Here's what some of my customers are saying... |
Min- Thank you for building such a fine amp. To provide some context, I have been an audiophile for about 35 years and have had fine
systems throughout the years. I was a partner in a dealer in Michigan and auditioned and carried some of the finest
Class A solid state and Tube amps available. I am very passionate about the sound of my system and go through an exhaustive
search to find the one thats best for my system within my price range. I was looking for a new SET Tube Amp and was
convinced a high price boutique amp might be the ticket! During my search, I stumbled upon Min’s Amps. I was intrigued by a hand wired custom made amp.
I read Min’s reviews in the feedback section and looked over the Industrial looking amps very closely. I was skeptical
that the amp could sound as good as the amps I was used to hearing from traditional audio companies and I also was concerned
about workmanship as I never heard of Min. After reaching out to Min to understand his approach to building Amps, and after many, many questions in which Min
patiently answered all of them, I decided to take the plunge. I was determined to get the 300b version, but after talking with Min and discussing the characteristics
of my musical tastes and my speakers, I decided on the 2A3. Once it arrived, shipping/handling damaged the on/off switch
and with a call to Min we got the issue handled quickly with no problem. This amp has 4.5 watts and even though my speakers are 95db, I still wasn’t confident
I had enough power to drive (4) 15” drivers. Immediately out of the box, I was lured in by the smooth, musical sound coming through my system that I
just hadn’t achieved with amps costing over twice as much money. Vocals were tonally correct, timbre was spot
on, a black background that provided a holographic soundstage that would satisfy the most discerning listener!!! Transparency
and detail that give you goosebumps that motivate you to put on the next piece of music and the next until the wee hours of
the morning until you rediscover your collection. If listening to the music is what your about then this amp is for
you! BRAVO MIN! Looking forward to having you make a new pre-amp
for me and my wife! Bill Sawtell on his WE91A-2A3 Stereo Clone.
Min, Hope all is well. The 2a3 has
been burning in for 4 days. Today was the first day I listened to it. Here are my initial impressions: Easily
the blackest background I have heard. Absolutely no noise floor. Undetectable.Surprisingly, it is driving my Quad ESL-63
speakers quite well. More to come as I test other genres of music. Perfect, beautiful tonal palette. I don’t
want to change anything tonally, which is quite a compliment as I usually like to tinker. Widest and deepest soundstage I
have heard in my system. This is likely due to the hugely diminished noise floor. This is great stuff, Min. You
should be proud. Thank you! I do have some items I wish to possibly change in the future, but more on that later. Happy
listening. Pat on his
WE91-2A3 Stereo
Hi Min: I am currently waiting on a pair of RCA 2a3s to arrive. So far the
amp sounds really good. Got my Zu Omen standards last month and of course the amp has no problem driving
them. SETs provide a clearer open sound than the PP amp. On small combo jazz and small ensemble classical
great clarity and openness, even large scale classical is rendered with no apparent compression.- Michael Osoffsky on WE91A-45 Stereo
"Dear Min, I am just wrapping up a long listening session, which I'm reluctant to
end, except that tomorrow morning will come too soon. I've gone through at least a dozen records, to get a sense of changes I'm hearing in
the system across a range of familiar music. The only problem is I'm listening to the music so intently, that I'm wandering
into music outside of where I would normally go for audiophile purposes. So, this isn't really an evaluation of the system,
rather simply a declaration that I'm having a terrific time listening to music, rather than the system. This is, of course,
a good sign that the system sounds terrific.
Anyway, I feel very lucky indeed
to have your wonderful preamp in my system, which has been pretty much transformed by it. I'm also very pleased to let you
know that before it arrived, on a completely random stroke of luck, I found a 2A3 amplifier that Joseph Esmilla personally
built, back when he was working with Angela Instruments, apparently, that someone locally was selling. It was too good to
be true, so now I am listening to this as well. It is indeed a completely different system than I expected to find myself
with. I'm including a picture here so you can see the whole arrangement. The amp is enormous, as you can see.
