that would be going into each speaker- easier than hooking up a DMM for most folks. You are obviously technically inclined. I like when your amp gives you a choice of whether you want a peak meter response or average, on a "hold peak for a while" (or LEDs if that is what is used). I would say that up to the current handling capability of the ET30, your sound is pretty much not going to be affected from what the data showed.
@@vintageaudioreview I'm on a mission to correct the misuse of "VU" for what are or should be Power meters. Even back in the day VU was misused with even better display's like Peak Sample and Hold. VU was only used to assure uniform display in the way way back days. But with people willing to spend $10k or more on speaker cables to provide the most direct signal transfer from the amp, all those extra connectors, relays, ...
@@glenncurry3041 I remember reading threads about the mis-use of VU meters on the ASR site, and it was in regard to a device like the ET30. I actually just finished sending an email to Neohipo based on your comments, about making it an actual power meter with a switch to set for 20w or 200w (8ohms) ranges and not have the controls. My guess is that folks who spend $10k for speaker cables have no need for a device like the ET30 as they should have a room dedicated to each of their systems.
@@vintageaudioreview You might check the source names. It might have been me. I've posted a number of times when I see these things. These are mislabeled voltage meters. Ever relabeling them to Watts based on 8 ohms is not technically accurate. True power meters monitor the voltage and current in relevant phases. Like the AC Meter on houses. But yes, likely a dual 4 ohm and 8 ohm set of scales would at least be meaningful.
@@glenncurry3041 The person I emailed the suggestions to thought it was a good idea and passed the suggestion onto the engineering team. I have designed a few LED power meters, which strictly measured the voltage across the load, and were ok for what they are. My 1st attempt at designing one using big blue meters failed and set me back about $200, though I may try another approach at some point in time...I like displays
You do great reviews! Very thorough. That item is pretty cool! With lots of features, I'm tempted... But I am currently using the Douk Audio Little Bear and am happy with it for now.
I started of with the Little Bear- actual returned one and got another one a month or so later. They have a low frequency boost at 20hz if I remember correctly- probably less than 1dB, but I did not think something I would be using for a/b'ing should have that and returned it. I wrote a paper on my measurements which I posted to the ASR website. But for most folks, that is not going to be a factor. Thanks for watching and commenting as always!
@vintageaudioreview I believe I watched your review or reporting on the One Little Bear. I believe you mentioned a .4 dB rise at the frequency extremes? I don't remember for sure. When I got the One Little Bear in my system, I tried to hear any issues with the sound, but I did not hear any difference. I, too, had to exchange for another unit due to the meter operation barely moving. The free replacement One Little Bear has been working fine for about 2 years now. I do like the larger size and additional features of your review unit. I would probably purchase it when the time comes. Thanks for your great review!
@@vintageaudioreview I just bought one!
@@scottbennett3119 I only did a write up for the Douk unit, and I just read it and it actually has 1dB of gain at 20hz. My guess is that it is caused by the transformer they have installed as part of the VU meter circuit. I wrote them and they got back to me and told me to look to see if the unit I had was configured with certain parts indicating a change to fix the problem had been made, and it had, so I returned it to Amazon again. For most folks it is not a big deal, but for what I do, it was unacceptable. I do not think that I've done a video on the switcher that I use now, but did a write up which I also posted on the ASR site. I really like the ET30, but don't have a need for it with my systems, but my buddy Ian does so he has it (trade credit for some piece of gear of his 😃) and really enjoys being able to switch between two amps and two speakers
@vintageaudioreview I said earlier you did either a review or report, as I couldn't remember exactly which it was. Anyway, I went ahead and bought the unit today because of your enthusiastic review today...
Oh that unit is tempting. Thanks for showing and measuring. Cheers, Alistair
I appreciate you watching and taking a few moments to comment. If you have the need to switch between two amps and two speakers it is a great choice!
Yes , speaker switching was my use. You know I seem to gather mid range 80s speakers , I need to weed out
@@ragnarhairybreeks If they work and sound good, find a place for them 😁
Interesting. I think if you halve the power then adjust the knob on the right you can calibrate it to show a -3bd différance or vice versa.
Thanks for the comment. It would show a more accurate dB change when the power levels were less than I think 26w/8ohms, but as you were at a higher power level, say 52w/8ohms, the change was not 3dB- which is what I showed. If I then adjusted the control on the Left "Swing Range" so that it was at 0dB and then went to 104w/8ohms, maybe it would have shown a +3dB change.. but I did not do that, though it would have been another interesting test. Could have also went down to 26w/8ohms again and see if it was -3dB....I appreciate your suggestion.
