The 'NEW' YAQIN MS-20L Integrated Vacuum Tube Amp Thread

Hello, and thanks for visiting the

************************************ "20L CLUB" **************************************

For those of you that might be interested in a review of a "Chinese Amp" I think worthy of a chance!!!

What I was looking for in a Tube Amp (or any amp for that matter) is, frequency extension, detail, imaging, tone, accuracy, easy on the ears, looks (to some degree), price, value for money, resale value, long lasting and a decent warranty. A lot to ask!!!


My 2 channel listen room is approximately 11X12, no acoustic treatments as of yet. Speakers are approximately 5' left and right of me.


But.....


After much research and extensive reading on 2 channel and tube amps, I decided to make the plunge in becoming a 'Tubey'/2 channel listener. And, last week I received the Yaqin MS-20L Integrated Vacuum Amplifier which plunged me into my entry level introduction to Tube sound.

I didn't know that researching could be this difficult in that there are so many forums to read and just the time to locate pertinent information on a particular product/topic is time consuming.

I first decided on the 10L because the reviews more readily available, but saw that the 20L with more upgrades/money including a remote and Ultra Linear/Triode Mode switchable, upgrades from the 10L and with external bias adjustment.

After reading all the positive reviews on the 10L, I contacted the buyers on ebay only to find the same responses on the 20L.

Finding a 'new' entry level tube amp that is affordable has been difficult, since I learned that ordering from China was iffy!!! So, when I was referred to a Canadian Company called Canadian HiFi on Ebay with 100% rating and excellent customer service that guaranteed quality assurance and tested in Canada before shipment, took the chance. And, I am glad I did!!

The amp arrived in 5 days from Richmond Hill in good condition, and packed well. In opening, I discovered an attractive ,high quality, solidly build nice piece of equipment. Audiophile capacitors and high quality metal precision resistors, aluminum and steel heavy duty chassis, panel, bezels and aluminum output tube cage. (I would post pics, but not sure how, I'll give it a try).

So, I will add this now....I am not a professional reviewer, nor an audiophile!
Not even a good writer, sorry for that!!!

New to tube sound, I wasn't sure what to expect, but had an idea in all the research and comments on tubes. I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED AT ALL. In fact I was somewhat blown away at first " light up ". Maybe it was just the song, but WOW everything was better from top to bottom. The difference was night and day in comparison to the Onk which wasn't bad, but the Yaqin was better/different in all categories.

At first listen, (Pandora One), speakers began to sound bigger than they are, projecting a surprising sound stage, stronger more pronounced mid-range, full, detailed, clear and balanced sound from top to bottom and that is just the start.

I listen to manly stations on Pandora, but one I had added....Exotica/Lounge that I absolutely hated, but with the Yaqin it is now one of my favorites, singers like Nat King Cole, Bert Kaempfert, Johnny Mathis, Martin Denny and the list goes on and on. On the other stations, Chicago, Blood, Sweat and Tears, Beach Boys, Beatles improvements all the way around with the Yaqin. Especially the midrange bold and right on.

I do listen to all types of music. Some of the older songs and some of the new versions all very good on the ears. One particular Tenor Sax artist jumps out at me. Popular in the 40's and 50's (I think), was Ike Quebec and his melodic sax sound was truly amazing. Also I will include Freddy Roach as well.

But first I need to let you know where I am coming from...

I upgraded from an Onkyo 8255 stereo receiver...as I mentioned above I mainly listen to Pandora One, PC music/flac files. And, I might add that the sound with the small speakers wasn't bad at all. Actually very enjoyable.

So, at this point all that I can compare with is this receiver and the one used for theater...Onkyo 806 with Emotiva XPA-5 very good detail surround sound.

The 2 little speakers with the Yaqin, being phased out, are the WAF-1 (pic below) gems that work great in creating an amazing big sound in a small room. Sound is out from my PC Creative audigy sound blaster X-Fi Xtreme Sound Card.