I'll write more about everything later, but just wanted to share this much with you. Thanks
again for your expert craftsmanship, and for your kindness. All the best, Sean" Sean on JEL FF Preamp
"Min, I have played with the WE 91A -45 a few days now and would like to offer my first impression. Simply put,
this amp produces 'music' that moves me like very few others in my many adventures into SET. The reproduced music is rich,
earthy, lively, weighty and without a hint of electronic underpinning. This is a very special amp for my horn tweeter in my
tri-amped VOTT system. Thank you very much for this 'great' amp!" -Charles Chan on WE91A-45 Stereo
" Hi
Min. I wanted to thankyou for your patient and concise explanations on this
project. Also, the timely suggestions and alternates as they arose. Having
a builder and designer whose focus is quality,(parts) workmanship and tradition,
was reassuring. The 'Min Amp's' wife friendly white enamel was also a blessing
to our listening room. The breakin period reminded my wife and I of ourTannoys
(Turnberry) when new. Mostly delightful, in that you get to discover the collection
of music once again...and exciting, in that each time you turned it on,the
sound was just a wee bit different.As you were aware Min, our biggest concern
was speaker matching; and at 93db there has never been a lack of power! As
first time SET owners, the experience of how reactive it was to gain was suprising.
My wife likened the volume knob to adding yeast to a recipe...a little extra
you can get away with...too much swells uncontrollably! Intermodular distortion
becomes evident when you start gaining above those magic 'First Watts' where
most music is normally played. Great for wives who don't do loud well. As our
'Min clone' settled in over the first 50-100hrs. a few things became evident...The
Sophia Meshs, parts/signal path, coupling caps/transformers and craftmanship all
become crutial to the outcome. That having very good speakers is critical, and personally
I would'nt venture below 93db.The pre-amps qualities and/or shortcomings are
revealed along with any other shitty recording that thusfar had passed scrutiny. AND...the
closer to analog the source is, the sweeter sound...it's more evident now! During
this time Min, the staging went from constricted to relaxed, at a depth that's in
keeping with the recording venue. The higher instrumentation transitioned from excessivly
harsh clarity to a more natural textured presence that's not overly detailed or
detatched. The lower voicing and instrumentation got tighter and less muddled; more
definitive in timbre and texture...with emphasis on natural: the music started to
flow without being forceful or contrived. Live recordings especially,are appropriatly placed
in the hall or church without having the singer at your table or the celloist in your
pew. Staging, now has a revealing depth without seeming bottomless, the breadth
of instumental spacing is neither constrained or blossoming in opulence. We
don't want our music to sound forceful or be overly involving. We enjoy our 'Min Amp' for
it's delicate and playful tone, that can be enjoyed anywhere in the room without feeling
detatched. Engagment is the listeners choice, the transparency and presence soothes
the soul or taps the toe regardless...with ease and truly, absence of fatigue. The
more mature the amp becomes Min, the more we are rewarded with a little more transparency
and dynamic range with the large ensemble and choral more notably. One must
resist reaching for that volume knob and distorting this appreciative gain. We
remain yours truly Min, with kindest regards...tim butler" Tim Butler on his WE91A-300B Stereo Clone
"Hi Min, the amp made
it back safe and sound. Thanks for doing such a great job. The sound is really clean and transparent, while still
maintaining a nice sense of weight. I'll report back in a few days after things have burned in a bit more, but i can
tell you that I'm already very happy with the way that things turned put. Thanks for doing such a fantastic job. All the best,
Gary" Gary Raph on his Sun Audio 2A3 stereo amp refurbish project
" Dear Min, Thanks
for the response of bias setting from Audiogon. Better feedback some of listening experience from email from now. I put the
amp power on several days ago. Since I had no idea about the best bias setting, I biased them around 60mV in the beginning.