Well done. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for taking the time to let me know you liked it!
Historic amplifier. However, the full power fft shows a lot of harmonics, -50db is not very good. Maybe there's a fault, i thought i saw cooked resistors on the pcb. Cool to see it, thanks for the review.
Thanks you for taking the time to comment. I would not regard it as an historic amplifier though. I went back and looked at the raw footage and pictures I took and did not see any cooked resistors. It looked decent at the lower power levels. Not the best performing amp at higher power levels- at least this one....
I have been using the same model amp since 1982. It works well with the exception of the graphic equalizer display lights, which are more cosmetic than functional. I used this amp to play music for dances for three years in a small hall back in the 80s. It still works like new. Thanks for the review on this workhorse amp that was not expensive to buy when new, and is still cranking out the tunes 42 years later.
I love hearing about gears that is still working great after so many years of use- thanks for sharing! The amps should be an easy fix I would think
One of the replies was asking for just vintage comparisons. I have the Bogan db230 and 230A which are actually quite different (not in sound but the circuits are different with different driver tubes) I would like to hear vs. the Marantz, Scott, Fisher, Dynaco or Heathkits etc. Thanks for the video.
Thanks so much for watching and the suggestion. I did mention in one of my earlier responses that for my next a/b get together test, it will be between vintage receivers. Ian (seen at the end of the video), has several vintage receivers to choose from. He will provide me 3 and will not know which two I use until after the test, and no-one else will know what the potential choices are. I will have tested all of them and done a video on the choices. I am guessing there will be a Sansui among them. This event will be in mid October if all goes well, with the video up in November.
So who was B and who was C. Comments lacked without association. The subject didnt need to know but us viewers would like to know.
Thanks for the comment/question. I stated in the video, towards the end, that B was the T9 and the Marantz was C.
@@vintageaudioreviewit would have interesting to know as a viewer which way the participants were leaning. Got it at the end but lost interest during the tester remarks section.
@@brunoespinosa5907 Thanks for you suggestion. I like putting the participants in the video- I think they get a kick out of it and it just shows I am not pulling this out of the air. I doubt we would ever get more than 15folks, and one guy does not want to be on CZcams (he was not at this event). At 19:38 in the video I did read the questionnaire summary results.
@@vintageaudioreview I do appreciate the reviewers candid impression and think it's a part of a very important step of verification of the authenticity of the results, please keep this part in upcoming posts! Those who may not be interested may simply skip this part~
@@ericlo6370 As I mentioned to someone- maybe it was you (there have been a lot of comments on this video, which is good, but does take some time for me to respond) the participants, most but not all I have met before, like to have me ask for their comments for the video, though not all of them have seen it yet.
Never know these days. Makes me think the speakers weren't complimenting the Marantz's strengths.
Thanks for the comment. Am not sure what complimenting the speakers would have required as both amps were able to drive them pretty easily for the levels we needed. Some folks believe that horn speakers can sound less harsh with tube amps, but I have not found that with my listening tests.
Great post! I keep telling people that Aiyima T9 and my A08pro is a proper hifi equipment which one should take it seriously!
I have the A08 pro as well, and both of them sound great when paired with efficient speakers- always put your money into the speakers 1st. Aiyima maybe me sending another amp to test before too long.
@@vintageaudioreview Interestingly, I bought an A07max but the difference is not small and A07max is now sitting beside my A08pro gathering dust....
@@vintageaudioreview btw, I'm driving it with a pair of notoriously hard to drive Dynaudio Crafft speakers with 86dB but still gives out respectable sound!
@@ericlo6370 Am not familiar with your speakers, but 86dB is a bit on the lower side. As long as you are liking the sound, you should be 😁
@@vintageaudioreview Crafft is a consumer version of Dynaudioacoustics C2 studio speakers, using a pair first generation Esotar which the sound is truly remarkable even in today's standard! That said, you should also give a try on a truly amazing little amp by PJ Miaolai A7 which was said by Doctor John that it took the throne away from Aiyima T9. Lower powere but more involving sound~ I'm using their A4 (same as Douk U4 which was raved by Jeff Day of Positive Feedback ) which got everything A7 has except the amp section, amazing little unit with a take no prsioner attitude!!
So is the Ayima amp really a class d sending a signal through a tube buffer since the tubes don't provide amplification?
