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Ebay Tube amp buy disaster

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You decided to buy a tube amp from China ?

From looking at their Store, I see about 20 different tube amps, $200 to $750.

I wonder about the quality of these.
They certainly "look" sweet........
Stuff sold exclusively on-line and shipped from G-d knows where....
....I just can't envision put my money into.

Do you remember those guys in the white vans, trying to sell you "liquid cooled" speakers ?

Smells kinda like that.

When an audio manufacturer doesn't even have their own website....

Maybe I'm totally wrong, and they sound wonderful.
Only you can decide.
For the price, enjoy it.

=FB=
 
Ty_Bower said:


Or another 829B. I'm in favor of the theory that the power tubes worked their way out, then bounced around smashing everything else.


I second oh wait ah third that. Sir Isaac Newton and tubes don't mix without bubble wrap.

I have ordered thing off the bay with tube which were ratteling around in the box by the time they showed on my door step.

Nick
 
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redrabbit said:
You decided to buy a tube amp from China ?

From looking at their Store, I see about 20 different tube amps, $200 to $750.

I wonder about the quality of these.
They certainly "look" sweet........
Stuff sold exclusively on-line and shipped from G-d knows where....
....I just can't envision put my money into.

Do you remember those guys in the white vans, trying to sell you "liquid cooled" speakers ?

Smells kinda like that.

When an audio manufacturer doesn't even have their own website....

Maybe I'm totally wrong, and they sound wonderful.
Only you can decide.
For the price, enjoy it.

=FB=

Lots of decent if not great tube gear is coming out of China these days. I had a line of product oem'd there in the late 1990's (Shenzen) and early part of the decade. Some of those amps are now approaching 10yrs of age, and all have been quite reliable.
I think the bigger risk is in buying things on eBay, not their Chinese origin. Some sellers though really stand behind their product and others don't. Packing and shipping seem to be the biggest risks, followed by misrepresented merchandise.
 
Reply to Andy.

Andy, I don't think that'll be a warranty claim, more of a shipping insurance issue. Though they are not answering my e-mails, even directly to their web site mail address. Ebay isn't letting me know what they will do for me either as it's over the 60 days (took 64 days to get here) hmmmmmmmm !!!! I set the bias to a sensible 30ma today and fired it up with a good analog source to a pair of polk tower speakers. Well now it's not as good as the Citation II I had, but it's close, background noise is NILL, no hiss or even a trace of hum. Very Twinkly at the top ans mooth in the mids with a cone crunching bass, for a 30 watt amp, it's better than fair for a tube amp, my personal performance rating would be an 8 of 10 and for the price a 10. Even if the seller dosn't settle, it was still a deal, the tubes cost me about 80.00 for the 6 (all new) the 829b's are real GE/RCA vintage items and the drivers are from Russia direct. With 60ma bias (grids at -18v) I'm not getting the full 30 watts, but the tubes ain't orange plating and it sounds so nice after the transistor amps I've been using of late. I took photos of the transformers and underside if anyone is interested in looking.
 
Inside and TX's

Transformers are very unimpressive and the wiring layout is untidy. The power board amazes me with such small caps. They are 200uf at 600vdc each though. Just like to see huge aluminium cans. Maybe they just didn't find the room for some decent sized cans !!!!!!!!!!!

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An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
:whazzat:
 
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I'm not sure what you're on about, to my eyes I see nothing but vast potential, and while not exactly a paragon of tidiness or the ultimate in workmanship it still looks rather good, particularly in light of the tiny money you paid for this thing.

The plate leads to the output tubes probably should go through grommeted holes rather than the ventilation slots, but this is something you can fix quickly with a drill and a few rubber grommets.

200uF/600V caps should be adequate for most tube amplifier power supplies. Mine are the size of beer cans, but barely make it to 100uF.

This thing looks like there is a lot of opportunity and room for tweaks.

Literally you can fit almost anything in it. Nice oil caps for the supply. Hexfred rectifiers, a moderate value choke.

The iron is no frills, but looks fine. True the output transformers are small, but look as well made as some of the small Telefunken transformers I have, and depending on what the core material is made of they might be quite good. Since it is a PP amplifier the transformers do not have to support much dc flux at all - probably very important given their small size to make sure things are, and stay balanced.

