@densa Thank you for finding this. That is the exact product with a different name. I was seriously considering buying it but the people that seem to know sound quality shit all over it. Nevermind.
@username I pulled the tubes to replace them with higher quality GE 5654Ws and the unit barely produced sound with the tubes out…very faint and distorted. The tubes are definitely in the circuit.
I’m guessing it’s some cheap Chinese made 12AX7’s as a preamp into a cheaper class D amp into some garbage 3" full range drivers. None of that will get you any fidelity.
@bluebeatpete Current audio vacuum tube production is still largely limited to 3 locations: China, Russia and the Czech/Slovak Republics. While many other developed nations still produce and develop vacuum based electronics, only Japan and Germany have produced glass vacuum tubes suitable for audio recently.
That’s a particularly dumb dad joke when you consider that Scarry isn’t pronounced like Barry. Scary White would be more accurate, yet still equally unfunny.
If you want a tube based audio amplifier as a conversation piece, I recommend buying a kit that includes a technical description of the actual circuit being built.
Furthermore, you should look for kits with positive reviews by builders that are at your skill level. There is no shame for an adult starting using a kit designed for a twelve year old.
There are even tube amp designs that don’t use high voltages.
There are designs that actually deliver on their promise of an extremely long tube life. For example, the surface area of the cathode might be ten times larger than a tube design from 1953 with the same output power. The tube will be run at a lower temperature so both the heater and cathode run cooler. The operating voltage will be much lower.
Humorously, these changes mean that the circuit won’t have the same “warm tube sound” (distortion characteristics) as a tube amp designed in 1953, unless they are simulated in the solid state portion of the circuit.
What was I thinking when I threw away my vacuum tube tester over twenty years ago? And cannot even go to the local Radio Shack anymore to use theirs!
(What goes around, comes around…?)
@phendrick I can still remember going to the hardware store to check out tubes/buy replacements for the TV and the radio when I was young. Dad did all that stuff himself (as well as most of our car maintenance stuff). Alas, those days (and Dad) are gone.
@chienfou@phendrick
In STL, there is a place, Gateway Electronics, that has one and caters to the analog and Ham Radio crowd. They probably have a website, but don’t expect much more than directions and hours.
It’s also really hard to find. Way, way in the back of the road, off a spur and then at the end of that.
@chienfou@phendrick Update. That video is the old store. They have moved to the old, near empty Chesterfield Mall. These days, they’re what the mall management/security guard guy calls an “anchor store”. Definitely a huge step up in being able to find them. They’re invaluable for parts to fix stereos and gaming headphone cans.
@chienfou@mike808@phendrick Hey, look at the reward for reading deep into comments for a product I’ve no interest in buying. I’d love to repair my dad’s 1930s-era radio. Maybe I can test a tube or two. I’ll be heading to the mall in the coming days.
@bayportbob@mike808@phendrick Funny thing is that I was talking about the Florissant area in north county in my initial post-- though it was over 50 yrs ago so I am not sure if it was the old central hardware chain or an independent store…
I had serious doubts when I unpacked this thing. It is far smaller and lighter than I expected. Also, it makes beeps and boops the instant you power it up - so how can the tubes be doing anything at all if the sound comes out before they get a chance to heat up? BUT - it makes a joyous noise when I play Deep Purple Machine Head through it. Fills the room nicely. This will be perfectly adequate as an overpriced pair of computer speakers.
This is one of the ugliest things I’ve ever seen… cough Cheap plastic sneeze cheap tubes, and hurk Hammacher Schlemmer. I think I just caught something by looking at it.
If you want a bluetooth speaker, please consider something else for this price or less. If you want a tube amp, please consider literally anything else. If you want a bluetooth tube amp, you might consider monoprice for under $100, plus whatever passive speakers. I only say that because that’s what I picked, not because I’ve tried any others.
@Superllama7 bbbut I want ALL THREE meshed together in some sort of homage to what Frankenstein’s monster’s tweenage son might be really into right now!!
I have had an old non functioning Bakelite art deco radio with tubes inside that I would love to restore to functionality and maybe add a Bluetooth input to, but I’ve been stuck at not knowing anything about how tubes work and not having access to a tube tester or new tubes. It seems like there are some knowledgeable folks on this thread. Anyone have some noob-friendly tube resources they’d like to share?
@djslack It has been awhile since I tinkered with tubes amps (other than swapping tubes in my guitar amp). There were two sites I liked years ago, I completely forgot one’s name (had great tools that helped me design my own guitar amp over 10 years ago… wish I could remember), and another is http://www.pmillett.com/index.html (millet is easy to remember). You can start looking through and maybe getting an idea of basic designs and what stages are what.
For your project, in general you need to have the Bluetooth receiver and a DAC that would tap into where the radio inputs into the amp stages (bypassing the radio tuner). If you have the DAC’s output in the same voltage range of the radio tuner’s input you wouldn’t need to tinker much with the amplifier portion. It may be easier to install your own aux input directly to the amplifier stages and use an external Bluetooth receiver with rca or 3.5mm output to plug into it. You may even be able to put it inside the radio’s housing and just run an extra wire for the Bluetooth receiver or tap into the radio’s power wire. I had a roommate with no electrical knowledge do that to a similar radio years ago for guitar
@FireMrshlBill thank you. More often than not when I’m looking for something DIY like this, a web site that looks like that is one of the best resources around. Looks simple but I’m pretty sure I can sink a few hours into it with all the stuff that’s on that one page.
Your thoughts on how to do the radio conversion line up exactly with mine. Since I believe the tube amp to be the part that’s not working, I figured that once I could get the radio working as designed it would be pretty straightforward to get the Bluetooth schmodo active section tied in there. And kind of neat if i could keep the radio intact, but if it has to go all Bluetooth that would be ok since that’s about all I would use it for.
@djslack I’d assume you could install a switch to go between inputs, it’d probably come down to how the radio is integrated into it. I bet if you search around the head-fi.org forums there will be some discussions on the topic. Good luck!
@djslack Do you have a make and model number for the radio, or perhaps a photo of it? Assuming the radio is intact and complete, repairs would most likely be limited to replacing capacitors and any weak tubes. The tubes can be tested, if you know someone with a tube tester. The easiest way to get modern music to your radio while leaving it intact would be to use an AM transmitter. (I assume your radio is an AM band only model…if it’s late enough to also have an FM tuner, getting a transmitter becomes much easier!)
@PooltoyWolf@robson thanks! I don’t know anyone with a tester, but I will get some pics of it. I have to go get it from my parents’ house. I do remember not being able to find a model number on it and spending some time trying to identify it through Google image results without success a few years back. It appeared complete, just not functional.
Maybe after I open the 20+ boxes and packages and start using and giving away the items this might be a possibility. Doubt it, fugly AF. 90 day warranty. Nope.
So they mix the high quality of tubes with the compressed quality of bluetooth and MP3 and what do we get? Could it possibly sound better? I don’t think so. And as mentioned already, the tubes may just be there for decoration.
@arfdawg Jesus, who pissed in your Wheaties? It seems like every post where someone seems even slightly skeptical of the necessity of the tubes you get seriously offended. Did you design the thing? Or do you work for the company? Do you need to go wipe again?
@Willijs3 No, just don’t like troll creeps like you who try to be experts when they know nothing. Stop spreading fake news when your head is in yer butt.
@arfdawg Now you’re getting angry at me? When did I make any assertions? Did I state any facts about the tubes? The only time I posted in this thread was when I asked what your issue was this morning. How does that make me a troll? And how does that make me an expert?
@arfdawg Hi - can you explain how you know that the tubes are actually functional and are not just there for looks?
Because I came here to ask someone with EE experience who buys these if they could test them to find out if the tubes are even in the signal chain.
A few people seem to have had the same thought as me; that a cheap, gimmicky, literally flashy set of speakers could have just added a couple of tubes to look cooler, without them actually being functional.
