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In Reply to: Ming Da MC-3R & 7R preamps posted by sgb on July 24, 2005 at 08:28:36:
I have used a 7R since February. I bought it via an English importer, along with the 845 monoblocks.I have changed the tubes in the pre, including substituting a Weber Copper cap for the tube rectifier (as Bill at Response Audio does)and have experimented with 845Bs in the power amps. All tubes have Halo dampers.
The performance, IMHO opinion exceeds my Copland hybrids and my Classe 151, witrh my speakers (Duevel Bella Luna).
There was a full review of the 7R in Hi-Fi World (UK mag) last year, although looking at the web site, there is no mention.
The questions that you may want to ask yourself are:
1. Do you have any tube expertise that will allow you to risk buying from China/Hong Kong?
2. Can you accommodate side entry input phonos?
3. Do you need more than 4 inputs?
4. Do you need a phono input - all the 4 are line level.If you want a cheap, but good pre which you can improve, or modify, then these are excellent straight out of the box and have great potential. Buying from someone like Bill will cost more than going direct, but you will have security and back up.
I would like to have someone like Bill operating here in UK, as I see huge potential in these little preamps and (BIG!!) poweramps.
My biggest problem has been coping with the heat generated by the monoblocks in our recent heatwave (90F for days on end - air conditioning has not been a common domestic requirement in the UK, but might soon be if we continue to have such hot weather every year!)
Follow Ups:
Thanks, Dave for your valuable input. This is precisely the sort of information I was hoping for.Could you tell me if there was a reason for your choice of the 7R over the 3R -- other than the review you mentioned in your message?
The only reason was - because one was available at a VERY good price, off the shelf. It had a tiny dent in one of the transformer cans, so Richard reduced the price and delivered it free, as we only live 25 miles from each other.I did try the Meixing web site, and searched all the various references around th world, but, apart from that one review in English, I was fairly much buying blind. I did find the Response Audio site VERY useful, but regret that it would have been (and is even more so now with higher exchange rates)prohibitively expensive to buy through Bill.
The gamble has paid off handsomely for me. It had been an ambition to own a SET rig, and these came in at less than £1200 including delivery and taxes. But i have a years guarentee from my supplier, so, I thought that it was worth the risk. Others might not.
HI dave,
I agree it would have been cost prohibitive to purchase from the US with or without exchange rates. I would not worry about problems with the unit as they have proven to be very reliabe. If you did have an issue, any decent tech could figure it out in a timely fashion.I am very well aquanted with the Meixing products and have several of them on my benches now including some MC3008 mono blocs, 805 monos, 845 monos and a few personal 805 integrates (my personal favorite). Not to mention the many preamps I get in.
With the Ming-Da line being the most popular import product I receive inquiries on, I am putting together a "paper" on these products that will be posted on my website. It will describe the products, components used within, what to expect in terms of quality control and how to purchase these products properly from overseas.
Happy Listening%2C%3Cbr%3EResponse34%3Cbr%3EBuild your system for yourself%2C not the critics%21
that will be very useful - I shall look forward to it!..We don't seem to go in for modding current tube amps much in this country. Quads and Leaks yes!
Icon Audio has its amps made by Meixing, but he only modifies the MC-7R to the extent of offering alternative tube sets, so I can only guess how much better your mods sound, over the standard product.
I must say that the amount of voltage/current present scares me enough to limit my experimentation to replacing tubes.
I did find Super TNT 845Bs to sound better than the standard 845s, but one was noisy, so I reverted to the originals.
Of course I would love to try NOS RCAs, but they would cost as much as the amps themselves!
Do you replace the 845s, and, if so, with what?
HI Dave,
Most of my customers are using the TNT 845Bs with excellent results but like yourself, have found some to be noisy. This is the same for the others I have worked on including the Dared, Ming-Da and ASL.For my personal 805 amps, I am looking into getting some NOS RCA units but a bit scared to purchase these from overseas. A good 805 is hard to come by here in the states at reasonable prices. I am happy with the Chinese pieces I have now and am not experiencing any noise associated with these. They will do for now.
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