I have not seen a schematic or block diagram, but based on the fact that the T9's Aux out shows the even harmonics higher than the odd, I would guess the tubes are a buffer in the preamp stage. Tubes do provide amplification!
The tubes will typically be in a Cathode Follower configuration (do a search). They won't provide gain, but the "tube effect" will be somewhat present.
@@Douglas_Blake_579 I was thinking @craigenputtock was making a general statement about tubes not being able to amplify signals, but re-reading the comment it may have been just for the T9...
@@vintageaudioreview Tubes certainly can produce gain ... gobs of it! But at the low voltages provided by boost converters in these pre-amps the tubes are just barely on, so their gain is substantially limited. Thus cathode followers ... the equivalent of an emitter follower in a transistor circuit. The tube is passing the waveform, but will not produce voltage gain.
@@Douglas_Blake_579 Too bad there is no schematic for it- that I have found.
Result of this vintage vs ChiFi test means quality of speakers, room and maybe even cables are also important, not only amps. Nice, entertaining test! Thanks
Thanks for the comment. Speakers are pretty good. Speaker cables are 12guage and both the same for each amp as are the RCA cables going to each from the preamp. Room is not the best acoustically, but how many are? Strictly a quick test to see if there was an obvious difference between the two, and there really was not for the most part.
@@vintageaudioreview Thanks for the reply! No doubt all components are good. What i meant - with cheaper speakers and bad, thin cables the result would be more obvious : i hope vintage amp would show its pedigree and much better score even with those mass production components. Thanks again
@@leodvosis No problem and now I get what you were saying. 16gauge copper "zip cord" speaker will will do fine for most folks needs and either of the amps, but I go with the thicker wire to eliminate any doubt (at least for most reasonable folks). Find speakers that YOU like the sound of and can afford and you will be happy with most any decent amp as long as it can drive them...
What would be the reason for 90 vs 45 db SNR difference in these amps ?
Good catch and thanks for paying attention to the data! I noticed that too and I believe that was when I was approaching the max output power of the T9 the SNR dropped as the noise floor went up quite a bit. Not sure if it was in the preamp stage which I assume uses the tubes or the chip amp itself. I could have looked at the preamp output I suppose (I don't remember if I did that in the T9 episode). But at max power playing most music I listen too in a decent set of speakers, you will most likely not hear the increased noise I am guessing.
@@vintageaudioreview Something to bear in mind here is that the old clipping target of 1% distortion used with vintage gear is going to be well beyond the clipping level of this newer class D stuff. The reason being that older gear, either through aging or limitations of the design, starts out with significantly more distortion. As you know I've added clipping and protection indicators to a few TPA3255 based amplifiers and the chip's clipping light typically comes on at about 0.1% distortion which, unlike AB amps, is actually visible on an oscilloscope.
@@Douglas_Blake_579 Great comments as always. It seems that the 1% distortion at max power is a newer spec by the CEA (?) standards where there was no such rating with the older IHF specs. Interesting that you can see the clipping at .15 THD. When I get done trying to measure DC on AC I may hook up the scope to the A07 and look at clipping 😃
@@vintageaudioreview Keep in mind that these Class D amps are running in BTL (Bridged) mode so both speaker poles are active. This however gives us a chance to see the behaviour at clipping very clearly ... Measure only one pole of the output against ground. As the output approaches waveform clipping you'll see some "fuzzy" trace effects at the peaks of the waveform. That is Class D clipping... it's inserting very narrow pulses to prevent the PWM carrier from reaching pulse-widths of zero. But don't worry ... the fuzzies are in phase for both poles of the bridge so they produce no output. If you then read the signal differentially you will see waveform clipping but not the "fuzzies". You will also notice there's a fair bit of difference in the two levels. PWM safety pulses begin at about 99% of waveform clipping levels, which is just below that conventional "knee" point where you see distortion rise dramatically... and considerably less than 1% distortion. What you can deduce from that is that Class D clipping is far more managed than Class AB clipping. Allowing it to clip conventionally could result in shut-downs in the PWM carrier which, in turn, could make some very strange, very loud noises until it recovers.
@@Douglas_Blake_579 I will give this a try at some point- I appreciate the info!
. Lol, outstanding video with your buddies. Are you guys sure you wrote down the right results? 'Cause it looked like a good time and not so much a test. Lol, good stuff. Acid Jazz, Funk & Brass 🔈🔉🔊
Thanks for the comments as always. Even though there was beer, only a few of us had any and I had maybe two or 3 over a 4hr period. Everyone took the test seriously, and a few even did it twice. And they almost always comment that they learn something and enjoy doing them. They are also told not to discuss the test with those that had not yet taken it.