But you’ve responded to people saying “maybe” by saying “definitely not!”
@DennisG2014 Because I don’t rely on random strangers here who don’t know what they are talking about but are so lonely they seem possessed to comment on every product each day no matter what. I do a simple google search. When you do that, you find out these are real tubes. Unreal how lazy and dense peopel are.
@arfdawg Well, since you’re so passionate about it, can you link me to the schematic you found that shows these tubes are actually in the signal chain and not just there for looks?
I don’t doubt that they are real tubes, I wonder if they are really affecting the output.
@Kyser_Soze ● Lanchiya® customized vacuum tubes with the military standard quality and 50,000 hours long life. THEY ARE REAL. The question to ask is what happens when the tubes blow?
Real tubes can be wired outside of the audio circuit to just glow, without affecting the audio output, can’t they?
Could be legit, they could actually be functioning as you and the manufacturer are claiming.
If you can prove that, I’ll apologize for being a dick about it.
If you can’t prove it, you should stop claiming you KNOW anything.
@arfdawg which military standard quality are we referring to here? On a scale of Sierra Leone to USA, where are we talking?
And as someone who isn’t asking the question, I don’t see where you’ve proved anything with regard to what’s being asked. But I don’t believe this will be resolved between the two of you as he has perhaps exhausted your knowledge on the subject. The question cannot be answered from the available marketing copy.
@djslack All the documentation is available in .pdf for on the web site. Instead of doing your own research you just want everything handed to you. No wonder this world is in the shape it’s in.
@arfdawg Whether the tubes are real or not, my original post said a keyword that was very important to a long conversation that made that part of my comment very minor: MAY
The greater part was about audio compression both from bluetooth compression and MP3. But I forgot to mention how it also may get lost in the speaker itself.
I got rid of my tube speakers from the '50’s that required time to warm up, for better speakers in the '70’s that were larger and were powered by solid state amp and were replaced by more efficient speakers in the '00’s powered by a surround solid state amp and I DON’t WANT THIS. Hows that answer?
@Kyser_Soze Nobody’s forcing you to buy them. Nor is anyone but yourself compelling you to make false statements about the validity of the tubes as REAL
@arfdawg Thank god you’re done.
All you’ve proven is that you’ll believe anything a company tells you on their website.
Your idea of ‘research’ is to read the claimed tech specs of some Chinese company who manufactures cheap junk that they try to sell for an impressive price tag, gets universally bad reviews and then ends up being sold for 1/4 the retail price on a fire-sale website (sorry, Meh).
People here have reasonable doubts as to whether those REAL TUBES really do anything except glow and you came storming in here insulting everyone and claiming you know the real actual truth when all you did was believe a shady company’s own marketing hype.
A few people had doubts, you’re the only one who made actual claims and copying/pasting the company’s marketing propaganda does nothing to back up those claims.
I can only guess that the reason you’re being so nastily defensive about it is that you bought it and are desperate to believe you spent your money well.
Maybe you did. I HOPE you did, honestly I do.
I hope you love your fancy new speakers.
When you get them, if you could find a way to test whether the tubes have any actual effect on the audio or if they just glow, I’d love to know the result.
I have no idea if the tubes do or don’t do what the manufacturer claims - NEITHER DO YOU.
If it turns out they’re totally legit, I will apologize for arguing with you and planting seeds of doubt.
In the mean time, if you could apologize for insulting everyone who has reasonable doubts and claiming you know something you don’t, that’d be great.
@arfdawg So the word MAY has no meaning to you. Are you stupid? May means it may, or it may not. I never made any definitive statement about the tubes. You must be a troll. Enjoy your lousy existence.
@DennisG2014 I will be sure to give your post all the attention it deserves. Oh, and BTW Clowny…it’s a JAPANESE company. Not Chinese. So much for YOUR credibility. #FAIL. #MEGA FAIL
2570 N First St, 2nd Floor San Jose, CA 95131 U.S.A | LANCHIYA ACOUSTICS RESEARCH U.S.A
10th Floor, Shizuya Bld. 5-51-11, Higasi-Nippori, Arakawa-Ku, 1160014 Tokyo, JAPAN | LANCHIYA ELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO.,LTD JAPAN
K-Center #901, Simindearo 248, Beon-gil 25, Dongan-gu Anyang-City, Gyeonggi-do KOREA | LANCHIYA A.I. ACOUSTICS RESEARCH (Aucean technology Inc.) KOREA
Hongtu Road No1, Songxia Industry Zone, Songgang oshan City Guangdong Province 528234 CHINA | LANCHIYA DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD CHINA
They have a corporate presence in the US, Japan, Korea and China.
As I have said over and over again, I have no idea if those tubes actually do what the company says they do.
But I will guaranfuckingtee you that this set of speakers will be labeled “MADE IN CHINA”.
@DennisG2014 You are truly an idiot with no sense whatsoever. It’s a JAPANESE company. Apple is a American company who has offices in China too you moron. Can you get any stupider?
@DennisG2014 The arf guy has this amazing idea that 12AX7’s are going to be used in the signal but has no idea that if I feed them 12V’s I can show the heater working and he thinks the triode is somehow working in the system. He also argued with me about what a microphonic tube is, so he has virtually zero idea of tubes. He’s the kind of guy I sell drifted caps to because he thinks they are cool.
well… I think it is something I think I want but really do not need. if it was cheaper I’d buy one just to put on the shelf and look at it… but, meh, not now… want vs. need. sigh. the low end is 50hz and the high end is only 18khz, not really for listening other than outside by the grill after you’ve had a few drinks in the rain. yeah, it’s a looker but not someone you’d take home to meet mom.
Research results: No audio demo found. No manual found. Poor review of similar product on Amazon.Slick promo of product from Lanchiya web site. I’ll pass.
If anyone who buys these has the knowledge and skills to figure out whether those tubes are actually in the signal chain and affecting the output, or just there to light up and look fancy, please find out and report back.
I used to sell music merchandise, and there was a brief trend of guitar effect pedals that had a single tube sticking out of them.
No one ever bought them and I always wondered if the tube was even functional.
A gimmick like that would have been nothing new in the guitar peripheral market.
With something as fancy-but-cheap-and-gimmicky looking as these speakers, I’d be more surprised if the tubes turned out to be functional than not.
@DennisG2014 On the speaker I bought from Meh, the tubes are 6AK5s from China (6J1) and they are indeed in circuit and the heaters are on…I have yet to determine what they do, but removing them and listening yields very weak and distorted audio, so I suspect they are preamp tubes.
Actually, that round speaker thing is a design that has been around for a while. I think there was a wireless set of speakers that charged in a dock a lot like this.
my quest to find if there is any high quality bluetooth transport available is still in progress… but I found this very informative video, that explains the technical natures of the device…
so it seems that the only information I can find from the source is this:
and I guess they are trying to say it does some version of 4.2 but will also support edr if your device is on 2? I have no idea what it means… while the products have very slick presentation pdf’s, I couldn’t find a single users manual that would download…
I’m not familiar with this particular unit, but many of the small tube amps use the tubes for the preamp only. Also, I doubt a tube amp with only 2 tubes delivers 40 watts. Its probably a class d amp with tube preamp.
@arfdawg@DennisG2014 ya, I shouldn’t say definitely, but they don’t look like power tubes, especially if that plastic cover over them is supposed to stay on. Then again, the 40w output is really 40w RMS.
@arfdawg@FireMrshlBill
I mean, I know next to nothing about electrical engineering or how tubes actually work, but I know enough about marketing gimmickry to be skeptical of things like this.
Which is why I’m here asking for someone who knows what they’re talking about to test this thing and report back.