The first sound came out I just realized how much I miss the sound from a tube amp. Warm and lush, in my memory, bass even
beats my previous 100Watt tube amp. I used to own tube amp and loved them but then switched to a solid state amp becasue I
got good but tuff load speaker. Sticked to class-D for a while since I was relocated to Asia and the hot weather for a few
years. In the beginning, I plan to use the tube amp with 98dB speakers I have one pair of ATC SCM19, 86dB 8ohm, most of people
probably would use high power SS amp for ATC. I gave it a try, and result is more than staisfying. I think other SCM19 owner
should consider to use this tube amp to match their ATC speaker too (at least up to SCM19). ATC's monitor is acuurate and
usually requires some nice power to make it alive. This 60 Watt tube amp, surprises me, not only give the ATC a even more
musical top/end end and the bass department kicks too. Suddenly, I enjoy the music much more in this set up. I really under-estimated
the 60 watt power can do. Will send you a picture later. Thanks!" Owen Chen on TAL KT88 Eiclone Stereo
"Min, finally got a chance to write to you. It was nice
meeting you in person. Thanks for letting us hear the amp in your charming home and also letting us compare it with the JEL
300B amp. It was well worth the drive and bring the amp home safe and sound. I'm thankful to you for having realized this
dream - An idea that was sown 3 years ago when I first saw the schematic. Since then, I have been collecting the parts required
for this build and I should say I've been quite lucky to score the almost unobtanium Sansui OPTs. I was initially going to
build the amp myself, but when I saw your work, I thought I should have a seasoned builder takeover this project. In the end,
it was worth everything. I won't go on extolling the virtues of this 6B4G PP amp - but I want to say that this amp is
a wonderful match with my Altec Model 19s - it has the SET qualities for the Altec's compression drivers/horns and much needed
grunt required to drive the 15" woofers. This design is a winner and hope you get to build many more of these amps. Thanks
again !" Nikhil Suvarna on 6B4G Push Pull Stereo Amp
"Min, as my new JE Labs 300B DX amps burn in I am enjoying the sound more as each day passes. I have world
class imaging with great tonal beauty, excellent macro and micro dynamics with good extension in high and low frequencies.
Instruments playing solo parts during symphonies open up with realism that I haven’t heard outside of very expensive
gear. I am extremely pleased with these amps and recommend them to anyone having moderately efficient speakers, just
don’t go bargain hunting on tubes as you will hear the merits of the best tubes available!!! Thanks again Min!"
Bill Anderson on his JEL 300Bdx Monoblocks
"The preamp is world class, a number of rooms at the Rocky MT show were using the XX XX-X preamp in expensive setups, your preamp beats it right out of the box and I suspect
that you don’t have 23 large Teflon caps inside!!! I listened to one of my usual test CD’s yesterday, Beethoven’s
Triple Concerto with violin, cello and piano playing in front of an orchestra, the violin plays with the cello picking up
the line, then the piano duets these instruments. To hear all the fine interplay requires a really good preamp and your
preamp is the best yet, and the list price isn’t $9,500!! Plus I love the old tubes, the separate power supply
must help too and sure isn’t included with the XX! - Bill Anderson on his JE Labs linstage with remote control
"Dear Min,
I have had my Korneff 45 SET amplifier for a couple weeks now and am beginning to get a feel of its’ capabilities.
I also own a famous brand 300B SET amplifier and have a great tool for comparison. The Korneff 45
amp that you built wins hands down, same detail and much better tonal qualities for one sixth the price. I
couldn’t be more pleased with your creation, high quality workmanship and beautiful sound. The globe
tubes you supplied are the finishing touch they sound absolutely unbelievable and leave me in musical heaven.
Now we have to figure out the next amp for you to build!!!!!Thanks, Bill Anderson" - Bill on Korneff 45 Clone
" Hi Min, I just wanted to mention, now having a few days of listening pleasure, that the Korneff 45 "clone"
that you have crafted is undoubtedly one of the finest pieces of audio indulgences that I have had the pleasure to listen
to. Your craftsmanship is first rate and executed with a true artisan's ear in the service of musical truth. This amplifier
is without question one of the very finest sounding that I have owned and is every bit a modern transducer, having nothing
to do with a sepia nostalgia. You're a true craftsman, from a very happy owner! Thanks, Cort Chambers" Cort on Korneff 45 Stereo Clone
" After
a thorough web search I came upon Min of Tube Audio Labs. Min was friendly, engaging, knowledgeable and responsive. He had
a few ideas on how to implement a headphone output onto the Korneff. A description of the rebuild and mod is available here with pictures. I've included a few pictures below of the current setup of Korneff 45 powering a pair of LCD2s. I would
simply be doing a disservice by plying various audio descriptions common to reviewers. All I can say is that the experience
