The Feedback  for:
Music MK2 and Music MK3 Tubes Line Preamplifier


There comes a time when you have to say "Are tubes really the way to go for me?" I am a very eclectic listener and listen to most forms of music. For the purposes of this test, I used Salif Keita's newest album "Moffou" and The Eagles "When Hell Freezes Over".

When I listen to music, I listen for a warm sound that puts me at a performance or in the studio. I like to hear great soundstaging and fatigue-free listening. The thing that is most unpleasant to me is when a system is overly accurate and does not sound natural. Since I work as one of the directors of a fairly large performing arts center in New York, I see live performances every week and try to recreate that experience at home in my audio gear.

I have had the MK3 tube amp for a little over a month. It replaced a solid state Cambridge Audio C500 that was already very neutral and a good buy for the money. I was on one of my late night audiogon prowls when I noticed this little pre-amp that was being sold by a company in Hong Kong. The retail list was $720 but it was being sold for half the price with shipping included. Since I already had a curiosity for tube gear, this seemed like a low risk entry level unit. After verifying that this was a legitimate entity, I ordered a unit.

The package arrived a few weeks later and I was excited about what I was about to hear. I heard nothing. Two of the tubes had arrived damaged via the gentle hands of my local post office. After contacting the seller and explaining the situation, he agreed to send me replacement tubes for the unit. The suspense was mounting and I was anxious to hear my new "tube" preamp.

When I returned from my vaction, the tubes were there smiling at me in my mailbox. I was not prepared for what I was about to experience. I fired up the MK3 and low and behold there was music. There was sweet, warm, and realistic (that's right)sounding music coming out of my speakers. The soundstage just jumped out at me and the separation was good enough for me to picture where all the boys from the Eagle's live performance were standing. From what I can tell,the build quality is very good and I am very happy so far with this unit.

Strengths

Good Soundstage
Good Build
Resposible company
Warmth
Good Separation
Looks good

Weaknesses

No Balance

This is a great starter for someone who wants to get that tube sound at a budget price. Of course you can buy a better product, but for the money, it is a great unit.

Associated gear
Audio Refinement Multi 2, Dual CS 5000 turntable, Audio Refinement Complete CD, Margules Audio CD Enhancer, NAD phono preamp, Platinum Audio Solos, Harmonic Technologies interconnects and speaker cable

Similar products
Jolida, Antique Sound Labs, Philadelphia Audio

by Alfredel on 03-12-03 


First of all let me state that I'm not an expert on tube equipment. In fact I've never had any before. I was one of the ones that was happy as can be that transistors had come to the front. I grew up with tubes and learned to hate them. TV sets were always screwing up and in constant need of repair. To make a long story short, I ran into an ad by YS Audio in Hong Kong for a deal on a line level preamp that was listed as a promotion for $300 instead of the regular $700. I know that to some of you that this is too low to even consider, but it seemed like a good way to find out what this tube stuff is all about.
I got the unit today and hooked it up to my Creek {5350}integrated amp, by yanking out the "u" bars on the back. I was in no way prepard for what I heard. I know that the superlatives get thrown around a lot on this site, but it was and is outstanding. It seemed like the music just opened up. Especially the dynamic range on all types of music. I have no idea if the numbers support this or not. I frankly could not care less what the numbers and stats say, because I hear a huge difference. It's kind of ironic because that's what people say about all kinds of things like DAC's and cables, and I have been completely under whemed by these. Straining for hours to see if a certain cable improved "presence" or "soundstage" or "definition" This was a real improvement, and the thing's not even broken in yet. The manual says 100 hours to "bed in" {the writing is a hoot} Anyone else ever dealt with this outfit?

Elmuncy  (Threads | Answers)

