MFA
MFA is Moore Frankland Associates or MFA Systems. The M is Bruce Moore, now running Bruce Moore Audio Design.
Bruce Moore has designed for Paragon, Audible illusions and for MFA. MFA products are the Magus and all oktal Luminescence
preamplifiers. The later Reference preamp is a design of Arn Roatcap.
The Hong Kong pcb´s are not the real thing, especially in the power supplys.
As for the CAT they use 12AU7 in the first amplification stage, the original changed to 6922 years ago to get a better S/N ratio.
The original MFA reference has both an active and a passive (cathode follower) output stage. The HK pcb has only the active portion.
And so on, they are modified clones.
Reinhard
MFA is Moore Frankland Associates or MFA Systems. The M is Bruce Moore, now running Bruce Moore Audio Design.
Bruce Moore has designed for Paragon, Audible illusions and for MFA. MFA products are the Magus and all oktal Luminescence
preamplifiers. The later Reference preamp is a design of Arn Roatcap.
The Hong Kong pcb´s are not the real thing, especially in the power supplys.
As for the CAT they use 12AU7 in the first amplification stage, the original changed to 6922 years ago to get a better S/N ratio.
The original MFA reference has both an active and a passive (cathode follower) output stage. The HK pcb has only the active portion.
And so on, they are modified clones.
Reinhard
powertriode said:
I know the Marantz Audio Consolette used a toroidal choke in the phono EQ circuit. Did the 7 also or was it straight RC filtering there?
speaker
I got confirmation that my kit shipped. Here is the link to the one I ordered.
http://www.diyclub.biz/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=149_106_145&products_id=273
http://www.diyclub.biz/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=149_106_145&products_id=273
Let us know your thoughts when it arrives.
If you check this link, you will see that the ebay seller who was selling this sort of stuff has been NARU'd
Can't be for bad feedback, maybe he forgot to pay his seller's account??
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=14974&item=5704114863&rd=1
The other seller (e8audioguy or something) is still going.
Which one of them is diyclub.biz????
If you check this link, you will see that the ebay seller who was selling this sort of stuff has been NARU'd
Can't be for bad feedback, maybe he forgot to pay his seller's account??
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=14974&item=5704114863&rd=1
The other seller (e8audioguy or something) is still going.
Which one of them is diyclub.biz????
While await its arrival i listen to this...
http://www.audiocircle.com/circles/...ame=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php
http://www.audiocircle.com/circles/...ame=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php
They are all coming from this Chinese site
http://www.liteaudio.com/
I live in Hong Kong and I order them directly from the Chinese site and the quality is quite good
http://www.liteaudio.com/
I live in Hong Kong and I order them directly from the Chinese site and the quality is quite good
Yes, in RMB.
But their English is not very good. I normally talk to them (in Chinese) directly over the phone. You may try to email them.
The HK reseller could be more easier to deal with
But their English is not very good. I normally talk to them (in Chinese) directly over the phone. You may try to email them.
The HK reseller could be more easier to deal with
Page Loading Speed
I emailed them and asked if they might look at reducing the size of the jpg files to make the paged load quicker.
I received a reply from them saying they would.
I checked the site just now and it does seem to load quicker.
I suggested they may get more people buy stuff if the pages load a bit quicker.
I was looking through the site, they have some neat stuff.
I think I may hammer the credit card a bit
🙂
I emailed them and asked if they might look at reducing the size of the jpg files to make the paged load quicker.
I received a reply from them saying they would.
I checked the site just now and it does seem to load quicker.
I suggested they may get more people buy stuff if the pages load a bit quicker.
I was looking through the site, they have some neat stuff.
I think I may hammer the credit card a bit
🙂
I have left a negative feedback to the second guy. I placed my order 3 months ago. The item never shows up. He promised to send again, but I didn't see anything from him.
He gave me a negative feeedback in return blaming me for not staying at home! He refused to refund.
Don't buy from this guy.
Contax Chen
I got my stuff as ordered a couple weeks ago. Still putting it together while I am working on another lineamp and built a pair of Nagaoka D-101a's in the interim.
The pcb's are very good quality as the R-core transformer looks to be. I have everything in the chassis but need to connect the inputs / outputs, volume etc. The tube based power supply is all done and adjusted.
My stuff did take long to get here, exactly 30 days via Speedpost which is the Hong Kong Express delivery. I think if I had it shipped to the U.S.A or Europe it would have been faster.
Andrew
The pcb's are very good quality as the R-core transformer looks to be. I have everything in the chassis but need to connect the inputs / outputs, volume etc. The tube based power supply is all done and adjusted.
My stuff did take long to get here, exactly 30 days via Speedpost which is the Hong Kong Express delivery. I think if I had it shipped to the U.S.A or Europe it would have been faster.
Andrew
Comments on these guys
1. bypass the middle guys - they buy from liteaudio.
2. 18audioguy on ebay is pretty bad. bought 2 bare boards
and one stuffed board. and only 2 showed up (guess
which ones?). Left this mess to paypal, ebay, and
squaretrader.