has me realize that a properly implemented low powered SET really makes the LCD2s shine. Contact Min and see what he can do
for you, his work is impeccable, timely and reasonable. And if you come across a Korneff 45, snatch it up and bequeath it
to your children and your children's children." Shaharyar Khan on Korneff 45 Rebuild
" Dear
Min, one of my Guiguang 300Bs was on death's row so I just plugged
in a pair of JJ 300Bs. Wow! What clarity and dynamics, and on very cheep speakers (to be replaced by Audio Nirvana super
12s once I have time to build suitable cabinets). Thank you again for an excellent project and seeing me through my
stumbling DIY journey. I'm only sorry that the work is done. Great fun and satisfaction. Can the sound really
get any better than this?!:" William Ventimiglia on
his WE91A-300B Kit
"Hi Min I got the amp and I love it, I first set up the amp with all tubes except I used a 5u4g tube rectifier
instead of the 5r4wgb that you sent and I must say it sounds great with the 5u4g I get more bass bottom and sweet mid's. The
5r4wgb gives a bit less bass but still sweet mid's and I must also say that this amp has some big power and dynamic and I
am using Tannoy 2 way speaker which is only 88 db at 8 ohms and they play louder now than before when I was using the push
pull amp, I played jazz, classical, solo piano, solo guitar and vocals and this amp sounds great and super great with vinyl
records. This is the amp and sound I have been waiting for and its great oh I must not forget its so quiet. Min thank you
again for a great amp and product and I can not stop listening right now I am listening to some blues and its great. thank
you, thank you, thank you. :-) Ed Valentin, Bklyn, N.Y." Ed on JEL 2A3dx Stereo
"Hi Min, All the best for 2011, and hope all is well by you.I finally swapped out my Altec 604s for the Coral Beta 8s. This has put a totally different perspective on just how
good this amp is driving a single driver w/o crossover. Even when I add on the Townshend supertweeters it doesn't dilute the
4.5 watt punch to the Corals. This amp is a gem, and really delivers that intoxicating SET magic for peanuts.
Your passion and professionalism is an asset to the audio community,
and has resuscitated the "Golden Age of Audio" for all of us middle class folk who can't afford what our ears deserve.
My sincere thanks for your efforts which have afforded my ears (and wallet) such happiness!
"Bought amp on Min's reputation, and was not dissapointed. This amp LOVES good tubes. Installed RCA Blackplate
6L6GCs,and lost two nights sleep listening to album after album. I am now smiling more often. Thanks, Min." - Jay on
his purchase of JEL Hi-Fi Single Ended EL-34 Stereo Amp
"Min:
I've
had the amp around 6 weeks now and thought I would provide some feedback. Of the 3 300B amps I have had in my system, your
current model is without doubt the best performer. Your amp has a very solid sound to it. Some 300B amps can sound a bit fuzzy
with weak bass. Yours maintains the midrange warmth with good extension on both ends. The ability to switch between 6C6 and
310A driver tubes is a great option. I find the 6C6 slightly sweeter in tone but the 310A provides a much larger soundstage.
The James transformer turns out not only to be a very good performer but a great value as well. Overall, I'm very happy with
your build and would highly recommend this design to other audiophiles looking for a 300B amp." -Scott Matthews on TAL WE91A-300B Stereo Clone
"Hello Min, Just a note to say thanks and wrap up the transaction.
First off, I’m very pleased with the product and the results. It took me
about 20 hrs. to build it and another 3 or 4 to figure out a couple of mistakes I made. The amp sounds fantastic. I’ve
heard a couple of 2a3 amps before so I had an idea what to expect, but this thing has really exceeded my expectations. What
really surprises me is the bass, nice and full and tight. No joke – It sounds like I added a subwoofer to my rig. The
detail in the music is there as well, but so very smooth and such a pleasure to listen to. The opposite of harsh or bright.
Plenty of power for my Klipschorns for any type of music at any volume I care to listen. Just fantastic. The case came out
very nice as well. A very impressive looking amplifier when finished and sitting in the rack. And thanks for getting it out
before your vacation..." - Mike Forbes on WE91A-2A3 kit
"I consider this preamp a perfect match for the WE2A3 monoblocks. The preamp is neutral, seeming to have the exact
same sonic qualities as the 2A3 amps. It took what little veil there was off, especially enhancing the clarity and soundstaging
of the amps. The preamp is inherently quiet, no hum or buzz at all. The initial tube selection (6SL7 + 76 + 6SN7) had two
mildly noisy tubes and I have since switched to highly regarded, matched NOS pairs that have eliminated the noise and made
the best even better. The tubes in the preamp are inherently microphonic, but I have no microphonics with the preamp. I mulled
over getting this preamp for nearly two months, but I should not have waited one day. This preamp definitely completes my
system." - Mike McKee on JE Labs FF Preamp.
