Yaqin MC-84L Tube Stereo Amplifier Review

[Saponetto]

Did the tube make proper contact?

View attachment 400794

Oh God... this misplaced poor tube largely exceeds my acceptance capability!

 

[peniku8]

Performance though, set a new record with respect to how bad it is, taking over the slot for the worst measured amplifier to date.

Hey, the ENGL (guitar) amp I measured had slightly worse stats..!

 

[Robbo99999]

Bottom of the barrel and not cheap!

 

[Berwhale]

We need an option below "Poor".

Pipe organ?

 

[Robbo99999]

Thanks for the review Amir!

______

Isn't a lot of distortion what tube dude lovers nowadays want? Then Yaqin MC-84L can be an alternative. For the rest of us who want a clean and uncolored sound we avoid this amp like the plague.

But okay, it's just a hobby. People can do what they want.


I know you know this. I mention it to others.
As far back as the mid-1940s with the same power as the Yaqin MC-84L, there were tube amps that were better.

I am thinking of this:

Does anyone have a Williamson tube amplifier?

Or have had, listened to a Williamson tube amplifier? Impression? Are they available? What can one, in reasonable condition, cost? I could really imagine having one. Mostly for its HiFi history. :) Not as a main amp but in some nice secondary system. Then together with a subwoofer + LP/HP...

audiosciencereview.com

If I interpret the technical data correctly, the old Williamson amplifier is better than a Yaqin MC-84L.
Yaqin MC-84L, which is from 2024! It's crazy.

I don't think they'd want channel SPL imbalance as well as larger distortion in one channel than the other.

 

[Phorize]

1930’s design level.

I don't know man, the Williamson circuits were based on designs from the '30s and were way better than this. I honestly don't know why designers think that the use of valves is an excuse for terrible engineering.

 

[Saponetto]

Valves are not the embodied evil themselves.
Evil is in the use some designers make of tons of cheap available valves, trying to make them work in amplifiers that should never see the light.
Door stoppers don't need valves.

 

[GXAlan]

Maybe those with perfection fetishes should enjoy their music through such tube constructs every now and then, purely for therapeutic purposes

There is no question the audience here favors high performance audio. That said, listening to tube constructs does show how small the difference is between SOTA and measures poorly, which is consistent with the idea that audio electronics are good enough.

The therapeutic effect is that I went with active speakers and I don’t worry about a little bit of hiss from the amps, or the AD/DA conversion that occurs.

I don't think they'd want channel SPL imbalance as well as larger distortion in one channel than the other.

+1

The metric for tubes shouldn’t be SINAD. You actually want it to be non-transparent so there is a difference.

Tubes should habe
1) good channel matching
2) low AC mains noise

This is a solid state product that I believe has tube-like sound. It has reference level channel matching.

Sony TA-ZH1ES: A DAC/Headphone Amp with a Sonic Signature?

Sony TA-ZH1ES: A DAC/Headphone Amp with a Sonic Signature? Stop. やめる. Halt. Arrêt. You probably shouldn’t read the rest of this post, it's triggering. There's a lot of speculation even though there are a good amount of measurements too. If you're looking for a transparent DAC/headphone...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[Negatywny]

yes, nice (horrible) measurements, but how tube is its sound?

These needs at least youtube sound demo

 

[DanielT]

I don't think they'd want channel SPL imbalance as well as larger distortion in one channel than the other.

I don't know how tube lovers reason. A lot of distortion is apparently considered by these to be good, so maybe channel SPL imbalance is icing on the cake? Joking aside (if it's a joke?), what do these tube lovers want and how much of it? It's a bit of an upside down world. Why 1% distortion when you can have 5%,10% or even more? Or will there be too much of the "good thing" then?

Do tube lovers also want crappy speakers, headphones that distort a lot?

 

[voodooless]

Do tube lovers also want crappy speakers

Of course! Unfiltered wide-band speakers in flimsy cabinets, or some esoteric 1st order crossover multiway with a vintage 1920s woofer and piezo tweeter thingy.

 

[Timmy]

There even may be people who like to reminisce to times when TV programs were without ads and telephones were meant for speaking to well-meaning and reasonable persons only.

 

[Multicore]

There even may be people who like to reminisce to times when TV programs were without ads and telephones were meant for speaking to well-meaning and reasonable persons only.

Spot on. It is the Norman Rockwell painting of an integrated amp.

 

[Timmy]

Har har! Nothing’s wrong with that, chum.