Now....with almost 70 hours everything has improved 50% or more as the tubes break in. I was informed in the manual at least 100 hours with a break every 3 hours. 20 second warm up.

The onkyo was smooth and very nice to listen to, but the Yaqin tube amp is much improved with great detail, crisp upper end, not harsh sounding and amazing bass from my little WAFs.

I wanted to post this to help those like me who are looking for quality sound without breaking the bank. And this new sound I am hearing now is what I call a 'high end entry level amp'.

All hearing is subjective, but, I think I have found quality sound with my new tube amp or at least for now until I can afford one of the biggies!!!

Please feel free to post any comments or reviews.

Below you will find the latest speaker in the 2 channel set-up with the 20L amp, the CAOW1 speakers with Hiquphon OW2 tweet and the Seas C15RLY treated paper woofer. Very nice sound crossover design integrated below adding 4 inches to the original plan of the speaker.

Simply stunning!!!



Thanks,
Rob

Thanks bubbawilly!!

I am really enjoying this!!! Getting close to 100 hrs and then hopefully find a couple of sets of 5654w/6AK5WB to replace the 6J1s which don't sound to shabby!

The WAFs may be moving to the theater with another pair to go with 3 fronts, then the fun will begin to find a great pair of 2 channel speakers.

Forgot a 'lights out' pic!!!

Well, thought I would give an update.....

Got the GE 5654W NOS/NIB (8) for the front end that replaced the 6J1s.

Also ordered 2 more WAF-1s speakers, so now have broken them in as 4 is needed for the theater surrounds.

Now, on to finding 2 speakers for the PC 2 channel with the Yaqin MS-20L. Pretty much decided on the GR Research N2S to be handmade from a kit.

Back to the new tubes with the new WAF'1s is like a concert hearing the band with the curtain down, then opened. It did open up some and I can hear a definite difference with a more 'at you/near you' sound stage. Definitely added a more full and enveloping sound stage.

And, since my review, I have upgraded to Pandora One and the lossless sound is presents at 192kbps is really wonderful.

This is amp is a really good entry level tube amp. Highly recommend.

Ha Ha!! I am a ways from being an Audiophile, but I would like to think the process had definitely educated me. I know a lot more than I did when I first started.

I now crave ****BIGGER****BETTER****FASTER****!!!

However, my Yaqin MS-20L will definitely keep me smiling for awhile!!!

Absolutely!!!! I mentioned this above.....

Like listening to a live band on a stage behind the curtain!!

Then without the curtain...like lifting a veil. More open sound stage.

I guess the best that I can describe the upgrade is that is was just that "an upgrade" and that everything was taken up a knotch or two!!!

All 8 tubes were 30.00 delivered from 39redfern from ebay a great man to deal with.

http://cgi.ebay.com/GE-6AK5-5654W-EF...item3a60f21cae

Everything that I have read dictates an upgrade as the 6J1s are not that great.

Hope this helps!

Did you pick up the 20L?

Not familiar with Tube Buffers...how do they work? Are they used with a tube amp or not?

Thanks!

Yeah, it could be that you are use to high quality SS amps. Me on the other hand have only had Onkyos, but it seems the source is about 50% the sound.

And if you are getting distortion, that would be a no no!

Because the advantage of the Tubes is the full live sound stage experience intertwining the reverberation is in my opinion an experience like no other.

And what is so interesting is that I am so new to tubes!

The Yaqin is hooked up to my Audigy SC via a Monoprice RCA/stereo plug and it seems that I getting absolutely an amazing sound.

I do have an Emotiva XPA-5 in the theater with the Onkyo 806! Hopefully soon I can compare that system with the PC one with the 20L. That of course is when I get decent speakers in there.

Listening is subjective and there are so many elements to the end result. Maybe you need to save your pennies...(like I did) LOL and get a 20L and give it a try. It is so pure and clean in Triode mode, I can hardly stand it!!!

I think it is more than an entry level amp!


Thanks!

I listen to Pandora One (the paid subscription), 192kbps music program through my PC. It sounds amazing through the Yaqin. I can just imagine using the Asus card that you have.

