The MP-2A3C SET integrated amp based on early
model of MP-7 and VP-300B is designed for human ears, not for testing equipment (click here to see). The MP-2A3C is much better! It uses 2A3C tubes for
SET output that performs like most 300B SET amps, but better than traditional
2A3 and 300B tubes in terms of music!
The amp uses 110 Volts only (North America
version). It has an EM80/6E2 (or
EM87) green cat's-eye tube (tube metering). The two light-green bars
displayed on EM87 tube are dancing with the music. As the amp approaches full
power, two light-green bars close in, from top and bottom (cat's eye close). If
they touch, the amp has clipped. This amp preserves the superb resolution of
details and gives pinpoint imaging with incredible sound purity. This amp is stereo (two channels only) and has three inputs with a select switch so you can
connect CD player, Tuner, and Tape player or other sources. There are three
speaker taps each channel, one for 8 Ohm, one for 4 Ohm and other one is
ground.
We believe this amp is THE best amp in its class
(I know you will argue with me. But please note my statement implied a price
reference point):
|
Parts |
Parts brand
name |
Comments |
|
Coupling Capacitors |
US-made, world finest capacitor. |
|
|
Signal bypass Capacitors |
Japan-made, best of the best dielectric
capacitors. No other
manufactures can or will do this since the BlackGate production has
been stopped in Japan. |
|
|
Resistors |
US-made, Allen Bradley NOS resistors. |
|
|
PCB |
Gold (not copper or sliver) |
Dared had tried both copper/silver PCB and
pure point-to-point wire, the gold PCB performs best. Even most of >$5000 amps do not offer this. |
|
Tube sockets |
Gold contact (not copper) |
Even
most of >$5000 amps do not offer this. |
|
Solder |
Lead-free |
Full CE compliance |
|
Output transformers and chokes |
HQ customized |
QA oxygen-free high-conductivity copper (OFHC) and high permeability Si-steel
(Silicon steel, Hipersil from Japan) sheet coil adopt sectionalized,
stratified and strands parallel winding. The output transformers are totally
located outside of chassis that are totally shielded from the circuit board. |
|
Signal wires |
Pure sliver (shield) |
From RCA inputs to the volume pot. No
messy/lengthy wires, no thin wire jump connections in this amp. All other
wires are high-grade OFHC wires. |
|
Fuses |
Main plus on board protections |
Besides main fuse, there are three
protection fuses on-board (few expensive amps designed this way) |
|
Frame/design |
Chromed Steel chassis, thick steel frame,
and wooden piano gloss cheeks |
The chassis and internal layout were
totally redesigned. Dared leveraged SANYO QC management after SANYO OEMed thousands
of MP-7 or so-called MP8
last year. This amp truly takes both best worlds: high-end and consumer
electronics. No other tube amp is built in this way. |
|
Volume Pot |
HT audiophile grade |
Dared had tried many other brands, and
found the Taiwan-made HT perform best on this amp. |
|
Filter capacitors |
Nippon, Nichico |
Japan made |
|
Tubes |
Shugaung |
2A3C, 6N3, EM80/6E2 (EM87) |
The amp is self-bias so there is no need of biasing if you
change the tubes within same types. The 2A3C is high current tube though. So
please use high current type of 2A3 tubes if you like to roll other brand of
2A3 tubes. This amp will sound
like $10,000 amp if you have a good speaker to match with. There are
lots good SE speakers today, just go to welbornelabs.com search one.
If budget is your concern, you may just
consider starting with Klipsch speakers. They are very good with high dB and
cheap too. Klipsch Synergy SB-3 (94 dB) sells for $350, Klipsch Synergy III F-1
(94 dB) sells for $260 and the III F-3 (98 dB) sells only for $450 at BestBuy.
Also you may try some cheap full range horns like: Loth-X BS-1 ($599), Omega
TS1 (under $699) or Moth Audio Cicada (under $699). The Coincident speakers are
very good speakers to start with too, but more expensive. You will be amazed
how good the sound comes out with this amp. To learn more
about speakers for this amp, click
here to see.
Tech Spec by manufacture:
|
Power of output |
8 Watt per channel (max) |
|
Frequency response |
10Hz - 30 kHz -/+ 1 dB |
|
THD |
< 1% |
|
S/N |
>88 dB |
|
Output Impedance for speakers |
8 and 4 Ohm |
|
Voltage of Power |
110 volt (60/50 Hz) |
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