 

[AudioSceptic]

One channel does look like there's a suspect valve in there, bearing in mind the general symmetry of construction underneath?

If you look at some of the mid to late 80s 'Choice Amplifier books on the worldradiohistory site's UK page, you'll see many US made and very expensive amps with exalted high end status and with not much better performance Martin Colloms had by this time, gone over to the dark side, eulogising on the wonderful wide and deep soundstages with good 'pace and rhythm' yet diabolical measurements. Most of the good measuring stuff in these books lacked 'depth, aid and space' and simpl,y didn't 'flow' well. Look 'em up if you don't believe me

I've got those (HFC) somewhere, if only I knew where... I remember Martin being very fond of conrad-johnson and Audio Research. The SINAD might've been mediocre, but quite a bit better than this one, and didn't they produce respectable power? I might even have considered giving them a try if the price wasn't so far out of my league.

 

[AudioSceptic]

Hey, the ENGL (guitar) amp I measured had slightly worse stats..!

Oddly enough, I was thinking about guitar amps too.

 

[JustJones]

Whoever owns this could probably sell it on audiogon for $1,000 if they link to this review.

 

[Mr Vinyl]

I don't know how tube lovers reason. A lot of distortion is apparently considered by these to be good, so maybe channel SPL imbalance is icing on the cake? Joking aside (if it's a joke?), what do these tube lovers want and how much of it? It's a bit of an upside down world. Why 1% distortion when you can have 5%,10% or even more? Or will there be too much of the "good thing" then?

Do tube lovers also want crappy speakers, headphones that distort a lot?

Tube harmonics are not the same type of distortion found on headphones or speakers.

 

[AndreaT]

I've got those (HFC) somewhere, if only I knew where... I remember Martin being very fond of conrad-johnson and Audio Research. The SINAD might've been mediocre, but quite a bit better than this one, and didn't they produce respectable power? I might even have considered giving them a try if the price wasn't so far out of my league.

For what might be worth, in 1999 I auditioned extensively a CJ integrated tube amp vs a Krell KAV-300i. The price was equivalent, the store was pushing for the CJ. Through my ears the Krell was superior on every count (besides being way more powerful). I bought the Krell and it served me well until I moved on to class D (Amirm’s fault ).

 

[Mr Vinyl]

Specs:
Spec:
AC Voltage: AC115V and AC230V optional
Output Power: 2x12W(7ohm--8ohm)
THD:≤2%
S/N Ratio:≥80db
Frequency Response: 6Hz--90kHz
Input Sensitivity: 250mV
Input Signal Level:≤300mv
Max Power Consumption:≤90w
Tubes: 6P14x4pcs, 12AX7Bx2pcs
Size:320*275*150mm
Net Weight:10kg

Features:

• A High-Quality Tube Amplifier: Despite its affordable price, the Yaqin MC-84L amplifier is a remarkable audiophile-grade ultra-linear push-pull, full Class A tube amplifier.
• Premium Grade Construction at a Fair Price:a majority of the components are of audiophile grade, produced by some of the best companies in the industry . MKP capacitor for reducing AC to DC voltage,famous Shuguang tubes:12AX7B, superior magnet wires on the transformer core,top-quality output transformer, high-quality volume potentiometer.
• Impressive Sound: This amplifier delivers pristine audio quality, making it an exceptional addition to your sound system; Push-pull Circuitry: This design ensures minimal distortion, optimal efficiency, and high power output.
• Powerful Output: It is only 12 watts per channel, but compared to transistor amplifier, it actually can output more than 60 watts.
• Outputs: The amplifier can function as either a headphone amplifier (with a 6.3 mm headphone output) or as a high-quality tube amp capable of driving loudspeakers.

Amir, when was the last time you measured a tube amp that had no distortion?
To be fair, tube amps are sought after for a certain pleasing sound, caused by mainly even-order distortion. Solid-state amps have distortion as well, but they are of a different kind. So does digital, but is unlistenable.
I like to view tube distortion, as opposed to sterile cleanliness, like looking at a 70s photograph with all its imperfections than a pristine modern one where everything looks plastic or even cartoonish in its 'perfection'.
Listening to vinyl has distortion as well. In fact, even a lot of the modern music we listen to - unbeknownst to many - was recorded with some sort of tube equipment in the signal chain for added warmth and other qualities. So whether we like it or not, the music we listen too will most likely have distortion - whether it is added by our amplifier, or baked into the recording.