@DennisG2014@FireMrshlBill Did you bother to go to teh company’s web site? Of course not. They make an entire line of vacuum tube units. I’m not doing your research for you. Don’t buy them. I could not care less one way or the other
@arfdawg@DennisG2014 you are the only person spreading hearsay by saying there is documentation out there, yet not spending the 15seconds it takes to look at your browser history to copy and paste your link. Everyone else is asking and making guesses based on the apparent design, typical amp designs and info given. Heck, just tell use what tubes those are and that would give us enough to go on.
@arfdawg@DennisG2014 I went to their website (it is in Russian, which I haven’t studied/read in 17years), and it is a DSP stage going to these tubes and then going to a class D amplifier. The tubes are “customized” with no identifier. Again, your argument of “go the their site” for documentation on the tubes or tube stage, and “they make a line of tube” products results in no information people wanted other than confirmation they were preamp. So why even comment when you have 0 information that is useful?
@DennisG2014@FireMrshlBill The web site is NOT in Russian. It’s very much in English and all documentation can be downloaded in .pdf. Stop lying and try actually researching.
@arfdawg@DennisG2014 ok, copy the link then. All I saw for Lanchiya was lanchiya.ru for their MK-30 model, and no English option on the site. I’d love a pdf with schematics or exact parts list.
@arfdawg@DennisG2014 even disregarding google’s poor results and finding their English site. Still no documentation other than what I already said. I’ll wait for the link you won’t post while wasting more time telling others to research (ie, you don’t know the answer but want to argue for no reason)
@DennisG2014@FireMrshlBill I’m not arguing. You are. I’m not doing the work for you. Research it for yourself. It took me literally 3 minutes to find what I needed. Sorry if you are still using Netscape to do web searches
@arfdawg@DennisG2014 yes you are arguing with people. You could have been a decent person and copy and pasted a link or said you think you saw that info on their website. But no, you just want to talk crap. I was intrigued by this product and have been stuck in a place with spotty WiFi and not at my house to sit down and look it up. So scrolling through google results that give me the Russian site instead of the English site and downloading their manuals is a bit of a pain. Everyone had specific questions about the tubes’ role, and since you supposedly “looked it up” you could have easily just passed along that info, instead of just saying that the company makes a bunch of tube products and to search it themselves. You helped no one and annoyed anyone you needlessly replied to. I wasn’t trying to be a jerk, but I don’t get why you replied to anyone with unhelpful responses.
@FireMrshlBill Thanks for proving my statement. YOU’RE THE ONE ARGUING. So sorry that downloading a widdle .PDF file is such a chore for widdle ole you. Good luck with your search. I’m done with your BS.
@arfdawg@FireMrshlBill Just so you BOTH are aware, an argument isn’t possible with only one party. By definition you’re both arguing, especially by accusing the other of arguing.
The low end sounds like the bass boost it already on…(too much) The bass boost, in turn, sounds terrible. Only goes down to 70Hz, so the bass you do get is very muddy.
Also, if you player/device volume is more than 25%, it overdrives the tubes and causes lots of compression and pumping. This means you can control the amount of “tube” in the playback, but also means you can’t effectively use your device’s volume control for the program material.
If you aren’t into the look of the tubes and the color changing lights, look elsewhere.
@chrisreedjr@thismyusername for what it’s worth I tested mine with the aux cord on my phone and the feedback and static noises reminded me of a guitar amp so had that feature, as for sound Bluetooth sounds better then direct wire but that’s me
It looks like a hatching pod for tiny aliens, but this thing sounds much better than anything has a right to for the price that it was offered on meh. Well built of apparently quality materials. Bluetooth connectivity is okay, not the best, but we always have glitchy Bluetooth connectivity so this is not particularly worse than anything else (except AirPodPros, they connect great).
Sound is really good. There’s a bass boost that works particularly well for certain circumstances, but not others, depends on the track. Rich, full and room filling. First thing I bought off Meh, and unlike some others, can’t say I’m unhappy.
Those vacuum tubes aren’t working, just there for looks, the heaters aren’t glowing, no one makes tubes anymore and I very highly doubt they are NOS. 12AX7’s also tend to be microphonic.
@arfdawg@Pufferfishy yep you are right, if you don’t know what a 12AX7 that is microphonic you’ve never even seen a tube before, I can show you video of mine. Show me a new manufacture 6T5, 6U5, 6E5 or any eye tube. 90% of all amps are solid state, only the 10% are the ones I sell black beauty’s to because they think drifted caps are cool.
There is ZERO reason to put tubes in with solid state equipment, except to fool people into thinking they are cool.
@arfdawg@Pufferfishy@Special_Ted Of course nobody is manufacturing new 6E5s because the demand for them isn’t there, but there are plenty of options for new 12AX7s, 6L6s, 6CA7s, etc…though personally I prefer to use NOS USA-made tubes in my equipment. I used to work for a local tube shop…really enjoyed that job, and still work shows with my former boss! It’s a ton of fun.
(Also let me just say that I personally think the concept/idea of ‘vintage drifted caps’ is ludicrous!)
@Pufferfishy@Special_Ted I’m really shocked at the people who are actually asking to see schematics on this when it’s clear that it’s a conversational piece not serious audiophile stuff. Tubes and mood lighting? Also sold on Hammer? REALITY ALERT!
@Special_Ted I bought one of these and did an analysis. The tubes are Chinese 6J1s (6AK5s) and are indeed real, the heaters are connected and they are used in the circuit, though to what extent I’m not yet entirely sure. I do know removing the tubes greatly stunts audio output.
@PooltoyWolf Do you have the chance to put them in a tube tester and see how they test, emission and such? Keep me updated, I am curious want to know more. I am sure they are running low voltage on the B+ and are using a cheap voltage doubler. Does it have a hum or are they using filter caps?
@Special_Ted In my basic Heathkit IT-17 tester, the stock 6J1 tubes test good, and are close but not matched in emission. The circuit is quiet; no hum or buzz.
"The two tubes in this amplifier generate 40 RMS watts per channel of distortion-free signal, adding punch and clarity to high bit-rate MP3s, Apple Lossless, or CD-quality audio played wirelessly from an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Android phone.
The tubes also provide robust bass response by ameliorating the natural acoustic qualities of second and third harmonics for richer sound coloration."
Oh, @arfdawg is that straight from the company’s website?
You know that that is also just hearsay and not proof, right?
Why dont you try researching it instead of relying on hearsay?
BTW - I make a snake oil compound that is clinically proven to improve peopel’s hearing by a factor of 10.
It’s only $100 per gallon.
Can I put you down for a few?
@Willijs3 Absolutely it will fix your eyesight.
You seem like a well educated consumer, so I would offer it to you at a 50% discount.
For anyone who doubts my miracle cure, I’m currently putting together a website with all sorts of technical jargon to back up my claims.
Once I’m done writing it, you’ll have all the proof you need that it’s real.
@arfdawg@DennisG2014 I passed on these because this did not sound legit. I couldn’t find anything about this brand from a legitimate source. Lanchiya was formed by some guy in San Jose name Larry Liu in 2016 and I did a google maps lookup of their San Jose address. It’s an office building where you rent space ie no R&D center. I did find the same unit under two other names and the specs were different telling me not to trust the web site. I’m just saying I did my DD and I passed.
@DennisG2014@densa You’re not good at researching. The company displayed their goods at CES AND they have tons more crap they sell than this particular model. Also, they have several international locations. You are a horrible troll on a mission.
@arfdawg
There are a few people in this thread who have demonstrated that they have an understanding of electronics and vacuum tubes and how they work (or at the very least, are as good as/better than Lanchiya at faking it using jargon).
I’m not one of them and neither are you.
Each of those people have expressed doubts that there’d be any functional value in putting tubes in a device like this.
I will privilege the opinion of someone who demonstrates an understanding of the technology over someone who claims they know the truth because they did ‘research’ by reading the manufacturer’s conflicting, Chinglish marketing jargon.
No one here has really proven much of anything about these speakers.
Quite a few people have provided evidence that Lanchiya and its claims are not to be trusted.