This is why many people listen with their eye balls, and maranta nailed it with their cosmetics... Had many Marantz receivers and they are ok at best...
I do like the vintage Marantz receivers and they do look great and sound fine and why not spend your hard earned $$'s on something you want 😆
Another great piece of work! I think I’ve found that for long listening, I would go with the Marantz even if the other sounded “cleaner” in the short run. Seems to me some speaker manufacturers elevate the highs a bit so they sound “cleaner” at the dealer (if people can still find one) in the short run, but can get fatiguing over long listening?
Thanks for the comments Chris! The T9 did have a bit of a treble bump that I pointed out in the data, but could have been adjusted slightly with the treble control I suppose though I tried to make sure it was as flat as I could get it w/out the midrange suffering more. There are some speaker reviews that I have watched that seem to indicate that manufacturers may adjust the sound from flat to a boost here and there based on market research..... I think I get more fatigued by certain music that is being played more than by the gear....when I am at a friend's place.
It's great to see these little tube / chip amps out performing more "bling bling" exspencieve ams with lots of money spend on the box. I have two Aiyima 07 and a tube A3 and the Aiyima 07 is just a great amp on it self. No need for tubes which give the extra harmonic distorcion and "airy 3D harmonics" if the speakers are neutral and have a well balanced frequency curve.
Thanks for taking the time to leave comments. The A07 can be improved if you are so inclined, but for a lot of folks it is great. I reviewed mine a ways back. I have not proved to myself that there is a difference between tube and ss sound- you certainly can see it in measurements, but not sure you can really hear it on decent amps of either design. Not familiar with the A3 right off the bat.
@@vintageaudioreview I had a very good tube class A amp (2 x 30 watt in A) DC coupled and THD 0,35% which is realy good for a tube amp. It had a very bass control about the high damping factor and sounded very close to the A07, maybe a bit more dynamic but in general not far of. If well implemennted they should sound simular.. a think a lot depend about the bass control, damping factor which can make the sound in general more muddy and alterate the balans.. my two cents ;-)
@@birdyflying4240 Possibly you meant to say "variable bass control and a high damping factor" ?
@@vintageaudioreview i meant: a very good bass control (like a good AB amp) which is not common for a class A tube amp...
Thank you for the entertaining video. Any chance of doing a review of those JBL 250's in a future video?
Many thanks for the comment. Good eye on the 250's- they used to be in Richard's bedroom, but his girlfriend must have said only 2 pairs of speakers are allowed in there. If they are not attached to anything I am sure he will let me use them for as long as I need to- so look for them in an upcoming video thanks for the request!
This was a cool video and more interesting than the usual reviews. I’m located in Tucson and have bought stuff from Ian. I like the fact that you are local.
Thanks for the comment and I try to do different things topics now and then. If you ever want to participate in one of these get togethers contact Ian and let him know- we may have one in October sometime.
Well that was interesting! Nice one, thanks
Thanks for taking the time to let me know!
I’m not knowledgeable about such things, but I’ll guess you considered an a,b,x comparison set up? Where x is either a or b
@@ragnarhairybreeks You are indeed correct. I don't have the test box that allows for that- they are around $1200. I think my method works pretty well so you can see if one of your choices is consistent with others taking the test, at least for the sample size.....
Great test! Seeing isn’t believing….hearing is!
Thanks for the comment and hearing is of course, but so are measurements 😄
Love the test, great work!... This would stir the post on certain forum! :)
Thanks for the comment and these tests are always fun and a bit insightful...
No surprises. About what I expected, really.
AS always, thanks for watching and the comments. I think for the next test we are going to a/b some vintage receivers........
@@vintageaudioreview That should be interesting. The one I'd really like to see is the Aiyima A07 (original) vs a solid state Class AB amp. You know, the classic ... $100 vs $1,000 battle.
@@Douglas_Blake_579 As I have the original A07 (I think), it could be done at some point....
@@vintageaudioreview Cool. The original A07 is still the king of the Chi-Fi amps.
