One of the things that i belive can upgrade any cdp on a budget - like my nad c521BEE - is a tube buffer. A few months ago when i bought my first tube amp from ebay i also bought a very cheap tube buffer just for fun for the incredible price of 18€ (plus post) the Yaqin. Later i offered it to my eldest son -for his bedroom audio system - with a super T-amp and a pair of B&W speakers, for his birthday.



Meanwhile, i have upgraded my own tube buffer - Musical Fidelity X10-D - and i never give any credit to that Yaqin buffer from China, 'till yesterday...
Well, yesterday i plugged the Yaqin buffer to my main system and surprise of surprises; i was stunned literally by the sound of this Chinese little thing.



The sound is very open and detailed, but with all the tube lushness and warmth you'd expect. I know a bit about tube buffers, and I'm going to put my head on the block and say it's better than my modded MF X10-D .
I'm not a great fan of the Chinese 6J1s - the mini valves that came with it - so this morning i bought two GE JAN 5654W (made in US) and i'll tell you, this is not return to my son's bedroom... we have made a trade.

The MF X10-D tube buffer with ECC85 Siemens valves has many things going for it: its pace and drive, its pretty accurate, though warmish, portrayal of the music. But it just cannot compete the YAQIN's huge soundstage, brimming with threads and details of the music you never heard before, even with the modded X10-D.
Opening up the soundstage means that the music becomes spread out, with details which were a little more "in your face" with the X10-D. I suppose this would be called depth, and the YAQIN has depth by the bucket-load. Everything in the music seems to fall organically into place, and everything floating around them in an almost natural 3D way.

The YAQIN tube buffer is most definately a keeper.

A few more pixs

The Yaqin and Audio Alchemy Dac



The new GE Jan valves to the Yaqin and JJ valves from the X10-D



My main setup

i'm not familiar with a tube buffer, i assume it goes between the dac and pre-amp? interesting device, i'll have to educate myself further.

I only use the MF preamp for the Turntable (wich isn't in any of this pix). The buffer is plugged between the dac and the tube amp.
Funny is, i never thought that one thing that costs ten times less than the other "sounds" ten times with more detail, accuracy and depth...

this is only the second time i've heard of a buffer. the first time there was no explanation of what it was or what it did. with such an increase in sound at such a small cost, why arent buffers a standard piece of equipment?

Because many people in the hi-fi world believe that with many cdp's it degrades the audio signal instead of upgrading. I believe it so. But, also with many other cdp's it really upgrades the audio signal. Like most things in audio, it all has to do with synergy between all the elements of a hi-fi chain.

and so it is with dac's, but they are a common place component.

I know what you mean...
My nad cdp have an internal multi-bit dac from burr and brown but i have much better sound with my Bitstream Audio Alchemy dac...

Hi, pure coincidence (I was about to do some promoting , but please check out www.yaqin.ca or www.yaqin.us (same site) and then www.grantfidelity.com. We are the North American distributors of Yaqin and all Yaqin products for North America are rebranded as Grant Fidelity with mods for NA.

We sell these for $199 retail with full support and warranty, the ones from Hong Kong are generally grey market products and may or may not have a proper 110v transformer and may or may not be wired right.

That said if you got a good one enjoy your score.

We call ours the B-283 Tube Processor, which is what the factory calls it, it is the typical Chinglish that ends up getting it called a buffer, similar to the transformer commonly being called a gallbladder , really check out the Yaqin chinese site.

I agree with your comments, it's a keeper for modest solid state sytems and has even found a home at our local dealers shop in their top of the line Pass. It isn't real trickery, it simply adds a bit of 2nd and 3rd harmonics to the signal, which to most everyones ears adds depth and width to the soundstage, some sparkle to the highs, more defined bass and just general warmth.

We had a rush order placed earlier this year for Father's day and our Logo was delivered as G Rant (which I've been accused of on many occassions) instead of Grant. I'll offer these to anyone here who wants one for $150, free shipping in NA.
It may become a collectors item

Oh, we are looking for dealers/demonstrators, work from home or typical retail type thing. I'll post the info in another thread.

Best,
Ian Grant
www.grantfidelity.com

Hey Ian
Tanx for the input. It's good to know that Yaqin have a US retailer with warranties, mods and technical support for US costumers.
From where i stand - in Europe - i don't know if Yaqin have any retailer..?!
Can you tell us a little about the mods you guys made in some gear?

Hi Clint,

Our main focus was getting 110v transformers properly wound for 60hz and then grounding for 110v. Yaqin doesn't make 110v products with their name on it, they now do with our GF Brand. Those 110v on eBay etc are modded by the grey market resellers in Hong Kong and I sure don't want one at any price near my gear.

There is a Yaqin Distributor in Europe out of Germany or Denmark, not sure but I think the link is www.yaqin.eu. If you can't get results, let me know, Grant Fidelity will be launched in Europe next year, we are looking for home and brick and mortor euro dealers soon and I can always order you 220v. Grant Fidelity products directly any time.

Not trying to sound like a commercial, but Yaqin is one of 5 Factories making GF products, we knew the problems of the grey market with Yaqin, but still proceeded because it sounds so damn good and we can keep it affordable. That and the owners of the factory are nice and dedicated to audio, they don't understand eBay etc and what damage is happening to their name by the Hong Kong crowd.

Ian

Tanx for sharing that link. Yaqin Europe are indeed in Germany.
The only two things i've had upgraded in mine was a better power cable and a set of valves GE JAN and i tell you if i want to buy a cdp that sounds near from what i have now, i have to spend a few hundred euros more... I have no problems to say the Yaqin is really a great upgrade to anyone with a cdp on a budget.

Just one more thing that you didn't mention :
The Yaqin is hand-made!!!
Every single soldering point is made by hand, the electronic circuit is impressive for is simplicity and caps quality are excelent.

Hi Clint,

Can you describe what kind of difference you obtained with the GE Jan's over the Shuguang 6J1's. I'd like to share your experience with those that have purchased the GF version.

Thanks,
Ian

Ian,

Obviously tube choices are very subjective with everyone having their favorites, as well as the components and systems tubes will be incorporated into.
In my system the GE valves gives even more detail, smooth, depth and are a little more musical and less analytical than the Chineese ones. Also, i have notice a great improvement in the low freq's with the Supra Lo_rad power cable.

Thanks Clint_e,

I'll add it to the tube roll and potential upgrades list on our site.

Tubes, subjective, nah

Best,
Ian