You’re a nasty person and I have a tendency to get triggered by people like you into giving them a large dose of their own medicine.
This morning, I’m thinking there might really be something wrong with you. Like, mentally or intellectually.
(Either that or you’re a master of Poe’s Law trolling, and if that’s the case, I salute your skills.)
I sometimes get a kick out of being mean to mean people, but I get no joy out of demeaning people who are unwell.
Lanchiya is a shady Chinese company who manufactures cheap, gimmicky, novelty items backed up by cheap, gimmicky marketing jargon designed to con rubes like you.
I hope you enjoy your silly novelty speakers.
I also kind of hope you burn the shit out of your fingers on those totally real tubes.
In the forum, DennisG2014 is a nonstop, irrepressible chatterbox with
11 topics created, 525 comments, and 887 replies. DennisG2014 is a
reliable source of handing out likes to other people’s posts, having
doled out 1807 (for an altruism score of 1.3). DennisG2014’s posts
have received 4232 likes.
@arfdawg@rpstrong lol Thanks for that.
You’ll notice that around the same time he posted that, he disabled access to his profile.
Probably because it would show that he’s the one lacking in ‘likes’.
@arfdawg lol Yes. 1292 days ago, I foresaw that this moment would come, so I created the @rpstrong persona to defend myself against your editing of the number of likes in my profile.
Tubes? Seriously?
I can remember the olden days when radios and TVs had tubes. They burned out frequently and had to be replaced. Occasionally they exploded.
Why would you bring them back?
@cabohn I also remember the olden days of vacuum tubes. I still have three phonographs and three radios with tubes along with some tube testing equipment.
Really, tubes didn’t burn out very frequently. When they did, they were very easily replaced by removing them and going to a store with a tube tester.
Most of the store testers weren’t very accurate, but they did show a bad tube. New tubes were pretty cheap.
I’ve never seen an ‘exploded’ vacuum tube (imploded?) but I suppose it’s possible.
@cabohn@daveinwarsh Thanks for clarifying this. I have worked with tubes for a very long time, and in the receiving tube (read: consumer/civilian) side of the business, I have never heard of a tube exploding. The worst I have personally seen was melted plates inside a 5U4GB rectifier due to a dead short in the amplifier. Tubes are generally pretty reliable and durable…most that I have to replace were either used very hard for a long period (usually TV sweep tubes) and just became weak over time, or were accidentally physically broken.
This is dumb and I want it. Don’t know if I can swing that much for sound eggs and tubes though.
Found a similar product on Amazon. Reviews are Meh…“Sounds like a HAM radio” I think I’ll pass.
https://www.amazon.com/Gadhouse-Oliver-Vacuum-Bluetooth-Speakers/dp/B07JZGV6CY
@densa Thank you for finding this. That is the exact product with a different name. I was seriously considering buying it but the people that seem to know sound quality shit all over it. Nevermind.
@asdfasdfa @densa
Well said.
@densa I like ham
@asdfasdfa @densa @stinks I like beer too
@asdfasdfa @densa @hchavers
/image I like beer kavanaugh damon
I’m willing to bet money that if you pull out the vacuum tube, this speaker will still work
@username I’ll take that bet. Seems like 30% of Meh users don’t know what they are talking about
@username I pulled the tubes to replace them with higher quality GE 5654Ws and the unit barely produced sound with the tubes out…very faint and distorted. The tubes are definitely in the circuit.
@PooltoyWolf thx for testing it out
@username Happy to help! The unit is currently playing some railroad-themed bluegrass music in the train museum where I work…sounds pleasant!
Good Lord, that is ugly. What deranged Chinese company convinced H-S to sell it?
Can I use those pods to grow weed? Asking for a friend.
@guybrush01 Yes. Results may vary.
@guybrush01 Only by playing Pink Floyd continuously during growth
I’m guessing it’s some cheap Chinese made 12AX7’s as a preamp into a cheaper class D amp into some garbage 3" full range drivers. None of that will get you any fidelity.
But hey, it’s bluetooth and has LEDs, wooo!
@bluebeatpete The specs state garbage 2" full range drivers.
@bluebeatpete It’s a Japanese company
@bluebeatpete @jewelshound 2" ? So, tweeters?
@arfdawg If I’m not mistaken, the only placed tubes are being made now are Russia, China and maybe a few other odd Balkan countries
@bluebeatpete Current audio vacuum tube production is still largely limited to 3 locations: China, Russia and the Czech/Slovak Republics. While many other developed nations still produce and develop vacuum based electronics, only Japan and Germany have produced glass vacuum tubes suitable for audio recently.
That’s a particularly dumb dad joke when you consider that Scarry isn’t pronounced like Barry. Scary White would be more accurate, yet still equally unfunny.
If you want a tube based audio amplifier as a conversation piece, I recommend buying a kit that includes a technical description of the actual circuit being built.
Furthermore, you should look for kits with positive reviews by builders that are at your skill level. There is no shame for an adult starting using a kit designed for a twelve year old.
There are even tube amp designs that don’t use high voltages.
There are designs that actually deliver on their promise of an extremely long tube life. For example, the surface area of the cathode might be ten times larger than a tube design from 1953 with the same output power. The tube will be run at a lower temperature so both the heater and cathode run cooler. The operating voltage will be much lower.
Humorously, these changes mean that the circuit won’t have the same “warm tube sound” (distortion characteristics) as a tube amp designed in 1953, unless they are simulated in the solid state portion of the circuit.
I kinda want this, because I will be the geekiest of the geeks with it on my desk at work.
This is easily the stupidest looking bluetooth speaker you have sold to date, Meh.
And that’s really saying something, because there is a lot of competition for that title.
What was I thinking when I threw away my vacuum tube tester over twenty years ago? And cannot even go to the local Radio Shack anymore to use theirs!
(What goes around, comes around…?)
@phendrick I can still remember going to the hardware store to check out tubes/buy replacements for the TV and the radio when I was young. Dad did all that stuff himself (as well as most of our car maintenance stuff). Alas, those days (and Dad) are gone.
@chienfou @phendrick
In STL, there is a place, Gateway Electronics, that has one and caters to the analog and Ham Radio crowd. They probably have a website, but don’t expect much more than directions and hours.
It’s also really hard to find. Way, way in the back of the road, off a spur and then at the end of that.
@chienfou @phendrick Update. That video is the old store. They have moved to the old, near empty Chesterfield Mall. These days, they’re what the mall management/security guard guy calls an “anchor store”. Definitely a huge step up in being able to find them. They’re invaluable for parts to fix stereos and gaming headphone cans.
@chienfou @mike808 @phendrick Hey, look at the reward for reading deep into comments for a product I’ve no interest in buying. I’d love to repair my dad’s 1930s-era radio. Maybe I can test a tube or two. I’ll be heading to the mall in the coming days.
@chienfou @mike808 @phendrick cool, I would like to visit this place. electronic flea market things are kinda nerdy fun.
@bayportbob @mike808 @phendrick Funny thing is that I was talking about the Florissant area in north county in my initial post-- though it was over 50 yrs ago so I am not sure if it was the old central hardware chain or an independent store…
Looks like a retrofuture/decopunk version of my breakfast sandwich maker.
@ThunderChicken LOL, I’d be scared if I saw that thing looking at me first thing in the morning in the kitchen…
@phendrick Even with my semi-normal looking one, that’s why I have late breakfasts and ply myself with coffee first.
Totally tubular.
All those color zones are nice, but no sale without a
Danger Zone
/giphy Archer danger zone
/youtube Kenny Loggins Danger Zone
@mike808 nooooo use the archer danger zone kenny loggins viiid
@mike808 @russellmz how have I never seen this
I had serious doubts when I unpacked this thing. It is far smaller and lighter than I expected. Also, it makes beeps and boops the instant you power it up - so how can the tubes be doing anything at all if the sound comes out before they get a chance to heat up? BUT - it makes a joyous noise when I play Deep Purple Machine Head through it. Fills the room nicely. This will be perfectly adequate as an overpriced pair of computer speakers.