@@Douglas_Blake_579 Hi Douglas, I stand by my A08pro over 07, more musically tuned I think, but both are good products ~
First off that "red LED" on top shining through headshell is just to show that the turntable is on or when it's searching because it will blink as the arm manually moves. There is an actual sensor under the headshell that is for tracking gap distances between songs and it does not light red . That LED on the top can be unsoldered and removed and it will still perform exactly the same because that's all it is -an LED. Secondly if you would have downloaded the "Service Manual" it would have shown you how to calibrate the muting circuit because if you are waiting 16 sec it needs to be adjusted, although during the intro skip I was counting only the normal 3 to 4 seconds of muting even though you were still claiming it was 16 seconds. If you learn what to set sensitivity to what groove spacing the different LPs you play it may not even need adjusting. LP with 10 to 12 songs perside set to "High" 5 to 9 " Normal, and up to 5 Low. Have a great day.
Thanks for taking the time to tell me more about the Sansui, which is now mine. I counted about 4 secs of muting too (in the video) so am not sure why I said 16seconds. I had downloaded the service manual- a few versions of it actually- but the muting adjustment was under "Delay adjustment of the E2 signal", which I would have had to have read if I thought it was a problem. Not sure how I missed the flashing LED just been an indicator as to what is going on and not used for the detection of the groove content.
I love mine
Thanks for the comment. I did an a/b against a preamp from high end audio brand which will be mentioned in an upcoming video.
How many amplifierstages does it have?
Thanks for the question, but I have no idea. Years ago- maybe the 70's and 80's, you may have seen and add for a piece of audio gear that touted how many stages of amplification it has, but that seems to be rare these days, and ML schematics are hard to come by. There are pros and cons to having say a few stages with a lot of gain or sevaral with lower gains....
Is that a Goodwill find? I see them online at Goodwill all the time.
It is not a Goodwill find. I am not sure where I got it- most likely from Ebay many years ago...
I have one like this. Works great still , but I need schematics for that BSR EQ14/14XR. Please send me some info if you have schematic for this unit.
I was unable to find the schematics or service manual for it either 🙁
500K USD speaker
My buddy wished it were worth that much!
I purchased ML No. 335 new back in 1999. I'm 47 now, and I recapped it earlier this year not because it was broken but for preventive maintenance to last me another 25 years. Throughout my audiophile journey, I've thrown every low impedance speaker at it, and it never disappointed. To date, it gives my mcintosh mc462 a run for the money.
Thanks for sharing. I am assuming that you had it recapped rather than doing it yourself as it appears to be quite the undertaking and for that amp as PM, definitely a good idea. At least you have the MC462 in your stable!
Yes, it was serviced by a ML authorized repair shop in CA. This is what was replaced. All ML parts. Boards were in top shape. 4 x ML-19000uf - 150v cap 4 x ML-50000uf - 125v cap 4 x ML 200224 150uf cap 4 x ML 200017 680uf cap 12 x ML LT1097 Transistor 20 x ML- 16165 .01uf cap 3 x ML - 110087 - UR resistors 6 x ML 200013 68uf cap 3 x 30AGC Fuse 4 x ML 200046-3300 22uf cap
@@henrymagallon8578 Thanks for all the info- but you did not say the cost... $3500 ? I assume you did lived in the area and did not have to pay for shipping ?
I drove 500 miles to get them serviced. The total cost for the work was $2,847.
@@henrymagallon8578 That is dedication!
Thunder lizard mistake plus! Yes, I remember those ads and catalogs... Thanks for this very cool eq review!
Thanks for taking a few moments out of your schedule to give me feedback. I like to be able to "mix it up" a bit with my videos. When I hit 3000 subscribers- probably around October- I will do a live feed and hope you will join in.
Absolutely, I would very much like to participate! That will be a great time. I'm looking forward to it. Thanks!
@@scottbennett3119 My only other live stream which was back in March or April, only had one other person on line with me- and he stayed the whole 1/2 hour so that was nice of him. I had to pull down the video as my wife came in at the very end and had been working outside in the dirt so took off her pants and she came in through the door to my room where the livestream was- in her underwear- I have since changed the angle of my webcam so the door is not seen. I went to edit that part of the video out, but the chatbox comments were not there so it was deleted........
Lol! I can totally relate to the wife coming in dirty and overheated from gardening! What a time that must have been! Thanks for sharing..
Weren't equalizers frowned upon in audiophoolery circles? 😂
Love the comment, and probably so to a certain extent- but never with my audio friends back in the day. Now a days, with DSP, I don't think it is frowned upon so much at all. With judicial use of the EQ- where you boost within the limits of the EQ's distortion limits- I don't think there should be any problems. I have a similar EQ from Kenwood that I will remove from another system at some point for a review.