"Hi Min, the amp
has now been breaking in for 48 hours now, this is what I'd like to comment about your amp :
I am running the amp
with a Sylvania 5AR4/GZ34 rectifier for the delayed B+ turn on, new Russian 310A drivers ( these are fantastic sounding)
and the Shuguang 300 B-Z as what I supplied you, firstly after turning it on, I noticed that there is not a hint of faint
hum whatsoever, in other words the amp is dead quiet! I hooked it up to the 76 line stage I got from you and fired up the
system. Again I don't know how you have done it, but both the amp and the linestage you have built me is just that quiet!
Firstly, the bass! This is not the kind of bass I would honestly expect from a 300B ( and I have heard quite a few 300B
systems that includes my previous diy 300b amp that I built as a kit) , the vigour and how low it can go on the low frequencies,
low enough to rattle the plaster ceiling in my listening room actually....and they tell me that 300B's are notoriously weak
in the bass department? well not this one in particular!
This amp does not sound like a typical 300B at all, the
way every note is produced with such authority and forceful manner, the presence of each instruments being played, a very
full musical sounding environment ( packs up the soundstage from wall to wall beyond my speakers) a very powerful sounding
amp I would say, not the typical thick sounding 300B character as I have always heard.
So this is the WE 91A sound, and
I was worried all these while it may sound vintage or old in character, well all I can say is that this amp is very neutral,
authoritative but yet natural, an amp you can listen to for hours without any kind of ear fatigue, well that 5 months or so
wait was worth it, I mean there were many different parts and changes I wanted ( thus the time taken) and like what
you have promised, you have built me an amp that is unique not like any other that you have built, firstly using the WE 310A
driver as well as no electrolytes in the circuit, for me this is good enough close to the WE91A amp that I have always wanted!
Great built Min!! Regards" - Dixon on WE91A-300B Stereo
"The TAL JE Labs full-function preamp is one of
the best, and best-valued, pieces of audio gear I've ever owned. It is very quiet, and dynamic, and very lively. It does not
sound like any typical small-tube preamp or even octal pre in my experience - the 76 tube (or else the circuit) simply sounds
very, very 'present', intimate, and lively. At the price for a full-function pre it is quite a steal." - Paul
Folbrecht on JEL FF Preamp
"Min, I must say that I'm very impressed with the sound I'm getting, it's all I could expect and more. To begin,
this is the quietest tube amp I've owned, any audible hum is only heard with my ear against the driver, a foot away and it's
dead quiet. The low end is fast and powerful. I'm finding I listen to a lot more Ray Brown, Charlie Haden and Ron Carter music.
I just love the way the low end comes through. The 4.5 watts is plenty of power for my 96dB speakers in my 13'x25' room. The
mids and highs are as sweet as I've heard on my single driver Lowther speakers. Imaging, channel separation and focus are
all there in spades. I was careful not to give you documented feedback before I had several weeks to listen closely and make
sure that emotions weren't to explain for my exuberance. I don't swap equipment very often (relative, I know) and I've used
only two amps over the last 5 years, but I must say, this amp holds my attention more than any other. Thanks for the nice
work!" - Jim Frank on WE91A-2A3 Stereo SET Amp
"I bought the JE Labs "SRPP
45" Min built this week (he listed it on agon) - $1300 sans tubes. He used all primo parts and gave it a gorgeous
red auto finish. This thing is killer! Preferable to my ------ on my Tonian TL-D1s. I listed them after
listening to the amp for three hours this morning. (Ah, that other benefit of HE speakers - no beefy amps required. This
amp is just - maybe MORE - dynamic than the ------ at the volumes I listen at.) Retail price of the ----- is exactly 10x what
I paid for this amp. Of course, they will drive speakers a 45 can't hope to. But for speakers like the 95 dB/W,
8-ohm Tonians, it is hard indeed to beat a 45 SET, and this is a good one. I've told Min he should turn this into a kit -
with the demise of Welborne there are no longer ANY 45 SET kits in the market. (Bottlehead 2A3 can be converted to run
45s like any 2A3 but output iron will not be optimal.)" - Paul on SRPP 45
"Got the tube. Sorry about the added hassle. I
am pretty sure I still have some fair burn in hours ahead but already I find this Linestage to be sonically complete. Nice
extension into the deep bass with very nice definition and snap. Very smooth yet highly detailed midrange, clean clear highs.
