I am re-listing this amplifier at bellow what it has cost me to build. This is a true bargain. This is the true story. I got the first Yaoin and modified it, I was really impressed with the sound and I immediately ordered another before even ordering the big MC100, because working on valve amps is a love of mine.  

I thought that I could turn this into a hobby, build them and then get my costs back meanwhile spreading some really nice amps around to fellow music lovers.

 Well looks like my idea wont work because despite all my free labour of love, bidders are not forthcoming, maybe it sounds too good to be true.

 Bid on this one, as there wont be anymore. It is way bellow what it cost me to build, and if you were to commission someone to do a similar one for you, you would pay a fortune for labour and parts.

 Read the feedback on the last one, the buyer was very impressed, he emailed me and said he heard things that he had never heard before, and he was comparing my amp to his existing very expensive boutique valve amp using from memory 300B or 2A3 valves.

 Now I am proud of my work, and this is a really nice amp, you can bid with confidence.

You are looking at a truly lovely sweet sounding YAOIN 5881A 23-watt class A valve amplifier. What I’m writing comes from the heart and is something I truly believe in, not from some sales brochure.

 This awesome amp is new in a box and arrived on 02/06/08. It has been modified for audiophile listening and better 240V AC operation. Only quality WIMA, VISHAY ERO caps, and VISHAY Dale resistors were used in the modifications. I have also replaced the inaccurate carbon volume control (I would have replaced it even if it was an ALPS) and fitted a stepped attenuator with micro resistors (only thing that would fit in the available space, and I still spent two hours modifying it to suit the 20K amp impedance) for the best possible audio signal imaging and transfer.

 I waited two months surface mail for this amplifier, and I am only selling it because I have just received the big Yaoin MC-100B (coveted after buying this one, and arriving just a couple of days later via airmail). I am totally satisfied with all aspects of the 5881A performance. This sweet amp sounds as good as the modified MC-100B even when the 100B is in triode mode. Just less power, but I really cant use the extra power of the 100B anyway, I just like the looks. I cannot even use all the available power of the 5881A.

All poly caps have been replaced with highly rated, higher voltage metallised VISHAY ERO capacitors. And all electrolytic caps have been bypassed with British MFD TSAC caps of which I have just enough of for another amp. That included the main AC cap that has also been bypassed with a PIO, paper in oil cap. I have also fitted tube dampeners to all valves, not seen on photos.

 The amp sounded nice out of the box, but I already knew what I wanted to hear and what to do about it. The modifications sent it to another level altogether. Lovely luscious warm sound, wider and much deeper soundstage, great clarity, more ambience and reverb, wonderful voices, lovely extended highs without the tsch tsch, specially on piano and cymbals, (love the note decay on piano) care of the bypassed Electro’s. If the recording is rubbish, or your equipment is lacking, then it will show it. In short this is why people who love music still want valve amps. The harmonics are natural to the ear. Its not just nostalgia, if you can’t hear it, better stick to your mp3 player, or you have a Krell.

 Having experienced these wonderful revealing valve amps I will never go back to solid state, and I have really nice gear like Musical Fidelity pre-amp, twin audiophile mosfet amps and much more. That equipment is now being used for the TV and DVD.

 I have been experimenting with sound and equipment for many years alongside a group of audiophile friends, and having built valve pre-amps, power supplies, phono stages, guitar effects, speaker crossovers, testing equipment etc. Re-clocked CD players, played with op amps, repaired and restored lots of guitar valve amps, and solid state HI FI and guitar amps, and just finished building then modifying a DAC, I think that I know a few things by now.

 The modified Yaoin peeled a layer of blankets from my speakers. This is a very revealing amplifier with the bonus of having a valve pre-amp built in, no interconnects, just pure lovely sound.

 The Shuguang valves are lovely, and yes I tried a few other well-known NOS brands, this is not just my opinion others on the net like Shuguang as well. Bonus is that they are also cheap to replace.

 Having done this audiophile stuff for many years I know that many people love expensive cables, capacitors, valves etc thinking that if it is expensive it must be good etc, and there are plenty of placebo snake oil suppliers to accommodate their bulging wallets (got caught myself in the early days). Wake up! Ex; $1000 a metre for interconnects? Made of gold is it?

