Author Topic: SAKURA AV-200T Tube Amp (Read 355257 times)

TOP 20 · « **Reply #1110 on:** Feb 03, 2015 at 12:10 AM »

Quote from: hyperaudio on Jan 30, 2015 at 01:33 PM

Bro, the centerpiece of the H3S is the phono section. Although I am sure you are enjoying it with digital sources. Here's what our resident audio blogger, hearhead, says about the H3S' phono stage:
"Just a little rave on the Phono Preamp of the H3S:
I dont know what kind of electronic wizardry Rene employed with his Phono Pre but let me tell you that it is one of the most quiet preamps ive ever encountered. Not too mention that it is one of the most forgiving phono ins money can buy. A struggle with Vinyl has always been a cartridges tracking and sometimes even the highend ones have an over emphasized treble and when the stylus starts to go to the inner grooves a certain amount of distortion can occur.
I used to have a vintage Pioneer table with an original cart that seems to encounter this distortion in the inner grooves (on hindsight it may be a set up issue: IGD) but ive never had that treble distortion with using the H3S. Did a shoot out with a Tube Phono Pre from a local diyer and the H3S beat it by a mile.
Even the china tube amps suffer from a grounding and hum issue that seems to be missing from the H3S. If youve been dipping your toes in Tubes youll notice that lower hum and noise are some of the premium things you have to pay for.
I said "forgiving" since the tracks i play with it are almost always sweeter. Its like the H3S rolls off the jagged peaks and treble that makes mediocre pressings fatiguing to listen to.
My Dads a local speaker builder an we used that H3S in the last hifi show to power a diy bookshelf speaker and it did not disappoint.
Hats off sir Rene Rivo!"

Temting, really tempting...

But as much as I'm tempted to go back the vinyl route, I have to face the fact that it's too late in the day for me.

The day I purchased the H3S, it was during the first ever Vinyl ATBP bazaar. Seeing the crowd that turned up reminded me of my college days when I'd scour every record bar in the University Belt area in search of that "would be classic" and when new locally pressed LPs were just about 50 pesos a pop.

Anyway, enough of the nostalgia and back to the H3S. Again thanks for the tip. Now, I can listen to Shawn Colvin's A Few Small Repairs and Bruce Hornsby's Harbor Lights without a hitch. No more jarring change in levels. In between the 5th and 6th click, I finally found the sweet spot.

Thanks again!

egzbuen · « **Reply #1111 on:** Feb 05, 2015 at 11:39 AM »

Behind this amp are three (3) sets of RCA connections, if I would be using my Fiio X5 with it, which connection should I use? Is/are there really any difference in its output to begin with?

Thanks

tony · « **Reply #1112 on:** Feb 05, 2015 at 12:10 PM »

^^any one pair of inputs...

Bemermeister · « **Reply #1113 on:** Mar 02, 2015 at 05:27 PM »

Sir Egzbuen,

Kamusta ang Fiio X5 mo as source? Maganda ang line out?

Ano po speakers mo naka pair dito?hehe

Thanks!

egzbuen · « **Reply #1114 on:** Mar 03, 2015 at 11:44 PM »

Quote from: Bemermeister on Mar 02, 2015 at 05:27 PM

Sir Egzbuen,

Kamusta ang Fiio X5 mo as source? Maganda ang line out? Ano po speakers mo naka pair dito?hehe

Thanks!

I was initially disappointed with the X5's output using my cars OEM AVT HU (2014 Fort). Hooked up with my car's HU, the highs were tiring and fatiguing.

But, after hooking it up with my AV-200T tuned and sold by Anthony, paired with Anthony's FS which I got from him way back in 2010 (together with the AV-200T) but updated its tweets after a year..... WOW! Never appreciated jazz and other light music until now that I've used a X5. :p

I guess my car's HU was really built for iPods.

DTNS · « **Reply #1115 on:** Mar 04, 2015 at 06:42 AM »

Quote from: egzbuen on Mar 03, 2015 at 11:44 PM

I was initially disappointed with the X5's output using my cars OEM AVT HU (2014 Fort). Hooked up with my car's HU, the highs were tiring and fatiguing.

But, after hooking it up with my AV-200T tuned and sold by Anthony, paired with Anthony's FS which I got from him way back in 2010 (together with the AV-200T) but updated its tweets after a year..... WOW! Never appreciated jazz and other light music until now that I've used a X5. :p

I guess my car's HU was really built for iPods.

or maybe your speakers need an upgrade. (and Anthony's FS just sound better)

egzbuen · « **Reply #1116 on:** Mar 08, 2015 at 05:21 PM »

Just an update to my earlier post.