No glare or grunge anywhere. Open, airy, 3-dimensional, musically involving, soulful. I truly feel I have it all. All that
being said I may want to experiment with an exotic rectifier tube. Could I try a Sophia Electric TJ 274B or would that be
a miss-match electrically? How about an Emission Labs 5U4G? Thanks." - Fred Cassidy on JEL Standalone Linestage Preamp
“Min is a great builder in many ways. His workmanship is impeccable, he was
very willing to customize my unit according to my aesthetic and parts requests,and I feel his products are a
tremendous value in the sometimes bewildering world of hi-fi. What I mean by value is
that at least half the cost of this unit is in the parts.That's hard to find in a kit let
alone a finished product. The JE Labs phono and line preamp sounds great. It seems to make my speakers
sound "bigger". I won't go into greater detail about the sound since that is very
subjective. I can say that the external power supply makes it the quietest phono preamp I
have heard. Excellent unit, thanks Min.” - Alan on JEL FF preamp
"The best description I have for these amps is detail,
clarity, balance and soundstage. I could tell the difference in these areas almost instantly compared to my McIntosh
system. These amps are dead quiet, no audible hum or buzz past 2 feet and I have not had one single problem with
them. These amps have changed the way I hear music and have significantly improved my listening skills. I have
been listening to live rock music played by my friends and professional artists since I was 15 years old and I have strived
to have my playback system sound like the real thing. I now feel I have that system because of these amps. Another
benefit is I am able to tell good mastering/recordings from bad and I know if it sounds bad, it’s the recording.
I thoroughly enjoy these amps and I am no longer searching for something better. For the first two months I owned these,
I did not use a preamp, instead I sent two sources with volume control directly to the amps, a CD player and a Bellari phono
preamp." - Mike McKee on WE91A 2A3 Monoblocks.
"Hi Min,
after some 3 weeks of use it's propably time to give some real feedback of your WE91 amp. I think it's rather useless and
impossible actually give you a detailed head to head comparison against some other 300B amp. But, what I can say without the
slightest hesitation, your amp got my Omega 8"XRSs' to fully blossom :) like no amp before (incl. some very respected
and much more expensive commercial 300B hi-end amps). The presentation is powerful, smoooooth, clear, with beautiful (very
natural) midrange and extended top end and bass range with real impact and articulation, it's more like
2A3 or 45 amp in some regard. I've owned and auditioned lots of (different) amps, ss and tube and this definitely is one of
my favourites if not the best. My highest recommendation, Min! You build me such a terrific amp, really! Best, Jouni."
- Jouni S. of Finland on WE91A-300B with WE-core OPTs.
"Wow! This preamp certainly fired up the soundstage like never before! The presence of each nuance at the background
and at the front of the stage, its really came alive! Instruments played on the front of the soundstage was so 3D you could
almost feel if the musician was standing right in front playing it there and then! Most other small noval preamps out there
I tried played music with only 2 dimensional, and very solid state/hifi like. THis pre amp is nothing like it, the reviews
about the 76 tubes are no myth, and the best thing is the preamp is very very very quiet with zero hum whatsoever. Where I
am listening this to, in my sound room has a ground loop problem at the power source, thus you here buzz and audible hum when
I used to connect any of my stereo gear but yours seems to be so quiet! Can't believe it! Lastly, the BASS! I have never heard bass notes as dynamic
and as deep ever being produced on my SET system. Always thought its because my speakers ( a pair of Harbeth Compact 7's at
86db/w) were the culprit althought they outperform many at that low efficiency! But this time round, I can't believe how its
fleshed out the bass frequencies, its like I've been missing out on them because of deficient gear! I used to run only a pair of TVC passive preamp direct from
the cd source and to the amp to prevent further coloration I thought that could come from a preamp, but now of course with
the integration into this preamp, the extra gain and the magic Transparency of the 76 definitely propels my system to another
level! Rather amazing! - Dixon Chen on JEL Standalone Linestage Preamp
"Hi, I just
wanted to compliment you on your craftsmanship, I purchased the 300b monos last year that you had built for a customer. He
listed them on audiogon for a price that was just insane, I paid $750 for them with the tubes which are the mesh plate 300b's.