3. The two bare boards were shipped with missing
parts list and schematics. You now need to
reverse engineer their re-design. Start with the
original schematic and note their mods.
4. Then there's their power supplies. They sometimes
use discrete parts labelled A2. anybody know what
A2 specs are?
5. Boards are well made and cheap compared to say
repros for Dynaco ST-70s at $45.
6. If you buy complete kits, stuffed boards, stuffed
power supplies, and transformers, and shipping,
you now paying enough for a Foreplay.
Bob
1. bypass the middle guys - they buy from liteaudio.
2. 18audioguy on ebay is pretty bad. bought 2 bare boards
and one stuffed board. and only 2 showed up (guess
which ones?). Left this mess to paypal, ebay, and
squaretrader.
3. The two bare boards were shipped with missing
parts list and schematics. You now need to
reverse engineer their re-design. Start with the
original schematic and note their mods.
4. Then there's their power supplies. They sometimes
use discrete parts labelled A2. anybody know what
A2 specs are?
5. Boards are well made and cheap compared to say
repros for Dynaco ST-70s at $45.
6. If you buy complete kits, stuffed boards, stuffed
power supplies, and transformers, and shipping,
you now paying enough for a Foreplay.
Bob
I've ordered a couple of items from both http://www.diyclub.biz and
http://www.eaudioguy.com/
They were both very pleasant to deal with. Delivery to Europe was very fast. I ordered the DAC-AH from diyclub and a CAT SL1 clone and Jadis JP200 clone from eaudioguy on Ebay. The PCBs are of very high quality and for an idiot like me it's the only way to get things done. I can't do the point-to-point soldering.
Maybe they're not real clones, but the pcb is a nice starting point for tweaking.
I highly recommend them.
http://www.eaudioguy.com/
They were both very pleasant to deal with. Delivery to Europe was very fast. I ordered the DAC-AH from diyclub and a CAT SL1 clone and Jadis JP200 clone from eaudioguy on Ebay. The PCBs are of very high quality and for an idiot like me it's the only way to get things done. I can't do the point-to-point soldering.
Maybe they're not real clones, but the pcb is a nice starting point for tweaking.
I highly recommend them.
This website is maintained by the same guy "18audioguy"at Ebay.
I won't recommend. Now I order from http://www.diyclub.biz
Take care,
CC
I've seen these boards on ebay a number of times but it isn't clear to me what is included in the clone. For example, on a Marantz or Mac clone does it include support for tone controls and filters that would have been on the original?
Thanks!
Thanks!
No, neither the McIntosh C22 nor the Marantz 7 PCB designs have tone controls.
So, these are not quite clones but merely redesigns to suit themselves and called clones to attract your attention.
So, these are not quite clones but merely redesigns to suit themselves and called clones to attract your attention.
CaliforniaBob, thanks for the reply. That's what I figured. Personally, I'd like to see actual clones of some of the classic preamps of that era, like from MacIntosh, Scott, Fisher and Marantz. Complete with filters, tone controls and phono stages. Hmm.. maybe there's an opportunity here.. 😉
Did any of the boards that anybody has ordered come with any instructions? In English?
I'm considering their V-03 remote volume control kit. It can be configured several ways. I'm hope that they provide instructions with their kits so I can configure it properly. I've emailed them and haven't received any replies.
I'm considering their V-03 remote volume control kit. It can be configured several ways. I'm hope that they provide instructions with their kits so I can configure it properly. I've emailed them and haven't received any replies.
None of the boards come with anything close to what you or I would call instructions. Some bare boards with some (not all) values stenciled on the top will omit the parts list, other boards will have the schematic.
The boards with the parts soldered in will have neither a parts list or a schematic!
The problem is two-fold. First, you need a full schematic for any board just to get an idea of what you're missing - such as a power suppy schematic. Without one, you have to reverse engineer the HV section, the secondary voltage, etc. Second, you really need a parts list for the full parts description. Even if it's stenciled as a resistor or cap you'll still need the wattage, type, capacitance, type, voltage rating, etc.
Bottom line is they're all from one source so buy the cheapest and be prepared to reverse engineer the board to see whether it can work for you. In my earlier email, the clone you buy is NOT an exact replica.
The most information you will ever get is in the auction listing or on a web page (in Chinese) and it's not very thorough or complete.
Bob
The boards with the parts soldered in will have neither a parts list or a schematic!
The problem is two-fold. First, you need a full schematic for any board just to get an idea of what you're missing - such as a power suppy schematic. Without one, you have to reverse engineer the HV section, the secondary voltage, etc. Second, you really need a parts list for the full parts description. Even if it's stenciled as a resistor or cap you'll still need the wattage, type, capacitance, type, voltage rating, etc.
Bottom line is they're all from one source so buy the cheapest and be prepared to reverse engineer the board to see whether it can work for you. In my earlier email, the clone you buy is NOT an exact replica.
The most information you will ever get is in the auction listing or on a web page (in Chinese) and it's not very thorough or complete.
Bob
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