I'm into my few weeks with my new x5. My initial thoughts when I posted here was the treble and highs were too tiring and fatiguing with this player attached to my cars HU. But wicked and awesome attached to my tube amp at home. And that the iPod was better with my car's HU than the x5, the HU being designed and optimized for iPod.

Boy was I wrong, I recently bumped into monoprice's website and ordered a few cables and wires from them. Apparently, there are different 3.5mm Jacks and, in particular, when the x5 is on a casing, you need to use a slimmer. Well, apparently, I had to use one as well for my Cars HU as my original 3.5mm couldn't attach fully resulting to the initial output. Alas, just got my mobile 3.5 Jacks from monoprice and now I see the big difference, not to mention hear it.

Anyway, just wanted to share.

songerph · « **Reply #1117 on:** Mar 09, 2015 at 06:54 PM »

Hi. old school lurker here hehe

update lang. galing akong Raon/Puyat St. kahapon at nagtanong tanong ako sa mga shops dun ng sakura av-200t. ang average price nasa 4k pesos. nakipagtawaran din ako kahit hindi bibili haha. kaya pa namang ibaba ang price.

hindi ko lang alam kung old or new models ito. pero yun nga nagbebenta pa rin sila.

bibili ako next week

))

tony · « **Reply #1118 on:** Mar 09, 2015 at 07:03 PM »

dun ka sa tapat ng deeco or alexan, balita ko lang kaya ng 3500 doon...yon ang mga new models na yung walang relay....

zram18 · « **Reply #1119 on:** Mar 09, 2015 at 07:06 PM »

mura na yan, galing me Western Appliance kanina sa Cubao, 6k ang srp nila ang model Sakura AV 200T.

songerph · « **Reply #1120 on:** Mar 10, 2015 at 02:41 AM »

Quote from: tony on Mar 09, 2015 at 07:03 PM

dun ka sa tapat ng deeco or alexan, balita ko lang kaya ng 3500 doon...yon ang mga new models na yung walang relay....

ahh dun sa kabilang street. sige sir, try ko dun. tnx

corpse grinder · « **Reply #1121 on:** Mar 10, 2015 at 10:55 AM »

sir songerph...pa update sir kapag naka bili ka kamusta yung quality ng sounds ,balak ko ksi bumuli din sa RAON.
maraming salamat po.

tony · « **Reply #1122 on:** Mar 10, 2015 at 12:15 PM »

ginamit ko yung newer version watching movies in my devant 50inch lcd tv, it was awesome....
no other bang for the buck amplifier to date than the sakura av200...

songerph · « **Reply #1123 on:** Mar 14, 2015 at 06:27 PM »

update uli.

sakura av-200t + wharfee diamond 10.2 = eargasm

ayos na. bang for the back talaga. sulit. swabe. pumogi ako bigla nung nakinig nako ng sounds.

sir tony, wala akong nakitang unit sa paligid ng deeco at alexan. kaya dun ako sa main street. nakipagtawaran ako sa kung san san at nakakuha ako ng 3800 with 1 year warranty (plus libreng wires hehe). mukhang depende sa mood ng mga tao dun ang presyo hahaha. (tsaka yung mga chinese na may-ari ng shops. bola-bolahin nyo lang)

fyi, sa raon bldg (along quezon blvd) mas mahal ang price (~5k). habang naglalakad ka along g.puyat street mas nagmumura ang prices (~4-4.5k).

nakalimutan ko yung shop na binilhan ko pero a kabilang side siya ng deeco/alexan street.

songerph · « **Reply #1124 on:** Mar 14, 2015 at 07:11 PM »

after playing music for one hour ito yung mga napansin ko:

1. ang init nung mga tubo na may ilaw
2. medyo mainit din yung hangin ng exhaust sa likod
3. kapag ino-on/off ko yung amp, wala naman akong naririnig na thump or any suspicious sound sa speakers
4. kapag naka-pause yung music, wala ring hissing or any feedback sound sa speakers
5. yung wharfee swabe ang performance kahit nilalakasan ko ang volume
6. i'm using copper wires na inipit ko lang. may advice ba kayo regarding wiring?
7. sarap makinig grabe. first time ko kasi magkaroon ng ganitong setup haha

tony · « **Reply #1125 on:** Mar 14, 2015 at 08:29 PM »

1.ganyan talaga ang tubes, some tubes can get as hot as 200*C that is why they are always mounted atop the chassis where there is plenty of air...do not touch or let kids touch it, nakakapaso ang tubes..

