"Clones"

mep

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Apr 20, 2010
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Does anyone beside me think that the word "clone" in relation to audio should denote something that looks and sounds exactly like an original audio piece of gear? Here is a picture of the original JC-2 preamp:

jc2_front_792.jpg

Here is a picture of the clone:

JC_2c.jpg

I think something doesn't look very clone-like.
 

MylesBAstor

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Apr 20, 2010
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Does anyone beside me think that the word "clone" in relation to audio should denote something that looks and sounds exactly like an original audio piece of gear? Here is a picture of the original JC-2 preamp:



Here is a picture of the clone:



I think something doesn't look very clone-like.

Wow, something got switched in cloning. Look like a future episode of Law and Order.
 

mep

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Apr 20, 2010
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I just think it's funny when people make/sell audio gear that is reputed to be a "clone" of some expensive piece of audio gear and it looks far worse than a pathetic Chinese knock-off of something of value.
 

Mike Lavigne

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Apr 25, 2010
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I just think it's funny when people make/sell audio gear that is reputed to be a "clone" of some expensive piece of audio gear and it looks far worse than a pathetic Chinese knock-off of something of value.

unless....the original manufacturer took the shortcut of using a cheap off-the-shelf amp circuit as the innards of that 'expensive piece of audio gear'.

7 years ago i was going to buy a pair of Rowland 301 monoblocks for the rear channels of my multi-channel effort. i needed a small powerful competent amplifer.

then i ran accross a pair of Chinese clones using the same B&O ICE module that the $7k+ Rowlands used for 25% of the retail price of the 301's. and i got a great discount from that modest list price. they looked great, and sounded quite good. my son has used them for 5 years with no issues.

might the real 301 have sounded better? i read that you could not tell them apart by listening, but i never directly compared them.
 
Last edited:

puroagave

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Sep 29, 2011
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Does anyone beside me think that the word "clone" in relation to audio should denote something that looks and sounds exactly like an original audio piece of gear? Here is a picture of the original JC-2 preamp:

i think they're referring to the mark levinson JC-2, a classic ML preamp designed by john curl. this guy cloned a levinson JC-1 right down to the one-sided phenolic PCB:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mark-Levins...ers_Preamps&hash=item4ac383d0e7#ht_577wt_1137

you can find clones of classic Jadis, VTL, levinson, audio research, etc. from many sources in asia. its the circuit thats copied the 'clones' PCB often looks nothing like the original in many cases. I dont think they care one iota of the looks, its aimed at the hobbyist that wont or cant spend the money for the real thing and wants a DIY project. lest you think this is proprietary stuff, the schematics are out there in the public domain, its not hard to clone many sought after classic designs.
 

mep

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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i think they're referring to the mark levinson JC-2, a classic ML preamp designed by john curl. this guy cloned a levinson JC-1 right down to the one-sided phenolic PCB:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mark-Levins...ers_Preamps&hash=item4ac383d0e7#ht_577wt_1137

you can find cloned PCBs of classic Jadis, VTL, levinson, audio research, etc. from many sources in asia. I dont think they care one iota of the looks, its aimed at the hobbyist that wont or cant spend the money for the real thing and wants a DIY project. lest you think this is proprietary stuff, the schematics are out there in the public domain, its not hard to clone many sought after classic designs.

Are any of these designs truly "clones?"
 

puroagave

Member Sponsor
Sep 29, 2011
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they are clones to the extent they copy the original circuit which soncially should be close to the orignial amp. the JC-1 clone on ebay uses way better parts than john curl had at his disposal back then, in theory the clone can be made better. same goes for some of the ARC clones that substitute better parts than they had in the '70s like schottky diodes/rectifiers, nichicon electrolytics, teflon caps, etc.
 

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