Chinese Tube Amps

FrantzM

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
6,455
29
405
Hi

No experience whatsoever but would like some to chime on some very inexpensive Chinese Tube amplifiers e.g Yaquin, Meng, Audiromy etc... There are a lot of horror stories but also tales of incredible values. At the outset I would like to say that I do not condone Intellectual Properties theft but I want to keep this discussion free of xenophobia. . Many of those amps seems to use designs that are now Public properties so .. Let's focus on the good. Do not mind icomponents from other countries as well.
 

Phelonious Ponk

New Member
Jun 30, 2010
8,677
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0
I don't know squat about tube amps unless guitars are plugged into them, Frantz, but from that perspective, China is doing rather well. I recently acquired a Chinese Eastman arch top, and it's one of the best guitars I've ever owned...and I've owned a bunch. There's no reason why they can't design and build these things as well as we do. Especially if you're talking about things that rely so heavily on historical designs.

Tim
 

nc42acc

Member Sponsor
Nov 10, 2015
609
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165
North Carolina
Tim you are so right about Eastman guitars. I so want to take the thread off topic, maybe we can start a guitar thread somewhere.

The only Chinese products I have first hand experience with is Auralic, Line Magnetic, Gustard and SMSL. I think my Aurender is Korean. All have been flawless in operation.


I don't know squat about tube amps unless guitars are plugged into them, Frantz, but from that perspective, China is doing rather well. I recently acquired a Chinese Eastman arch top, and it's one of the best guitars I've ever owned...and I've owned a bunch. There's no reason why they can't design and build these things as well as we do. Especially if you're talking about things that rely so heavily on historical designs.

Tim
 

DaveC

Industry Expert
Nov 16, 2014
3,899
2,141
495
You have to be careful of counterfeits and/or companies that use counterfeit parts. If you buy a Chinese amp through normal channels in the US you'll pay double what you could have paid through a Chinese distributor, many of whom are perfectly willing to ship straight to the US bypassing dealer agreements, etc. This devalues the products and makes resale value much lower. For example Line Magnetic might be a good value for the money, the US MSRP is fairly reasonable but they are all over AliExpress for much less... The manufacturer simply can't enforce rules they give their distributors, and can't secure their intellectual property from counterfeiters either.

http://www.aliexpress.com/store/pro...d-Amplifier-Brand-New/201491_32220459334.html

So, pay nearly double for a "legit" supported product or about half the price for "grey market" product that the manufacturer won't support.

IMO, China needs to get their $hit together wrt intellectual property, distribution and counterfeiting as these issues make buying a Chinese product like this much less appealing. Their human rights and environmental abuses are also an issue for some....
 

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