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REVIEW: YaQin MS-300B Integrated Amplifier (Tube)

Model: MS-300B
Category: Integrated Amplifier (Tube)
Suggested Retail Price: $2000
Description: 300B SET Integrated amp
Manufacturer URL: Not Available
Model Picture: View

Review by slownlo (A) on March 17, 2007 at 10:13:11
IP Address: 68.55.126.225
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for the MS-300B


After getting seriously into HE speakers, the obvious next phase was SET/Flea powered amplification. Nothing is like the linear sound provided by a single device in the amplification chain. I'd been scouring the web for good deals on 300B, 845, 2A3 based SET amps, and ran across a chinese company called YaQin (and arabic word which loosley translates as "certian" or that which is "sure"). Now, we all know about chinese audio gear. Buying this stuff is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are actually getting until its in your living room. The fit and finish may "look" good, but can be anything but that when you actually get it in front of you for inspection. A lot of fake asthetics are used by the majority of these companies to give their devices a high dollar look. Hopefully one day they will learn that the money they put into faking things should be used to increase the parts quality...but I digress...

The YaQin MS-300B arrived at my door in a good sized box, and I was pleasnatly surprised to see that YaQin uses good solid poly foam molding (instead of cheap styrofoam) to pack their amps. The packing is thick and covers the entire amp on all sides fully protecting it from the rigors of shipping.

Lifting it out of the box, I noticed it did have some heft, but was not as heavy as some other SET amps I've had the pleasure of lifting. It wasn't light by amy means, but I tend to equate good amps with heft (Good tranny's are the core of any good SET amp and they are usually heavy) and based on this I was able to mentally prejudged the quality I was going to encounter once I got it unwrapped.

In general the fit and finish are quite nice, but remember the flash factor I spoke about earlier? Those 2 big black tranny covers are hollow and emit a bell like "dong" when you tap them. I expected as much, but I was still disappointed...Really, how much more would it have been to pot them? The rear output transformer cover is also somewhat hollow, but is machined out of a thick peice of aluminum on top and is shows better craftsmanship than the power tranny covers. I'll plan on removing the power tranny convers and dampening them from the inside...

The feet and body are all made of heavy thick machined aluminum and really is nice. There are 4 and 8 ohm taps in the rear, line level imputs, a headphone jack and the another set of rear inputs that allow you to use the MS-300B as an SET power amp, by-passing the preamp functions. There is a switch on the rear that allows you to use the MS-300B as a dedicated headphone amp diverting all the power directly to the headphone output. The unit comes with a full function remote as well (how many SET amps come with that?)

The tube compliment is 5U4GB (Electro-Harmonix), 2 x 300B (Shuguang), 2 x 6SN7 (Shuguang), 2 x 12AT7 (Shuguang).

I replaced the stock tubes with:

1 x 5U4GB (NOS RCA), 2 x 300B Meshed plate (TJ Full Music), 2 x NOS 6H8C (Russian 6SN7 equiv), 2 x ECC81 (JJ Tesla).

After loading the tubes, I made all my connections and turned on the unit. I use a 5U4 because of its slow turn on, it really takes it easy on the mesh plates, allowing for a nice slow warmup extending their life. The amp is self biasing, so nothing to do their. The first thing I did was put my head up to my speakers to listen for hum...none. I then go to the unit itself, and listen for tranny hum. The power trannies emit a slight 60hz hum. Its not bad, but it is noticeable within 2-3ft of the unit. I suspect this may get lower or even go away as the unit breaks in...(FYI: I use power conditioning that filters DC out of the supply).

So...what's it sound like?

Well, I gotta say I was pretty impressed. I use Natalie Cole's "Stardust" as a test CD because its well recorded, and I like the sound of Natalie's voice (that helps). "Stardust" is a collection of standards, so the content runs the gambit, from brassy horn lines to smooth piano and and strings. With the TJ 300B's this amp really could strut its' stuff. Bass was nice and tight, Mids were lucious, and the high's were just right albeit a bit rolled off. Imaging was stellar...I could tell exactly where Natalie was in the soundstage. Horns had bite, and vocals were smooth and silky. Your mileage will of course vary based on speakers and tubes, etc...I can't really expound too much on the sound, except to say that it met my expectations. I'm not good at waxing poetic about it, but I do know what I like and the MS-300B didn't disappoint. When the music started, I was wrapped in it. The soundstage, imaging and air was all there. I've heard amps costing 4x more than what I paid for this amp, and they didn't do 1/2 of what the MS-300B did.

You can get these on eBay for about $500...I'd say at that price the MS-300B is worth every penny.


Product Weakness: Lousy OEM tube compliment, Resonant power tranny covers, Power trannys emit small amount of mechanical hum.
Product Strengths: Price, Sound, Overall fit and finish, remote.


Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier: MS-300B
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): None
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Opera Consonance 2.2 Linear
Speakers: 83' Klipsch K-Horns (ALK XO's)
Cables/Interconnects: Signal Cable Silver Reference
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Jazz/Blues/RB
Room Size (LxWxH): 25 x 35 x 10
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): HYdra / PS Audio
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner




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Topic - REVIEW: YaQin MS-300B Integrated Amplifier (Tube) - slownlo 10:13:11 03/17/07 (3)

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