2. matuwa ka, ibig sabihin nahihigop palabas yung init...

3. i-zero mo ang volume bago mo i turn off, kung turn off yan, more of an annoyance than a problem...

4. dapat lang...

5. good to know...

6. make sure the wires are thight, me problema pag maluwag ang pagkakaipit..

7. yes, ginamit ko rin yan sa movies, napadagundong nya yung Acoustic Audio ko na 3 way FS......

enjoy you sakura...

3800 is a very good price already....

songerph · « **Reply #1126 on:** Mar 14, 2015 at 10:52 PM »

Quote from: tony on Mar 14, 2015 at 08:29 PM

1.ganyan talaga ang tubes, some tubes can get as hot as 200*C that is why they are always mounted atop the chassis where there is plenty of air...do not touch or let kids touch it, nakakapaso ang tubes..

3. i-zero mo ang volume bago mo i turn off, kung turn off yan, more of an annoyance than a problem...

enjoy you sakura...

3800 is a very good price already....

Salamat sir tony! enjoy na agad ako e

Question sa #1. Dahil nga sa init, yung box sa likod pati glass sa baba umiinit din. Hindi ba masama to sa parts sa loob? Ok lang ba magdamag nakabukas yung amp like 6 hours?

sa #3.
pansin ko kapag on, may delay ilang seconds bago lumabas ang sounds.
kapag may volume tapos biglang off ng amp tsaka may thump na tunog. or kapag nagturn knob ako from different inputs. Hmm mukhang random din siya. Zero volume lang talaga gawin ko?

kahit zero volume basta after gamitin. may parang punit sound kapag off. kahit ipahinga ko. huhu. well pwede ko siguro bunutin yung speaker sa likod haha

tony · « **Reply #1127 on:** Mar 15, 2015 at 09:05 AM »

mainit yan so dapat hindi kulob ang pinaglagyan mo....

yung speaker delay ay para walang turn on pops sa speakers, yung huling sakura na nahawakan ko hindi na gumamit ng relay kaya wala kang maririnig na click...kaya kung nararanasan mong faint sound ay dahil doon
hindi naman problema dahil pinatay mo na nga yung power...

pansinin mo, yung fan sa likod iikot lang pag may music na....nahinto pag tapos na yung music, IOW, nagpapahinga rin.....

songerph · « **Reply #1128 on:** Mar 15, 2015 at 06:45 PM »

so ito nga yung bagong model?

tony · « **Reply #1129 on:** Mar 16, 2015 at 08:07 AM »

Quote from: songerph on Mar 15, 2015 at 06:45 PM

so ito nga yung bagong model?

yes, most likely revision number 3 or better pa...

songerph · « **Reply #1130 on:** Mar 20, 2015 at 02:22 PM »

Consistent yung malakas na 'punit' sound kapag turn off ng speakers kahit naka-zero ang volume. Nakakatakot haha. So ang ginagawa ko disconnect yung speakers bago turn off.

tony · « **Reply #1131 on:** Mar 20, 2015 at 02:58 PM »

pwede naman papalitan ng unit yan...

songerph · « **Reply #1132 on:** Mar 22, 2015 at 08:07 PM »

Ano kaya dahilan ng sound kapag pinapatay yung amp sir?

tony · « **Reply #1133 on:** Mar 22, 2015 at 08:21 PM »

wala na kasing speaker delay relay yung unit mo...

songerph · « **Reply #1134 on:** Mar 22, 2015 at 09:10 PM »

nakakasira ba ng speakers yun?

tony · « **Reply #1135 on:** Mar 23, 2015 at 08:29 AM »

Quote from: songerph on Mar 22, 2015 at 09:10 PM

nakakasira ba ng speakers yun?

hardly, like i said that is a mere annoyance than substantial.....

egzbuen · « **Reply #1136 on:** Mar 23, 2015 at 03:18 PM »

Quote from: tony on Mar 23, 2015 at 08:29 AM

hardly, like i said that is a mere annoyance than substantial.....

This is good to hear.

I have some gears giving out the same annoying sound.

songerph · « **Reply #1137 on:** Mar 23, 2015 at 04:20 PM »

I see. I just have to bear with it. fuu

Thanks a lot sa info!

tony · « **Reply #1138 on:** Mar 23, 2015 at 06:23 PM »

you can also have your unit replaced...

songerph · « **Reply #1139 on:** Mar 23, 2015 at 10:57 PM »

yes gawin ko rin yan. pero kung ganun lahat ng models, tiis tiis na lang.