Gazer01 Posted November 5, 2020 Share Posted November 5, 2020 Hi all, So I've finally bitten the bullet and ordered a Meixing Ming da tube amplifier. I'm quite excited at this time. Anybody have any experience with Ming da tube amplifiers? Cheers. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bisguittin Posted November 5, 2020 Share Posted November 5, 2020 (edited) Yes yes yes. I own a Ming Da MC-7R preamp purchased from fellow member @Pops110. As he would I am sure agree, it is a wonderful piece of equipment which never fails to produce exquisite music. What model have you ordered? I have never heard of this Chinese company ever producing a poor product. You are in for an aural treat! You will probably find that savvy tube rolling further enhances your Ming Da's performance, although depending on your choices, that can prove to be a very expensive rabbit hole. Best of luck and congratulations. Edited November 5, 2020 by Bisguittin 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazer01 Posted November 6, 2020 Author Share Posted November 6, 2020 Hi @Bisguittin, It's the http://www.mei-xing.com/english/English/cp/1_34A06.html. Yes I think I've deliberately dug myself into this perilous hole which I don't know if I can ever get out of. But anyway I'm eagerly anticipating the audio bliss I'm going to get from it. Still waiting for their response. Thanks. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bisguittin Posted November 6, 2020 Share Posted November 6, 2020 Good choice. Very good availability of power. What's your speaker sensitivity? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muon* Posted November 6, 2020 Share Posted November 6, 2020 After getting accustomed to the sound of the stock tubes, there are a lot of different EL34's that all sound different to each other, I like the NOS Svetlana Winged C's. Then there are the small signal tubes. Nice pick, Ming Da are one of the better Chinese brands. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ihearmusic Posted November 6, 2020 Share Posted November 6, 2020 Ming Da is definitely one of the better Chinese brands. I did repairs and upgrades to a couple of their amps among them Pops110's pre amp. The build quality is very good and the company is good to deal with. I had a customer with a blown output transformer on his 845 mono and Mexing had one made for me and shipped for a very reasonable price. So you can be assured of good back up should you need it. 5 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazer01 Posted November 6, 2020 Author Share Posted November 6, 2020 1 hour ago, Bisguittin said: Good choice. Very good availability of power. What's your speaker sensitivity? Sensitivity is 91db so I should be good. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazer01 Posted November 6, 2020 Author Share Posted November 6, 2020 1 hour ago, muon* said: After getting accustomed to the sound of the stock tubes, there are a lot of different EL34's that all sound different to each other, I like the NOS Svetlana Winged C's. Then there are the small signal tubes. Nice pick, Ming Da are one of the better Chinese brands. I'll be sure to check out those tubes. Thanks. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazer01 Posted November 6, 2020 Author Share Posted November 6, 2020 51 minutes ago, Ihearmusic said: Ming Da is definitely one of the better Chinese brands. I did repairs and upgrades to a couple of their amps among them Pops110's pre amp. The build quality is very good and the company is good to deal with. I had a customer with a blown output transformer on his 845 mono and Mexing had one made for me and shipped for a very reasonable price. So you can be assured of good back up should you need it. That's good to know. A bit excited here. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pops110 Posted November 6, 2020 Share Posted November 6, 2020 As mentioned above I had the MC-7R. I really should never have sold it, it matched my system and music tastes and sounded very good. It led me on a round about journey with several pre’s that just didn’t sound as good or had dramas in my system. In saying that I have ended up with something much better but at a higher price point. I don’t think you can go wrong with Mingda for the money. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Beard Posted November 6, 2020 Share Posted November 6, 2020 Ming Da manufactured Audio Icon's range. They were re-badged in the UK. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lebowski Posted November 6, 2020 Share Posted November 6, 2020 (edited) 9 hours ago, Gazer01 said: Hi all, So I've finally bitten the bullet and ordered a Meixing Ming da tube amplifier. I'm quite excited at this time. Anybody have any experience with Ming da tube amplifiers? Cheers. My first valve Amp was a Ming Da MC34B and it was a terrific sounding Amp. About 20 watts with EL34’s. I paid $350 for it new, which even back then was an incredible bargain. Point to Point wiring and build quality was excellent. Should never have sold that Amp. Edited November 6, 2020 by lebowski add photo 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bryansamui Posted November 6, 2020 Share Posted November 6, 2020 3 hours ago, Pops110 said: As mentioned above I had the MC-7R. I really should never have sold it, it matched my system and music tastes and sounded very good. It led me on a round about journey with several pre’s that just didn’t sound as good or had dramas in my system. In saying that I have ended up with something much better but at a higher price point. I don’t