Wow.... memory lane. Old school room correction. Brings back some serious memories ... and a few improvised swear words in the process. Looking at the distortion vs frequency graphs, that common knee point at about 20 hz asks you to check the input coupling capacitors. It's probably just age, but it can't hurt to bump them up a standard value or two.
I do not have a schematic for it so can't say if it is direct coupled or not, but point well taken. I strictly use it as a graphic display of the frequency- I like meters and such as you know. The C48 has a 5band eq which is enough for me, plus two main outputs, one of which goes to the BSR. Thanks as always, Douglas!
For $9k I need a night and day difference...
Indeed!
Thanks for the great video. I’ve had several Mcintosh amps over the years. I’d like to pick up a 250 thanks again great video as always.
Thanks for taking the time to let me know that you liked it. Hopefully you will find a 250 that is affordable.
Great test❤
Thanks so much for the feedback!
Thanks for another review of a "classic" piece. You must have a great group of friends to get the very interesting equipment you measure and report upon. I think this may have been McIntosh's first solid state piece? I have the MC2505 (have had since high school and I'm in my mid 60's now) that I believe is really the same circuit and the MC250? I always find it interesting that McIntosh continued to go with the output transformers even when they "moved" to solid state. Some say that gives these a "tube like" sound. I don't know, but my MC2505 is "smooth" but maybe not as "detailed" as current amps? I think replacing the caps would have allowed this piece to perform better? But still, as old as this piece is and maybe never have been serviced in 60 years???? it's amazing some still like the "sound" of this vintage guy. Thanks again!!!
Thanks so much for taking the time to share your thoughts. We are about the same age. Glad you kept your 2505. The MC7200 I reviewed a ways back did not have the output xformers. I am not a big believer in "tube" sound from what I have done a/b testing on- see the one video where I did an a/b test between solid state and tube amps. They typically measure different, but can't always translate that to a sonic difference. You will meet some of my audio friends in about 2weeks where we do an a/b test....
I got one on facebook marketplace for 60 bucks! I just needed a good cleaning with some deoxit! sounds amazing! Best 60 bucks i ever spent
Glad you got a great deal. An upcoming a/b test may include the 2000a. thanks so much for sharing!
Keep these vids coming, it’s always an eduction. Mind you, another amp I doubt I’ll ever see let alone own :-) but I love the vids about this sort of thing. Thank you
Thanks so much for letting me know you find the videos useful. With some luck you may end up with one of these..but wait a few weeks for a video that may surprise you..
@@vintageaudioreview Can't wait for the surprise!!! You do great stuff!
@@chrisblock6697 It is an a/b video- I am curious what the responses will be...
Sae 2500 mk25 vs m80?
How does a cap like that short? Dries out?
Hello would you like to sell
Hi are this monitor speakers i own this speakers since 4 month 6 or 8 ohm im searching for a centerspeaker for them can you help me ?
I would call them a 4ohm speaker to be safe. I can't recommend a center channel speaker since I am not overly familiar with those, other than finding another NS monitor speaker
@@vintageaudioreview thanks for Reaktion this speakers marked as 6 ohm connect with a yamaha 3030 av reciver got alot of Power must confess sounds not so lout
@@HansjorgBiermann-qg5pj They are not the most efficient speakers so that is why it may not be as loud as what you would like
Hey really like your channel, so I’m wondering what has been your favorite amplifier, preamp, and receiver?
Thanks for the nice comment and question. As far as favorite amp, preamp and receiver, I don't really have one that i would consider a favorite. I have 3 systems in 3 different rooms that I listen to at various times, and they all do a decent job. Actually, in one room I have a couple of different speaker/amplifier combos to chose from, one of them using a Marantz 4430 quad receiver hooked up to a Panasonic quad 8track and Energy bookshelf speakers that is fun to listen to from time to time. It is kinda like asking who is your favorite kid....
Great vid, very informative. Thanks Scott!
Thanks so much for bringing it to me... and the Tequila....
Thank you for the review! It's hard to find people making reviews on these older peices of equipment. They are usually just playing them!
Thanks for taking the time to comment! I am fortunate to have friends that collect (hoard 😄) gear and testing electrical things is what I did for a living, plus I like audio so it is working out well in my retirement. I do test some new things as well on occasion, but my focus is on the older stuff.
I have an 8B myself. Looking at this one it looks completely original.
Thanks for taking the time to let me know that. I am pretty sure the tubes are not- it performed very well for being old, but that is why folks like vintage Marantz.