I am using a set of Decware fullrange speakers with the flex cabinets that are customed just for this driver. I have to tell
you they sound awesome, and I feel so much of this is being driven by your amps. I have included a few pictures of my system.
Everyone who hears the combination your amps and Decware speakers are just awed by the speed and clarity of the system. Once
again... my highest compliment to you! Great Job." - Bryan on WE91A Monoblocks "Hi Min, the amp is up and running. It probably has 5 hours
of use on it and sounds fantastic - just finished Kevin Mahogany doing his Smokey Robinson tribute - a cd I have proably
listened to 50 times and never heard it ever like this before. Bass was a little bloated out of the gate but has smoothed
out. I am ccing Vern because he sent me your way and heard my Zu Druids this past weekend with a variety of amps.
Well the druids never sounded like this last weekend - dynamics, detail with real meat on the bones, and smooth smooth smooth.
I am sure the TJ 300bs are part of the story but they are also brand new. Min - what is your burn in experience - how
many hours did you put on my amp? Will keep you posted but warning that I will be very busy listening." -David
Speed on WE91A Stere "First of all, just to let you know,
I am very happy with the amps and preamps that you built for me. Alot, of compliments from friends, visitors and family
members. Especially from my nephew just graduated from WESTPOINT 07, he said he never see a tube amps before.
Some old folks from Los Angeles was familiar with the tube amps and he really likes the warm sound especially with the Klipsch
Quartet Speakers." - Alex M. Olay on Dynaco ST-35 and SP-6 preamp
"I have this in my home office
mated with a pair of Pioneer HPM-100s (93dB sensitivity). I have a turntable via the Bellari phono preamp, a universal player
thru a DAC and the computer sound card connected to it. This little thing is perfect for this setup. It is dead quiet, has
2A3 sound character and is plenty loud through my moderately sensitive speakers. I told Min I wanted something that would
sound just like my main system at very low volumes and what he built for me exceeded my expectations. At low volumes (70dB
or so with speakers less than 4 feet away from listening position), the detail, clarity, balance and soundstage are very apparent.
The volume control has noise in it and I am certain it is a quality control problem with the part. I will be changing this
out and expect it to be perfect after that." - Mike McKee on 1626 Cap-Coupled Darling Amp.
"Min is THE MAN - these WE91 300B amps are FABULOUS and an incredible value
(compared to the best - Yamamoto, Kurashima, Shindo, etc.). Get them before his waiting time is 6 months!" - Paul
Folbrecht on WE91A 300B monoblocks with Hashimoto OPTs. Read his review on the amp
Comments
from Randy Morgan, the second owner of the WE91A monos -
I am the proud owner of a pair of WE91a monoblocks that Min built for Paul Folbrecht
in December of 2008. I was able to trade one of Min's 6sn7/76/300B stereo amps + cash for them. I have had them
in my main system for 2 weeks now, and I am quite frankly blown away by the sound, power, and appearance. I am using JohnK
built Fostex 208 sigma + Fountek ribbon tweeter speakers, 98dB, a Martin Logan Depth sub, Juicymusic blueberry preamp, cdp,
tuner, and 'table for sources. The room is 14' x 18' with 9' ceilings, heavily furnished. The amps have very quiet,
selected 6C6/1603 driver tubes with those cool anode caps, EML 300b, and Chatham 5R4s. The amps are SO revealing and
transparent I had to go through 7 pairs of IC's before I found that some old silver dragons were quietest, almost eliminating
radio station noise. I will be the first to admit I am more neurotic than most folks about NOISE. I like quiet
amps, minimal hum or hiss, and these mono's are, yes, DEAD quiet. The amps themselves produce a quiet industrial mmmmm
sound, just all the transformers working, but inaudible from 8 feet away. I listen to mostly classical music, a lot
of 20th century crazy stuff, but also Latin, the usual jazz singers, Piazzolla tango etc. Just not rock, been there,
done that, I am 54 after all.
I have been into low watt/hi-eff tube audio for about 6 years, spent and lost a fortune on Audiogon, and have owned, shoot,
40 amps easily, DIY as well as big name stuff (Wavelength, Art Audio etc). I still own 17 amps, too much too much, but
I see them as works of art and my wife is glad I don't play golf.