@getkind I love purple?
@Barneybot isn’t a real bot.
@mediocrebot Shhhhhhh.
Where’s the music? Shush, we’ve got to wait for the tuuuuubes to warm up!
Good junk for the Nixie tube generation. FUKU fodder for the rest of us.
I just need somebody to tell me how to update Netscape please.
@therealjrn I’m on Mosaic myself, so I’m kind of jealous. Where did you get your Netscape, maybe I can get that working on my end.
@djslack @therealjrn
Damn kids. Get off mah lawn.
Gopher 4 Evah
/giphy gopher internet
@therealjrn Do your own research, you lonely, lazy, dense peopel!
@therealjrn http://www.oldversion.com/windows/netscape/
@arfdawg
Where do I dock my iPod?
@miko1 That is a different Version.
But…but…but…nature abhors a vacuum. So why should I love this enough to buy it?
@eeterrific I love a vacuum. I use one on my carpeting all the time.
“The quality of LANCHIYA® customized vacuum tubes for the new hybrid amplifiers is the same as what the military industrial enterprise requests.”
“With the help of DSP to correct the input signal in a nondestructive way , the whole speaker system can perform beyond its physical limitation.”
These are real quotes
https://www.lanchiya.com/mk30
Dear @arfdawg
Love, @DennisG2014
@ThaatGuy
“Powever voltage?”
@pmarin Shocking!
@Hanky @pmarin Positively shocking.
This is one of the ugliest things I’ve ever seen… cough Cheap plastic sneeze cheap tubes, and hurk Hammacher Schlemmer. I think I just caught something by looking at it.
If you want a bluetooth speaker, please consider something else for this price or less. If you want a tube amp, please consider literally anything else. If you want a bluetooth tube amp, you might consider monoprice for under $100, plus whatever passive speakers. I only say that because that’s what I picked, not because I’ve tried any others.
@Superllama7 bbbut I want ALL THREE meshed together in some sort of homage to what Frankenstein’s monster’s tweenage son might be really into right now!!
@Superllama7 schitt.com has really nice sounding tube stuff but today I just can’t justify sitting in one place that long to appreciate it.
I have had an old non functioning Bakelite art deco radio with tubes inside that I would love to restore to functionality and maybe add a Bluetooth input to, but I’ve been stuck at not knowing anything about how tubes work and not having access to a tube tester or new tubes. It seems like there are some knowledgeable folks on this thread. Anyone have some noob-friendly tube resources they’d like to share?
Ok, I did ask for stuff to be handed to me here. Because I figure recommended information is a more elevated place to start than just Google.
@djslack It has been awhile since I tinkered with tubes amps (other than swapping tubes in my guitar amp). There were two sites I liked years ago, I completely forgot one’s name (had great tools that helped me design my own guitar amp over 10 years ago… wish I could remember), and another is http://www.pmillett.com/index.html (millet is easy to remember). You can start looking through and maybe getting an idea of basic designs and what stages are what.
For your project, in general you need to have the Bluetooth receiver and a DAC that would tap into where the radio inputs into the amp stages (bypassing the radio tuner). If you have the DAC’s output in the same voltage range of the radio tuner’s input you wouldn’t need to tinker much with the amplifier portion. It may be easier to install your own aux input directly to the amplifier stages and use an external Bluetooth receiver with rca or 3.5mm output to plug into it. You may even be able to put it inside the radio’s housing and just run an extra wire for the Bluetooth receiver or tap into the radio’s power wire. I had a roommate with no electrical knowledge do that to a similar radio years ago for guitar
@FireMrshlBill thank you. More often than not when I’m looking for something DIY like this, a web site that looks like that is one of the best resources around. Looks simple but I’m pretty sure I can sink a few hours into it with all the stuff that’s on that one page.
Your thoughts on how to do the radio conversion line up exactly with mine. Since I believe the tube amp to be the part that’s not working, I figured that once I could get the radio working as designed it would be pretty straightforward to get the Bluetooth schmodo active section tied in there. And kind of neat if i could keep the radio intact, but if it has to go all Bluetooth that would be ok since that’s about all I would use it for.
@djslack Oh my god, “toobsfornoobs.com” isn’t registered yet! I feel like I ought to.
@djslack I’d assume you could install a switch to go between inputs, it’d probably come down to how the radio is integrated into it. I bet if you search around the head-fi.org forums there will be some discussions on the topic. Good luck!
@AbdiViklas do it!
@FireMrshlBill thanks again for another resource.
@djslack https://www.thetubestore.com/
@djslack Do you have a make and model number for the radio, or perhaps a photo of it? Assuming the radio is intact and complete, repairs would most likely be limited to replacing capacitors and any weak tubes. The tubes can be tested, if you know someone with a tube tester. The easiest way to get modern music to your radio while leaving it intact would be to use an AM transmitter. (I assume your radio is an AM band only model…if it’s late enough to also have an FM tuner, getting a transmitter becomes much easier!)
@PooltoyWolf @robson thanks! I don’t know anyone with a tester, but I will get some pics of it. I have to go get it from my parents’ house. I do remember not being able to find a model number on it and spending some time trying to identify it through Google image results without success a few years back. It appeared complete, just not functional.
I had no idea an am transmitter was a thing!
@djslack @robson Do you know if the radio cabinet is wooden or plastic? I’ll wait until you are able to get images…no rush!
Hahahaha
I see that the design inspiration was the game Portal…
Plastic vacuum tubes??? Meh
@craigcush It looks like plastic covers over glass vacuum tubes.
Maybe after I open the 20+ boxes and packages and start using and giving away the items this might be a possibility. Doubt it, fugly AF. 90 day warranty. Nope.
So they mix the high quality of tubes with the compressed quality of bluetooth and MP3 and what do we get? Could it possibly sound better? I don’t think so. And as mentioned already, the tubes may just be there for decoration.
@Kyser_Soze The tubes are not decoration. Try researching before you post wrong opinion
@Kyser_Soze no, the tubes were easier to find than a cheap solid state amp, and they look cool!!!
@arfdawg Jesus, who pissed in your Wheaties? It seems like every post where someone seems even slightly skeptical of the necessity of the tubes you get seriously offended. Did you design the thing? Or do you work for the company? Do you need to go wipe again?
@Willijs3 No, just don’t like troll creeps like you who try to be experts when they know nothing. Stop spreading fake news when your head is in yer butt.
@arfdawg Now you’re getting angry at me? When did I make any assertions? Did I state any facts about the tubes? The only time I posted in this thread was when I asked what your issue was this morning. How does that make me a troll? And how does that make me an expert?
@arfdawg Hi - can you explain how you know that the tubes are actually functional and are not just there for looks?
Because I came here to ask someone with EE experience who buys these if they could test them to find out if the tubes are even in the signal chain.
A few people seem to have had the same thought as me; that a cheap, gimmicky, literally flashy set of speakers could have just added a couple of tubes to look cooler, without them actually being functional.
But you’ve responded to people saying “maybe” by saying “definitely not!”
So, how do you know with such certainty?
@Willijs3 Thanks for your msg. I will give it all the attention it deserves.
@DennisG2014 Because I don’t rely on random strangers here who don’t know what they are talking about but are so lonely they seem possessed to comment on every product each day no matter what. I do a simple google search. When you do that, you find out these are real tubes. Unreal how lazy and dense peopel are.
@arfdawg Well, since you’re so passionate about it, can you link me to the schematic you found that shows these tubes are actually in the signal chain and not just there for looks?
I don’t doubt that they are real tubes, I wonder if they are really affecting the output.
@arfdawg
Perhaps you are on the wrong forum…
@arfdawg @DennisG2014 I’d also like a schematic. I don’t see anyone questioning if the tubes are real, just how they are actually being used.