 A $60 cap like a $250 valve is not built at ten times the expense and does not sound ten times better. If it did I might consider it. Since I don’t like my intelligence to be insulted by packaging, branding and by being ripped off, I just use what I know sounds great. Sorry if this confronts you.

This amp’s 23 WATTS of class A valve power is not like solid state 23 watts, it is a lot of real power and gives my high power mosfet’s a run for their money.

 Get a decent CD player, or a DAC or get some vinyl and enjoy.

 Amp is new, your bonus is that you don’t have to wait like I did, no customs duty, no anxiety about was it going to be working, did the seller really send it, not to mention the audiophile improvements which would cost you a fortune.

 All the soak testing and burning in had been done for you, so it will sound lovely out of the box when it arrives, and will improve more in time. I will even leave the valves in the correct position (if you wish) and package accordingly so that all you have to do is plug it in and play.

 For my unreserved starting price (which wont cover my costs nor my time) you will not be able to get anything that will compare to this in sound, specially not new and with a lifetime of use ahead, and no guarantee that it will arrive working. This is a labour of love for me, and is my gift to a lucky music lover

 That’s one reason you see a lot of used valve amps for sale. They get the cheap 12kg jobbies, don’t like the sound, get quoted a fortune for mods then sell it as is or pay for the mods and still their not happy. This is a really good one and it’s all done for you.

Earlier amps had a few hum problems etc, which have been rectified by the factory, so if your reading an old review forget it, this is the new amp, Yaoin take notice of what people say on forums, and rectify any problems that come up. 

 Amp has Tuner, Tape, DVD, Tape inputs, or in layman terms four-line level inputs that you can use for anything. If you need a Phono input buy a YAOIN MS-12B MM/MC. Great reviews, and boy could I make that one sweeter.

 Amp features dedicate switched headphone valve output stage, 4 and 8-Ohm speaker out, and cute sound level display valves.

 Delivery is $50 to most AU states. Payments accepted are PayPal, Bank deposit, or cash on picking up from my home. Item will NOT be sent COD at your end.

Delivery will be regular Australia Post. If you want express, courier, or insurance you will pay for the extra costs.

There is one year warranty with this item, but since you the bidder have to pay transport costs to Hong Kong and back it is cheaper to get it repaired yourself (these guys are smart lol) but don’t worry its such a simple amp that it would not cost much to repair, and its well built anyway. I offer no warranty, but this amp will arrive soundly packed in new and working condition. Transport damage will be covered by insurance if you wish, and as long as you don’t turn on the amplifier before connecting the speakers you will have a working amp. Valve amp transformers can’t take operation without speakers. They are not like your solid state. Boy! Have I given you enough information?

  You are most welcome to ask any questions to satisfy yourself before bidding. Thank you for bidding, good luck and please realise that this is not a fire sale, once you place a bid you are committed to buy. Bidders with no feedback have to reassure me that they are genuine before placing a bid, and if you have bad feedback for not paying for your items don’t bother I will delete your bid.

 Please don’t bid if not happy with my conditions.

Products Specification:

• Output power 23W+23W 4Ω-8Ω)
• Frequency response 6Hz-70KHz -2 dB
• Lose true degree 1.5%
• SNR 78dB(A weight)
• Input sensitivity 250mv
• Input impedance 20KΩ
• Load impedance 8Ω or 4Ω.
•  Valves used: Shuguang 5881A X4 and 6N1.
•  After I ordered the amp, I tried National Electronics, JJ, Sylvania USA, Mullard, Siemens, Trigon, Electro Harmonix, Miniwatt and other valves. Different sound than the Shuguang? Yes, but better? No. It’s all good, just different sounds. So go play, it won’t kill the bank balance. Not for the JJ and Electro Harmonix anyway.

•   Supplied 6N1x4 are just fine and replacements cost $12 for 4 plus $15 shipping, to really better them is just not worth the expense.  
• Voltage: 220-250V with Australian power cord supplied
•  Dimension: 430mm x 440mm x 260mm
•  Weight: 18 kg