12-02-02


03-10-03
I myself own the Audio Experience MK3 tube preamp. I run it into my MCS 3125 stereo receiver (the top of the line receiver built for JC Penny's private lable, which sports a triple darlington, triple differential SEPP OCL output stage capable of "over 200 watts per channel" according to the manual, the specifications still rival some of the top gear of today), I didnt want to lose the power of the solid state design but wanted the sound of vacuum tubes so I bought the MK3. Comparatively speaking the MCS 3125 sounded great to begin with, clear, powerful dynamic. I hooked the MK3 up to the MCS 3125 when it arrived and was quite surprised by the sound, it sounded great and detailed, I spent several hours listening to some of my favorite stuff it never disappointed. Out of mere curiosity I ordered a bunch of NOS 5Y3 tubes (these are readily available and relatively cheap) as well as a set of NOS 12AX7s. I tested a vintage Raytheon, Arcturus, and then a Philco as the 5Y3s. Tossing in the Philco was an experience I will never forget, the sound quality difference was tremendous, louder more dynamic bass was deep solid, treble was clean crisp and smooth, quite surprising. It sounded far superior to the Sovtek that is included. The Raytheon actually sounded worse than the Sovtek, the Arcturus was only slightly less good than the Philco, I have a NOS GE and RCA as well but the Philco sounded so good I never tried them. The 12AX7s I got were a set of late 50s GEs, I removed the EIs and popped these in, they sounded slightly different but not substantially different just a tad bit better (smoother bass) but nothing to write home about. I think the 5Y3 is quite important to this preamp, and I wouldnt hesitate to suggest trying a different 5Y3 in it, I think one will be quite surprised with just how much different it makes the sound. Last night I finished fixing up a Masco tube amplifier I got at the flea market, which used 4 7C7s, a 7N7, a 5U4 rectifier, and 2 6L6 outputs, and put it up to the test in comparison, it was more fluid than the solid state MCS 3125 with the MK3 but not that much different. This unit is a tremendous value for the money and the build quality is exceptional for the price. I wouldnt hesitate to recommend it.

My system is as follows-
MCS 3125 receiver
Marantz SD6000 cassette
Garrard turntable
SMC 330s DVD/CD player
Audio Experience MK3 preamp
AR 226PS speakers
Linaeum tweeters
AR S112PS subwoofer
yrly59e@aol.com 

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05-15-03: yrly59e@aol.com
In a followup to my own review of this unit I have given this unit a substantial amount of playtime and got the opportunity to compare it to a vintage preamp. Still using the Philco 5Y3 and GE 12AX7s I have given it a good solid burn in and it sounds exceptionally good. It seems to warm up a bit as it burns in. I recently obtained an Electrohome VA-100 MK2 preamp from the 50s or 60s and tossed in the best possible tube compliment I could come up with for it, a pair of RCA 12AX7s and a TungSol 6X4WA rectifier. I initially tried this with a Fisher RS-1058 stereo receiver but recently obtained what may have been the biggest Fisher receiver out of the 1970s, the RS-1060 which tips the scales at a whopping 57lbs. Again like the MCS 3125 I use with the Audio Experience the RS-1060 is a clean sounding powerful reciever, using bipolar outputs instead of the triple darlington outputs of the MCS 3125. The Electrohome sounded smooth as silk with the tube setup I have installed, it has a compelling characteristic that makes you want to listen more. I compared this to the MK3 as it initially sounded (Ei 12AX7s and the Sovtek 5Y3) and would have taken the Electrohome in that scenario. With the NOS tube compliment in place the Audio Experience MK3 was equally smooth and warm yet substantially cleaner, powerful and dynamic. Let this be a further note to all to experiment with different tubes in this unit. It may not seem like it could make much difference but as I previously had noted replacing the 5Y3 Sovtek with the Philco was like listening to two entirely different preamps.

yrly59e@aol.com 


Dear Mr. Chui

I have received the preamp.  Thank you.   Packing was excellent and it sounds very nice. 

Rajesh Desai          2002/8/23


Chui Chi Wai,

I am enjoying the Music2 tube preamplifier, thank you.

Ed Braley            2002/8/18


Good YS-AUDIO:  I have bedded in the Music MK2 Pre-amp for about 40 hours now, and love what I hear:  1) clean signal with only a tiny bit of graininess, and 2) very musical presentation, ie rhythmical and resolved sound field.  Oh, I have heard more articulate and extended base in some very expensive pre-amps; nonetheless, the Music MK2 does a very convincing job of reproducing the mid-base/base, even at low volume levels.  I will keep this unit in my system for years and years to come. 

Carroll Britch           2002/5/17


I rec'd the preamp last night, and it sounds great! It's the best improvement I've heard from a single component ever. (probably also the most expensive component I've ever bought).
I've left positive feedback to your e-bay account, and would appreciate your
reciprocation. 

Robert Monk            2002/2/7


I am very pleased with your product. The Music MK2 preamplifier is very musical. The build quality is also very good. I am currently listening to it with the following components:

Krell KSA 80B Amplifier
Teac VRDS-25N CD Player
Audes 037 Speakers
Kimber Silver Streak Interconnects
Canare Speaker Wire

The sound is dynamic, fast, and sweet.

Mark A. Valade    2001/3/31

YS-Audio
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Tel:(852)93440168    
E-mail : info@ys-audio.com 
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