@Willijs3 Thanks for your msg. I will give it all the attention it deserves.
@arfdawg @Willijs3 You seem to be giving his msgs more attention than mine.
I know nothing.
You seem to know that these tubes are functional and not just part of the “mood lighting”.
You said that your simple google search proved that the tubes are real, but real tubes can be used in a fake application.
So please, tell me how you know with such certainty that these tubes are affecting the speaker output.
Signed,
Lonely, Lazy and Dennis, not Dense.
(also not peopel)
@Kyser_Soze ● Lanchiya® customized vacuum tubes with the military standard quality and 50,000 hours long life. THEY ARE REAL. The question to ask is what happens when the tubes blow?
@arfdawg @Kyser_Soze
I DON’T DOUBT THAT THE TUBES ARE REAL.
Real tubes can be wired outside of the audio circuit to just glow, without affecting the audio output, can’t they?
Could be legit, they could actually be functioning as you and the manufacturer are claiming.
If you can prove that, I’ll apologize for being a dick about it.
If you can’t prove it, you should stop claiming you KNOW anything.
@arfdawg which military standard quality are we referring to here? On a scale of Sierra Leone to USA, where are we talking?
And as someone who isn’t asking the question, I don’t see where you’ve proved anything with regard to what’s being asked. But I don’t believe this will be resolved between the two of you as he has perhaps exhausted your knowledge on the subject. The question cannot be answered from the available marketing copy.
@djslack All the documentation is available in .pdf for on the web site. Instead of doing your own research you just want everything handed to you. No wonder this world is in the shape it’s in.
@arfdawg Whether the tubes are real or not, my original post said a keyword that was very important to a long conversation that made that part of my comment very minor: MAY
The greater part was about audio compression both from bluetooth compression and MP3. But I forgot to mention how it also may get lost in the speaker itself.
I got rid of my tube speakers from the '50’s that required time to warm up, for better speakers in the '70’s that were larger and were powered by solid state amp and were replaced by more efficient speakers in the '00’s powered by a surround solid state amp and I DON’t WANT THIS. Hows that answer?
@arfdawg my own research is usually enough to make jokes. I haven’t asked for anything to be handed to me.
Hey, can you pass me the salt, though? I need some more on my popcorn.
@Kyser_Soze Nobody’s forcing you to buy them. Nor is anyone but yourself compelling you to make false statements about the validity of the tubes as REAL
@arfdawg Thank god you’re done.
All you’ve proven is that you’ll believe anything a company tells you on their website.
Your idea of ‘research’ is to read the claimed tech specs of some Chinese company who manufactures cheap junk that they try to sell for an impressive price tag, gets universally bad reviews and then ends up being sold for 1/4 the retail price on a fire-sale website (sorry, Meh).
People here have reasonable doubts as to whether those REAL TUBES really do anything except glow and you came storming in here insulting everyone and claiming you know the real actual truth when all you did was believe a shady company’s own marketing hype.
A few people had doubts, you’re the only one who made actual claims and copying/pasting the company’s marketing propaganda does nothing to back up those claims.
I can only guess that the reason you’re being so nastily defensive about it is that you bought it and are desperate to believe you spent your money well.
Maybe you did. I HOPE you did, honestly I do.
I hope you love your fancy new speakers.
When you get them, if you could find a way to test whether the tubes have any actual effect on the audio or if they just glow, I’d love to know the result.
I have no idea if the tubes do or don’t do what the manufacturer claims - NEITHER DO YOU.
If it turns out they’re totally legit, I will apologize for arguing with you and planting seeds of doubt.
In the mean time, if you could apologize for insulting everyone who has reasonable doubts and claiming you know something you don’t, that’d be great.
@arfdawg So the word MAY has no meaning to you. Are you stupid? May means it may, or it may not. I never made any definitive statement about the tubes. You must be a troll. Enjoy your lousy existence.
@DennisG2014 I will be sure to give your post all the attention it deserves. Oh, and BTW Clowny…it’s a JAPANESE company. Not Chinese. So much for YOUR credibility. #FAIL. #MEGA FAIL
@Kyser_Soze You are clearly a moron who knows nothing and just likes to pontificate.
@arfdawg
DO YOUR RESEARCH
2570 N First St, 2nd Floor San Jose, CA 95131 U.S.A | LANCHIYA ACOUSTICS RESEARCH U.S.A
10th Floor, Shizuya Bld. 5-51-11, Higasi-Nippori, Arakawa-Ku, 1160014 Tokyo, JAPAN | LANCHIYA ELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO.,LTD JAPAN
K-Center #901, Simindearo 248, Beon-gil 25, Dongan-gu Anyang-City, Gyeonggi-do KOREA | LANCHIYA A.I. ACOUSTICS RESEARCH (Aucean technology Inc.) KOREA
Hongtu Road No1, Songxia Industry Zone, Songgang oshan City Guangdong Province 528234 CHINA | LANCHIYA DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD CHINA
They have a corporate presence in the US, Japan, Korea and China.
As I have said over and over again, I have no idea if those tubes actually do what the company says they do.
But I will guaranfuckingtee you that this set of speakers will be labeled “MADE IN CHINA”.
Seriously man, what the fuck is wrong with you?
@DennisG2014 You are truly an idiot with no sense whatsoever. It’s a JAPANESE company. Apple is a American company who has offices in China too you moron. Can you get any stupider?
The tubes do what they say they do. You don’t.
@arfdawg
Says the guy who’s already claimed multiple times to be done, through, etc. with morons like me, but keeps coming back for more.
I’m not done. You’re the one who started insulting people. You reap what you sow and I won’t be done giving it back to you until after you are.
@DennisG2014 The arf guy has this amazing idea that 12AX7’s are going to be used in the signal but has no idea that if I feed them 12V’s I can show the heater working and he thinks the triode is somehow working in the system. He also argued with me about what a microphonic tube is, so he has virtually zero idea of tubes. He’s the kind of guy I sell drifted caps to because he thinks they are cool.
@DennisG2014 @Special_Ted You made me look up drifted caps. Thanks for that!
I got a stash of “vented 'lytics” that I’m thinking I could create a market for. What do you think?
well… I think it is something I think I want but really do not need. if it was cheaper I’d buy one just to put on the shelf and look at it… but, meh, not now… want vs. need. sigh. the low end is 50hz and the high end is only 18khz, not really for listening other than outside by the grill after you’ve had a few drinks in the rain. yeah, it’s a looker but not someone you’d take home to meet mom.
@bayportbob “I think it is something I think I want but really do not need”
You’ve just accurately summarized the entire reason Meh exists!
@bayportbob I agree with you, but re-check the specs - a low end of 75, not 50 Hz.
@bayportbob @rpstrong If those drivers can audibly reach down to 75 cycles in their configuration, I’ll eat my hat.
@bayportbob @PooltoyWolf Perhaps they’re additive - maybe 125 Hz?
@bayportbob @rpstrong Ha!
Research results: No audio demo found. No manual found. Poor review of similar product on Amazon.Slick promo of product from Lanchiya web site. I’ll pass.
If anyone who buys these has the knowledge and skills to figure out whether those tubes are actually in the signal chain and affecting the output, or just there to light up and look fancy, please find out and report back.
I used to sell music merchandise, and there was a brief trend of guitar effect pedals that had a single tube sticking out of them.
No one ever bought them and I always wondered if the tube was even functional.
A gimmick like that would have been nothing new in the guitar peripheral market.
With something as fancy-but-cheap-and-gimmicky looking as these speakers, I’d be more surprised if the tubes turned out to be functional than not.
@DennisG2014 On the speaker I bought from Meh, the tubes are 6AK5s from China (6J1) and they are indeed in circuit and the heaters are on…I have yet to determine what they do, but removing them and listening yields very weak and distorted audio, so I suspect they are preamp tubes.