think you can go wrong with Mingda for the money. There was a 3R preamp that looked the same as the 7R..I looked long and hard online to learn the differences with no luck... Do you know what was different in those 2 pieces? .. They were well regarded as is all the Ming Da line of Tube Amps. Cheers. Bryan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vwo60 Posted November 6, 2020 Share Posted November 6, 2020 3 hours ago, george12 said: Ming Da manufactured Audio Icon's range. They were re-badged in the UK. The Icon audio gear are different to he Ming da, they use their own designed circuits and component, I own there top of the line phono pre amp and a LA4Mk3, I asked the Icon Audio designer that question and he said they have them made to his design and modify them back in the UK if you up grade them at the time of purchase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xlr8or Posted November 6, 2020 Share Posted November 6, 2020 @Bisguittin When are we going to roll the tubes in your MC-7R? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bisguittin Posted November 6, 2020 Share Posted November 6, 2020 You are a very bad influence @xlr8or. I've already placed Telefunken ECC802S in the 12AU7 spots. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bisguittin Posted November 6, 2020 Share Posted November 6, 2020 10 hours ago, bryansamui said: There was a 3R preamp that looked the same as the 7R..I looked long and hard online to learn the differences with no luck... Do you know what was different in those 2 pieces? .. They were well regarded as is all the Ming Da line of Tube Amps. Cheers. Bryan. Hi Bryan. Just looking at various pics, and comparing to my unit, it seems that the 3 has a single 12AU7 tube, while the 7 has a pair. @xlr8or might be able to suggest the likely implications of that? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xlr8or Posted November 6, 2020 Share Posted November 6, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, Bisguittin said: Hi Bryan. Just looking at various pics, and comparing to my unit, it seems that the 3 has a single 12AU7 tube, while the 7 has a pair. @xlr8or might be able to suggest the likely implications of that? I don't have the circuit diagrams to confirm but the 7R probably uses SRPP topology with one 12AU7 fully used per channel. The 3R probably uses a simpler single line topology to split the dual triodes into left and right channels - phase splitter? Nothing wrong with either design and some prefer one over the other. The 12AX7 is likely the input and probably in SRPP configuration for both the 3R and 7R. If you need a recommendation here let me know as I have plenty to make based on own listening preference and cost. @Aperalim is an expert in 12AU7 rolling and can suggest some excellent recommendations including 12BH7's. My preference is for the Eindhoven or Heerlen 1950's E80CC/6085 to fill this position, if there is enough height clearance and heater draw from the power tranny left in reserve. The height looks to be no problem in the 3R or 7R. Alternatively, I also like the Hyron white label mid 1950's upright angled rectangular getter 5814's or the late 1950's CBS Hytron red label D-getter 5814A's or CBS red label D-getter 5814WA's. The E80CC family give the most height and tonal accuracy whereas the 5814 family give the most warmth, spread and stage. Edited November 6, 2020 by xlr8or 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pops110 Posted November 7, 2020 Share Posted November 7, 2020 @Bisguittin Hi Leon just remember that the pre was slightly modified to use 5751 as they are a lower gain. You can use 12ax7’s but ideally you should use 5751 in it. I had best results with GE triple mica black plates, I didn’t try a whole lot of 5751’s though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bisguittin Posted November 7, 2020 Share Posted November 7, 2020 Thanks Dave. Just asked Stefan about that very thing. Cheers Leon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xlr8or Posted November 7, 2020 Share Posted November 7, 2020 (edited) Raytheon windmill getter black plate 5751's from the 1960's are my personal favourite - they are way out in front of all others. Early GE 1950's 5751 TMB plates with the 4 silver clips on the top mica plate are next in line. 1950's Sylvania TMB plates are also good but start to get too clinical in sound for my liking. GE TMB plates also exhibit some of these traits. Edited November 7, 2020 by xlr8or 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xlr8or Posted November 7, 2020 Share Posted November 7, 2020 @Bisguittin Leon these are the ones .... http://www.nostubestore.com/2016/10/raytheon-5751-windmill-getter.html?m=1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazer01 Posted November 7, 2020 Author Share Posted November 7, 2020 Really getting excited here. Hope the payment gets cleared in the bank by Monday. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLAH BLAH Posted November 8, 2020 Share Posted November 8, 2020 15 hours ago, Gazer01 said: Really getting excited here. Hope the payment gets cleared in the bank by Monday. Good stuff! Really looking forward to reading your impressions... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazer01 Posted November 8, 2020 Author Share Posted November 8, 2020 3 hours ago, BLAH BLAH said: Good stuff! Really looking forward to reading your impressions... It's the warmth and the engaging nature of the tubes I'm most anticipatory of. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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