OK, the sound. Emerging from a very quiet backround, I was immediately aware
of the recording room acoustics: echoes, performers taking a breath, chairs squeaking-- all the low level detail that provides
realism. The sound is simply beautiful, instruments sound so real, transients are fast, and the power is more than I
need, but as much as I like. The 3d effect is startling, lots of air around each performer. The sound, to me,
is quite balanced throughout the audible spectrum, no apparent emphasis of lows/mids/highs. I am enjoying them immensely
needless to say. One of my favorite lines from audioasylum, when the rather silly question, "what is the
best amp in the world" was posted, is, "the one you don't own--yet!!" Maybe I'm there, finally.
"This is the second
tube amp i purchased from Min. Excellent build quality and great sound. All at an incredible price. Highly recommended!"
- Dan "aka Pianopig on Audiogon" on JEL Simple 45/2A3 Amp
"Min, The amp's a winner. It's been up and going for about two hours. Well,
I'm impressed and that takes a lot. How much time is on the amp? Those James trannies are the real deal. I've always like
the James trannies. Very good iron. Hope they will be imported again. The bass is nice. Most 2A3 SET amps can do bass but
not this clean. Nothing like 2A3 bass. Vocals are liquid. I'm glad the amp has a semi modern sound. I was afraid (it being
a WE91A) it would be a little dark or very traditional classic tube sound. Very nice balance and matches very well with my
Cardersound Madison V2. - Todd Baker from NC on WE91A 6C6-2A3
"This 2xKT66/channel
amp is absolutely beautiful - both in the way it soundsand in the way it looks. Modern "audiophile" sonics but without
omitting that great classic sound, and it has that great old-fashioned industrial look. Wide and deep soundstage, wonderful
tone, and balanced from top to bottom. And Min was right about this amp being the quietest he's ever made - it is so quiet
and free of background noise that the musical detail really comes through. I have purchased one-off amps from other people
in the past, but Min is the only maker who delivers on time, stays in constant communication, and gets things done with no
drama or issues. Thank you again, Min!!! - KLM
from NYC on Handwired ST-70 amp
Comments from KLM five months later -
The Mundorf caps and the "Genalex" tubes have broken in quite well. The thin sonic
signature that I heard when the amp was just out of the box has changed, and it's gotten richer. Tight and detailed bass,
fleshier midrange. I'm using an EH 5U4G rectifier instead of my NOS 5AR4's; the former gives the amp a
more relaxed sound; the latter was too forward. Thank you again for such a great amp at such a great price
and no delivery dramas.
"
Hi Min, Just a quick note to thank you again and let you
know how much I am enjoying the amps. I had some audio friends over last weekend and asked them how much they thought
the amps cost, the lowest estimate was $4500.00. So I think you need to raise your prices. I will do my best to sell some
more for you. Best Regards....Vern" - Vern in BC, Canada on JEL 300dx monoblocks
" This is great 2A3
amp! Well built with excellant construction at a bargain price. Get one now before you have to wait!" - Gbslps @ Audiogon on JEL Stereo 2A3dx
" Incredible amp made by min!great service and i could not be more pleased with his product.highly recommended!"
- Pianopig @ Audigon on JEL Stereo 2A3dx
"
Excellent item - good communication- smooth transaction - A+++++++++" - steamerSteve @ eBay on Dynaco ST-70
" Nice amp.
Item arrived as described. Well packed. No issues" - everettc123 @ eBay on 1626 Darling Amp
" Great amps, performs as described, excellent communication. A+++" -
tealtonerick @ eBay on Dynaco MKIIIs
"
Wonderful seller, quick delivery and very well build amp." - leepwj @ eBay on 1626 Darling amp
" Amazing little amp, beautifully built, carefully packed and quickly delivered-A+"
- flivver-t @ eBay on 1626 Darling amp
"GREAT
EBAYER-HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, THE BEST OF EBAY 5 STARS ALL THE WAY!!" - audioandotherthings @ eBay on 6AS7 Lilliput
" excellent!!" - gilbut69 @ eBay on 6L6GC SE Simpleton
"A+++ seller great communication fast shipping would buy from again. Thanks!"
- ecir33 @ eBay on 300B GSG amp
" Very
well made amp. It is truly a Darling!! Thanks!" - spry4evr @ eBay on 1626 Darling amp
" Great item and great price.." - electroman-1 @ eBay on 6080
Lilliput
" Great
Amps! Easy to deal with. Wants to Make the Buyer Happy! Keep building them!" - ljandmj @ eBay on 13EM7 monoblocks