“Amplifier SNR: >80dB
THD <1%
2” (52mm) x 2 Full-range speaker driver units"
Even if “<1% THD” was distortion-free, which it ain’t, driving 2" “full-range” speakers with it defeats any amp quality.
Bluetooth eggs?
Actually, that round speaker thing is a design that has been around for a while. I think there was a wireless set of speakers that charged in a dock a lot like this.
@radi0j0hn They remind me of the Dawn Pro Audio speakers from the late '90s/early 2Ks.
So before I even attempt to look up actual specs on the bluetooth (odds of this supporting aac or aptx are near zero) a question…
How does it sound with a good source via the aux in?
If it sounds good via the aux in I would buy this for $15.
my quest to find if there is any high quality bluetooth transport available is still in progress… but I found this very informative video, that explains the technical natures of the device…
so it seems that the only information I can find from the source is this:
and I guess they are trying to say it does some version of 4.2 but will also support edr if your device is on 2? I have no idea what it means… while the products have very slick presentation pdf’s, I couldn’t find a single users manual that would download…
@thismyusername it’s like a montage in a sci-fi movie before the robots take over and kill whichever newly married spouse is the worse actor.
(In this case, my guess is they both bite it.)
@thismyusername nice video, looks like it was made at an IKEA room display, furniture that does not look as cool as the electronics. (chuckle)
@thismyusername As to your informative first video, you can take your tongue out of your cheek now…
@phendrick au contraire …
@stinks @thismyusername I get the feeling she married the speaker.
I’m not familiar with this particular unit, but many of the small tube amps use the tubes for the preamp only. Also, I doubt a tube amp with only 2 tubes delivers 40 watts. Its probably a class d amp with tube preamp.
@mikelikesbbq Ya, it’s definitely preamp only… possibly just powered up for the glow and not even in the signal chain? Haha.
@mikelikesbbq Agree
@FireMrshlBill Yeah, this is what I’m wondering as well.
@arfdawg seems to know the answer. Just waiting for him to post the schematics.
@arfdawg @DennisG2014 ya, I shouldn’t say definitely, but they don’t look like power tubes, especially if that plastic cover over them is supposed to stay on. Then again, the 40w output is really 40w RMS.
@arfdawg @FireMrshlBill
I mean, I know next to nothing about electrical engineering or how tubes actually work, but I know enough about marketing gimmickry to be skeptical of things like this.
Which is why I’m here asking for someone who knows what they’re talking about to test this thing and report back.
@DennisG2014 @FireMrshlBill Why dont you try researching it instead of relying on hearsay?
@DennisG2014 @FireMrshlBill Did you bother to go to teh company’s web site? Of course not. They make an entire line of vacuum tube units. I’m not doing your research for you. Don’t buy them. I could not care less one way or the other
@arfdawg @FireMrshlBill
The websites of companies trying to sell things make all sorts of dubious claims.
It’s ok to say that you don’t really know whether the tubes do anything more than light up.
Because it really sounds like you don’t.
I’d respect you more and leave you alone if you’d just admit you don’t know, instead of insulting every person with perfectly reasonable doubts.
@arfdawg @DennisG2014 you are the only person spreading hearsay by saying there is documentation out there, yet not spending the 15seconds it takes to look at your browser history to copy and paste your link. Everyone else is asking and making guesses based on the apparent design, typical amp designs and info given. Heck, just tell use what tubes those are and that would give us enough to go on.
@arfdawg @DennisG2014 I went to their website (it is in Russian, which I haven’t studied/read in 17years), and it is a DSP stage going to these tubes and then going to a class D amplifier. The tubes are “customized” with no identifier. Again, your argument of “go the their site” for documentation on the tubes or tube stage, and “they make a line of tube” products results in no information people wanted other than confirmation they were preamp. So why even comment when you have 0 information that is useful?
@DennisG2014 @FireMrshlBill OK. Don’t beleive me. SOrry you’re too lazy to do your own research. Who used to do your homework in school?
@DennisG2014 @FireMrshlBill The web site is NOT in Russian. It’s very much in English and all documentation can be downloaded in .pdf. Stop lying and try actually researching.
@arfdawg @DennisG2014 ok, copy the link then. All I saw for Lanchiya was lanchiya.ru for their MK-30 model, and no English option on the site. I’d love a pdf with schematics or exact parts list.
@arfdawg @DennisG2014 @FireMrshlBill I looked at the web site. One thing I noted is that its not 40w per channel. It’s40 w total
@arfdawg @DennisG2014 even disregarding google’s poor results and finding their English site. Still no documentation other than what I already said. I’ll wait for the link you won’t post while wasting more time telling others to research (ie, you don’t know the answer but want to argue for no reason)
@DennisG2014 @densa @FireMrshlBill Yep. Total of 40W RMS (T.H.D 1%)
I.E.C STANDARD
@DennisG2014 @FireMrshlBill I’m not arguing. You are. I’m not doing the work for you. Research it for yourself. It took me literally 3 minutes to find what I needed. Sorry if you are still using Netscape to do web searches
@arfdawg @DennisG2014 yes you are arguing with people. You could have been a decent person and copy and pasted a link or said you think you saw that info on their website. But no, you just want to talk crap. I was intrigued by this product and have been stuck in a place with spotty WiFi and not at my house to sit down and look it up. So scrolling through google results that give me the Russian site instead of the English site and downloading their manuals is a bit of a pain. Everyone had specific questions about the tubes’ role, and since you supposedly “looked it up” you could have easily just passed along that info, instead of just saying that the company makes a bunch of tube products and to search it themselves. You helped no one and annoyed anyone you needlessly replied to. I wasn’t trying to be a jerk, but I don’t get why you replied to anyone with unhelpful responses.
@FireMrshlBill Thanks for proving my statement. YOU’RE THE ONE ARGUING. So sorry that downloading a widdle .PDF file is such a chore for widdle ole you. Good luck with your search. I’m done with your BS.
Somehow I think those words might just be there to glow and look pretty but not actually processing any signal. Not sure if you’re actually through.
@arfdawg @FireMrshlBill Just so you BOTH are aware, an argument isn’t possible with only one party. By definition you’re both arguing, especially by accusing the other of arguing.
@arfdawg @ecanada @FireMrshlBill
/youtube Monte Python argument clinic
@arfdawg @DennisG2014 @densa @FireMrshlBill I want to hear how 40 W sounds pumping into the 2" speakers.
Remember this proud tube-exhibitionist from Samsung? It was actuallly sold very briefly at one of the warehouse clubs, Sams, I believe…
Damn - missed it. This is my brand of nerdism.
Apropos of everything:
Aw, fun’s over, we’ve been moderated.
Sorry to make you work on a Sunday, Moderator.
{No more troll feeding, 'k?}
Honestly.
The low end sounds like the bass boost it already on…(too much) The bass boost, in turn, sounds terrible. Only goes down to 70Hz, so the bass you do get is very muddy.
Also, if you player/device volume is more than 25%, it overdrives the tubes and causes lots of compression and pumping. This means you can control the amount of “tube” in the playback, but also means you can’t effectively use your device’s volume control for the program material.
If you aren’t into the look of the tubes and the color changing lights, look elsewhere.
@chrisreedjr
TWSS
@chrisreedjr Well, I guess that means the tubes really are in the signal chain, though maybe it’d be better if they weren’t.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
@chrisreedjr Will you please test with good source on AUX IN instead of blue
mangletooth?I still have hope for when these are sold as a 2 fer $10 later on…
@chrisreedjr @thismyusername for what it’s worth I tested mine with the aux cord on my phone and the feedback and static noises reminded me of a guitar amp so had that feature, as for sound Bluetooth sounds better then direct wire but that’s me
@wardy123 thanks for the info!
oh boy that doesn’t bode well, lol… thanks again for the information.