I hope I have answered some of your questions, but if you are interested in an entry level great sounding amp, then I recommend the 20L as I am very pleased with and intend to enjoy it for a long time.

You're welcome

Great to hear. Please let me know how the Asus SC sounds in comparison when everything is installed correctly and running with your new tube amp.

Thanks!

Yeah!!, that's great, excellent!

I don't think I could go back to SS in this price range, music might sound better with a 3K to 5K SS, but for now I am loving tube amps.

Everything in the amp sounded great after break-in as you can tell above, however, I began to read and found that the 6J1's were easily and inexpensively replaced. 30.00 (8) GE 5654ws made a very good improvement and how I know that is I had an issue with popping and now finding out it is the power issues or outside surges or something else.

Anyway, I did several things including reinstalling the 6J1s thinking that maybe it was the 5654s....

And then was when I noticed the dull sounding the stock tubes were to me, I replaced them back with the GE 5654Ws. Viola much better soundstage and better everything from top to bottom.

I will also be replacing the stock EL34-Bs as well very soon with the Genelax Gold Lion KT77s, but they are pricey about 200.00 for quads. But everything I have read convinced me.

There are several that I think and have read that would improve over the EL34-Bs.

But....I can honestly say for now I am very, very happy with the sound, especially with Pandora One. I can live with it just as it is.

Of course all listening is subjective.

Thanks for posting.

Rob

I bought it for the remote, but really it not worth much, since there is no on/off button, just Aux 1, 2, 3 and 4 volume control.

I like the style of the 20L more and also looks great with the cage off too.

But the Triode is what I liked about it as well. The 10Ls has a high rating.

I heard positive things about the Russian 6J1s, but have no experience.

So the 6P3S-Es will work in the El34-Bs? Didn't know that. I thought our choices were.....EL34/6CA7/KT77 tubes.

I will have to check out the Shuguang Treasures. You will have to tell me more about these other tubes that will work in the 20L.

Got any links?

Thanks

Hi Chu Gai,

I have had my unit about 2 months and checked the bias and it was right on.

I was also told that this unit's bias was prechecked and did not need to be checked for 6 months or if I did tube rolling.

To be honest I would know if it drifts or not. Don't have any idea about that, and if it did, I wouldn't be able to tell as the sound is very consistent, especially with Pandora One.

Checking Bias is very easy and takes little time.

In comparison I think 600 delivered for the 20L and 500 delivered for the 10L are extremely affordable in comparison for most that run close to 2,000 and up.

And dealing with a 100% ebayer who QCs all units before leaving and is great to deal with, it definitely was worth a chance to take for me.

Maybe someday i will get one of those high end ones as they must sound fantastic, but for now the 20L satisfies me completely.

I actually would have been happy with the 10L.

Thanks,

Rob

I will look into the Jim McShane tubes. Yeah, I read reviews on the RCAs as well and they looked good. I can't remember why I went with the GEs. Maybe cost and availability.

Yes, you are right is was a wrestling match. Was scared of smashing them for pulling so hard. But finally they gave in.

Now I just have to work out this noise issue, but I am not worried, just want to get it done as I will be getting my newly built speakers the end of next week for my new 2 channel listening area. Ecstatic about that. And The WAF-1 speakers will find their way into the theater for surrounds.

So, have you ordered the 20L yet? And if so, please keep me posted as to what you do with the tubes and the results. I am very interested.

Thanks,

Rob

Well...it is a new thing and just started about 2 weeks ago, but I am controlling it by having the PC or Creative interface volume turn to 70%.

It seems that the popping/crackling sound in both speakers is worse in the morning and late at night. It's never very bad just annoying.

This volume reduction has eliminated most of it. I think it is noise in the lines comcast/PC/house plugs, etc., etc. It has improved a lot.

So, I think I will rule out tubes, really it could be many outside issues rather than the amp.

What is you feeling on this?

Otherwise it is sounds fantastic!