Musical Fidelity X-10 Buffer

QUOTE (clint e. @ March 10, 2008 04:19 pm)

QUOTE (Mass. Wine Guy @ March 10, 2008 11:44 pm)

Thank you so much for the photos. My buffer is v.3 and is not round, but I'm thinking the insides are generally the same.

Quite the opposite amigo.
All that i post before doesn't apply at all to your v.3 buffer!

The X-10v.3 is a completly different buffer! Musical Fidelity had made a very limited manufacturing of that unit. The new Mu-Vista tube is Musical Fidelity’s highest performance tube to date. It’s more linear and quieter, with better performance capabilities than either their highly regarded Nu-Vista or Tri-Vista 5703 tubes.

I know very well that buffer, because a friend of mine has one.

The 6112 valve it has, is an ultra high performance twin triode. Originally, it was used by the US military for crucial low noise guidance and other missile functions.

It is incredibly rugged and immune from microphony and other extraneous effects.
Also, and we hope this attribute is never needed; it's immune from electro-magnetic pulse (EMP) which occurs when a nuclear bomb explodes!

As you would expect, the mu-Vista is super tough, super quiet, ultra reliable, incredibly linear and absolutely predictable.

From what i know, Musical Fidelity has not had a single Tri-Vistor 5703 tube fail anywhere in the world in any of their Tri-Vista products. The mu-Vista has similar levels of reliability, and why not? The tubes have been purchased direct from the US military and are genuine milspec, mil usage parts.

BTW, According to the X-10v3 owner's manual "This product has been designed so that it may be left on indefinitely, it may become warm to the touch - this is normal."

Here some specifications:

* Input impedance: 470K Ohms
* Output impedance: < 33 Ohms
* Total harmonic distortion: < 0.004% 10Hz to 20kHz
* Frequency response: 20Hz to 65kHz +0, - 0.5dB
* Crosstalk: Better than 80dB, 20Hz to 20kHz
* Signal / noise ratio (reference full output): Better than 93dB unweighted
* Better than 106dB 'A'-weighted
* Valve (tube) type: 6112 twin triode (two)
* Power requirement: 12 - 0 - 12 Volts AC 500mA (via mains adaptor supplied)
* Dimensions (approximate): 180mm (7.1 inches) wide
88.2mm (3.5 inches) high including feet
218mm (8.6 inches) deep including rear terminals
* Weight: Unit, net 2.5kg (5 lbs 8oz) un-boxed, Adaptor, net 0.45kg (1 lb)
Total packed 3.1kg (6lbs 13oz)

Now, about the 6112 valve, please note that these MIL Spec tubes if left on indefinitely have a 100,000 hour life span if my calculations are correct I figure 11.41 years.

Hope this helps.

Have fun. soundt/thumbup.gif

Clint,

You are spot on! I have the same MF tube buffer but when I compare it against my Yaqin tube buffer that uses a single twin triode tube, the Yaqin beats my MF x10v3. I use the green label JAN Phillps 6922 tube and a Signal Cable Digital Cable power cord on the Yaqin. My two Yaqins are configured this way. For the other poster, you may want to try Herbie's Audio Lab tube dampers on those 6112 tubes. It will give you greater detail, tighter bass and smoother sounding mids. Taking it apart to get to the two 6112 tubes is similar to the pictures Clint showed.

Slbenz

Anyone want to buy a Musical Fidelity X-10 v.3 buffer?

I'm selling this buffer. Is this one very different/better:

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?preatube&1210901377

Or should I get this:

http://www.pacificvalve.us/YaqinTB.html

Thanks.

QUOTE (Mass. Wine Guy @ March 24, 2008 08:18 pm)

I'm selling this buffer. Is this one very different/better:

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?preatube&1210901377

Or should I get this:

http://www.pacificvalve.us/YaqinTB.html

Thanks.

One of our ST members, Ian Grant owns an audio company - Grant Fidelity - and he sells a great tube buffer, quite similar to Yaqin. soundt/thumbup.gif

Take a good look at :

http://grantfidelity.com/site/node/75

It is, in fact, the same buffer.

QUOTE (Mass. Wine Guy @ March 24, 2008 01:42 pm)

It is, in fact, the same buffer.

Mass. Wine Guy,

Actually the Yaqin from Pacific Valve and the one by Grant Fidelity are two different tube buffers. I own two of the Pacific Valve Yaqin Tube Buffers. It uses a single twin triode tube (6DJ8 or 6922 but is supplied with a 6N1) while the Grant Fidelity uses two 6J1 tubes. Which one is better? I do not know. I am on the waiting list to demo Grant Fidelity's tube buffer. I do know that the tube buffer from Pacific Valve sounds better than my MF X10v3 even with Herbies Tube Dampers on the two 6112 tubes. In a previous post, I use an aftermarket power cord and the green label JAN Phillips 6922 tube. By the way, the MF you have on the link is the previous MF tube buffer before the X10v3 and I suspect is not the equal unless highly modified as suggested by Clint E.

Slbenz