This is a cool little amp from the looks of it with quite a lot of potential.
 
There have been comments on some other threads (music angel KT88) re the size of the main caps. As kevinkr says:- "plenty of room for improvement."

I haven't seen the schematic for this model around. I you have it or draw it out, please post. I'm sure others would be interested.


Andy
 
Reply to Andy

I'm hoping to have the seller send replacement tubes, a schematic and bias data. So if the Circuit diagram shows up, I'll verify it's the correct one and post it for all you 829b followers. But at the price, it's probably better to buy one, always assuming he changes his packing and shipping methods.
Stay Tuned.
 
re: UPDATE Ebay - Paypal - on9mart

Seems I got screwed then:

Ebay won't intervene after 60 days, Paypal is 45 days.
The seller on9mart (ebay seller) on9mart.com is ignoring my requests for an insurance claim and replacement of the broken tubes. I thought because I didn't insist on total replacement that they would save on shipping (both ways) as it was insured (cost me $57.00 extra)

So, advice to anyone thinking of buying is: DON'T DO IT.
 
Right, no packing for the tubes at all.
The amp itself was very well packed with 4" foam all round, hence no other damage at all except glass rash.

I just heard back from on9mart (Paypal nudged them I think)
Says they will have postal inspector look at package for a claim.
Yeah . right ...... if you were that inspector, would you pay up ?
 
RE: Seems i got screwed then.
Lets face Facts You Paid For this AMP US$ 119/ $135 shipping /$ 57 Insurance. SELLER PRICE $588 if this AMP would be sold in a
Shop in USA or EU Cost would be +- $1200. Seller states make
your BEST Offer stand out by setting a PRICE that is FAIR for you
and the seller.
Kevin Says: I'm not sure what you're on about!!!!!!!!
I Agree and not sure who has got SCREWED !!!!!!!

RUDI
 
RUDI, it's an auction with overpriced shipping and insurance. If the seller doesn't want to sell for price then he should put a reserve on it.
I'd like to know the value it was insured for, bet it wasn't $119.00.
Here's one about to end for 10 quid. (plus shipping)
There's a principle involved here even if it honor among thieves.
But I'm starting to believe it was FU 29 times after all.

http://cgi.ebay.com/AUDIOROMY-FU29-...ageNameZWD2VQQcmdZViewItem?_trksid=p1638.m122



Heres another, same price.

http://cgi.ebay.com/AUDIOROMY-FU29-...oryZ3280QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
 
itsmejto said:
RUDI, it's an auction with overpriced shipping and insurance.

I thought Ebay was going to clamp down on this sort of pricing. After all, it is to escape the Ebay listing and final value payments.

Note also that HK residents have to pay the same p&p.


If the seller doesn't want to sell for price then he should put a reserve on it.

That would attract higher fees!!

I'd like to know the value it was insured for, bet it wasn't $119.00.

If it was insured in the first place. It says that the parcels are sent by DHL. As far as I am aware, DHL parcel are insured within the price of shipping except that this does not include glass ie the valves.

A postal inspector will only laugh. Inadequate packaging is not covered as "damage in transit".


Andy
 
What Andy said .................
oh, it was sent Hong Kong post, not DHL. Only took 64 days to get here. But I think even DHL would have loosened up the tubes anyways. a strip of styrene over the tubes would have helped, but nothing, not even a rubber band.
I wait for the post office to contact me I guess.
Need a good laugh anyways after this depression.
 
Ebay Seller On9mart Sucks !!!

Nothing from them yet, seems they are ignoring my requests for a replacement or refund. Ebay and paypal won't help.
Best I can do now is blacklist them.
So take note, anything that takes 60 days to arrive is automatically disqualified from a claim with both ebay and paypal. If it arrives damaged and the seller won't communicate, even if you bought insurance, tough luck.
DEM'S DAH RULZ OF EBAY
 
I bought some tube sockets from a seller in china and they did arrive in about a week. The seller gave me a tracking number for china post. No amount of searching could find a way to actually use that tracking number. Also in case anyone is interested the sockets say Magnoval but they sure don't fit my Magnoval tubes. The only good sockets are the Svetlana SK509 solid ceramic.
 
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