YAQIN New MC-10T EL34B(6CA7)X4 12AT7X4 Vacuum Tube Hi-end Tube Integrated Amp...

I have been aware of the growing popularity of valve amps in the audiophile community for many years but I had never had the opportunity to audition one and frankly the sometimes huge prices put them out of my reach anyway. I was lucky enough to be given a Michell Gyrodec as a wedding present from my wife a few years ago and was happy enough with it playing through a 20 year old mission Cyrus. To cut a long story short I was having problems with the deck around Christmas time and I took along to Dom at Northwest Analogue to have set up properly . In his inimitable style he had it singing again very quickly, of course through his system with guess what a £4000 valve amp. I was most impressed and when I told him there was no way that I could find that kind of money for an amp he suggested buying a Chinese one. He told me what to look for to match my speakers, put my mind at rest about build quality and things and so I took the plunge.I was to expect delivery before 28 February which came and went with no amp. On emailing the seller in Hong Kong to ask where it was he phoned me immediately to apologise and to tell me the courier had misdelivered it. He could not have been more helpful and concerned and gave me compensation for a problem that was not of his making - when it finally arrived it was very clearly addressed. I've no idea how it went to a chemist's shop in Brum! Any way this guy is an excellent seller.So, the thing itself. It is sizable at over a foot wide, very heavy and substantially built with all visible bits of high quality. The instruction manual has the usual Chinenglish howlers but is pretty good of its type. I spent a while figuring out what all the bagged fuses were for until I realised they were all already fitted for uk 240V. As well as the usual job of plugging in your speakers and RCA inputs you have to plug in and bias the valves. Not being very happy with electrics in general I was a bit apprehensive about doing this but it really is very easy to do but you will need a multimeter (3and a half quid on Amazon) to do this. Controls are on/off volume and input select, not even a balance control to get in the way of the signal path and of course no remote.So, how does it sound? I was ready to be a bit under impressed straight out of the box because I was aware that it would need to burn in but it has been a revelation right from the get go and just keeps getting better over the last 20 hours or so. The separation and clarity are amazing, I'm hearing new things on records that I've owned for forty years but yet its a totally relaxing listen with zero harshness or sibilance. Drums sound like drums not cardboard boxes and voices have subtlety and nuance I've never heard before. In George Harrison's voice on "Something" you can hear just how much he's aching for Patti. Just listening to Wishbone Ash's Argus as I write this and the drums, bass and guitars sound phenominal, the detail is astounding but its just so easy to listen to. Played my mate an old sixties pressing of Sheherezade last night and he had tears in his eyes. Newer vinyl is also superb - I have been playing Alt-Js first album to death lately and again there's so much new to hear now. Oh nearly forgot, CDs sound great as well! Oh yes, its really, really loud too!You will probably gather I'm impressed and for more similar gushing take a look at the reviews on American Amazon. If you really want to hear your music and don't mind a bit of a fiddle or exposed hot valves (looks really cool in the dark!!) then this will probably be the best 450 quid you have ever parted with. Just do it.