It looks like a hatching pod for tiny aliens, but this thing sounds much better than anything has a right to for the price that it was offered on meh. Well built of apparently quality materials. Bluetooth connectivity is okay, not the best, but we always have glitchy Bluetooth connectivity so this is not particularly worse than anything else (except AirPodPros, they connect great).
Sound is really good. There’s a bass boost that works particularly well for certain circumstances, but not others, depends on the track. Rich, full and room filling. First thing I bought off Meh, and unlike some others, can’t say I’m unhappy.
However, it is the ugliest thing in the house.
@artemaria we must see your house if this is the ugliest thing in it!
Specs
What’s in the Box?
Price Comparison
$199.95 at Hammacher
Warranty
90 days
Estimated Delivery
Monday, July 13th - Thursday, July 16th
Those vacuum tubes aren’t working, just there for looks, the heaters aren’t glowing, no one makes tubes anymore and I very highly doubt they are NOS. 12AX7’s also tend to be microphonic.
@Special_Ted Plenty of tube electronics out there. #FAKENEWS
@Special_Ted No one makes tubes anymore?
The billion of us with guitar amplifiers are in for a shock I guess…
The most common pre-amp tube in the known universe is “microphonic”?? lol… Really starting to doubt your expertise in the field of valves…
@Pufferfishy @Special_Ted The guy is another clown who knows nothing.
@Pufferfishy @Special_Ted while I agree with your point there definitely are not a billion people with guitars never mind amps. It’s not 1 in 7.
@unksol Full disclosure - I have half a billion of them myself.
@arfdawg @Pufferfishy yep you are right, if you don’t know what a 12AX7 that is microphonic you’ve never even seen a tube before, I can show you video of mine. Show me a new manufacture 6T5, 6U5, 6E5 or any eye tube. 90% of all amps are solid state, only the 10% are the ones I sell black beauty’s to because they think drifted caps are cool.
There is ZERO reason to put tubes in with solid state equipment, except to fool people into thinking they are cool.
@Special_Ted https://www.thetubestore.com/
@arfdawg @Pufferfishy @Special_Ted Of course nobody is manufacturing new 6E5s because the demand for them isn’t there, but there are plenty of options for new 12AX7s, 6L6s, 6CA7s, etc…though personally I prefer to use NOS USA-made tubes in my equipment. I used to work for a local tube shop…really enjoyed that job, and still work shows with my former boss! It’s a ton of fun.
(Also let me just say that I personally think the concept/idea of ‘vintage drifted caps’ is ludicrous!)
@Pufferfishy @Special_Ted I’m really shocked at the people who are actually asking to see schematics on this when it’s clear that it’s a conversational piece not serious audiophile stuff. Tubes and mood lighting? Also sold on Hammer? REALITY ALERT!
@Special_Ted I bought one of these and did an analysis. The tubes are Chinese 6J1s (6AK5s) and are indeed real, the heaters are connected and they are used in the circuit, though to what extent I’m not yet entirely sure. I do know removing the tubes greatly stunts audio output.
@PooltoyWolf Do you have the chance to put them in a tube tester and see how they test, emission and such? Keep me updated, I am curious want to know more. I am sure they are running low voltage on the B+ and are using a cheap voltage doubler. Does it have a hum or are they using filter caps?
@Special_Ted In my basic Heathkit IT-17 tester, the stock 6J1 tubes test good, and are close but not matched in emission. The circuit is quiet; no hum or buzz.
As soon as I saw WALL-E in the last pic, I understood the metaphor: this is a waste of time and money.
That’s the worst thing I’ve ever seen.
@mehnyana I’m envious.
$19.99 sure. $59.99 pass
DOES THIS SOUND LIKE THEY ARE FAKE? Amazing.
"The two tubes in this amplifier generate 40 RMS watts per channel of distortion-free signal, adding punch and clarity to high bit-rate MP3s, Apple Lossless, or CD-quality audio played wirelessly from an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Android phone.
The tubes also provide robust bass response by ameliorating the natural acoustic qualities of second and third harmonics for richer sound coloration."
Oh, @arfdawg is that straight from the company’s website?
You know that that is also just hearsay and not proof, right?
BTW - I make a snake oil compound that is clinically proven to improve peopel’s hearing by a factor of 10.
It’s only $100 per gallon.
Can I put you down for a few?
@DennisG2014 Do you have one that will make my eyes better? I look like a creep in my glasses and I’m too lazy to get Lasik. I’ll pay top dollar.
@Willijs3 Absolutely it will fix your eyesight.
You seem like a well educated consumer, so I would offer it to you at a 50% discount.
For anyone who doubts my miracle cure, I’m currently putting together a website with all sorts of technical jargon to back up my claims.
Once I’m done writing it, you’ll have all the proof you need that it’s real.
@arfdawg
So, your quote from the manufacturer claims:
And yet, elsewhere it also says 40 watts RMS total and 1% THD.
THD = Total Harmonic Distortion. 1% =/= “distortion-free”.
If you believe that whatever the manufacturer says about the product is proof, how do you explain them contradicting themselves?
Do better research. Admit you know nothing.
@arfdawg @DennisG2014 I passed on these because this did not sound legit. I couldn’t find anything about this brand from a legitimate source. Lanchiya was formed by some guy in San Jose name Larry Liu in 2016 and I did a google maps lookup of their San Jose address. It’s an office building where you rent space ie no R&D center. I did find the same unit under two other names and the specs were different telling me not to trust the web site. I’m just saying I did my DD and I passed.
@DennisG2014 @densa You’re not good at researching. The company displayed their goods at CES AND they have tons more crap they sell than this particular model. Also, they have several international locations. You are a horrible troll on a mission.
@arfdawg
There are a few people in this thread who have demonstrated that they have an understanding of electronics and vacuum tubes and how they work (or at the very least, are as good as/better than Lanchiya at faking it using jargon).
I’m not one of them and neither are you.
Each of those people have expressed doubts that there’d be any functional value in putting tubes in a device like this.
I will privilege the opinion of someone who demonstrates an understanding of the technology over someone who claims they know the truth because they did ‘research’ by reading the manufacturer’s conflicting, Chinglish marketing jargon.
No one here has really proven much of anything about these speakers.
Quite a few people have provided evidence that Lanchiya and its claims are not to be trusted.
You’re a nasty person and I have a tendency to get triggered by people like you into giving them a large dose of their own medicine.
This morning, I’m thinking there might really be something wrong with you. Like, mentally or intellectually.
(Either that or you’re a master of Poe’s Law trolling, and if that’s the case, I salute your skills.)
I sometimes get a kick out of being mean to mean people, but I get no joy out of demeaning people who are unwell.
Lanchiya is a shady Chinese company who manufactures cheap, gimmicky, novelty items backed up by cheap, gimmicky marketing jargon designed to con rubes like you.
I hope you enjoy your silly novelty speakers.
I also kind of hope you burn the shit out of your fingers on those totally real tubes.
@densa I think arfdawg and Larry Liu might be the same person. lol
@arfdawg @DennisG2014 Try again:
Is it necessary to resort to outright falsehoods?
@arfdawg @rpstrong lol Thanks for that.
You’ll notice that around the same time he posted that, he disabled access to his profile.
Probably because it would show that he’s the one lacking in ‘likes’.
@arfdawg You forgot {your homework}
@arfdawg lol Yes. 1292 days ago, I foresaw that this moment would come, so I created the @rpstrong persona to defend myself against your editing of the number of likes in my profile.
You’re some kinda genius, aren’t you?
Tubes? Seriously?
I can remember the olden days when radios and TVs had tubes. They burned out frequently and had to be replaced. Occasionally they exploded.
Why would you bring them back?
@cabohn I also remember the olden days of vacuum tubes. I still have three phonographs and three radios with tubes along with some tube testing equipment.
Really, tubes didn’t burn out very frequently. When they did, they were very easily replaced by removing them and going to a store with a tube tester.
Most of the store testers weren’t very accurate, but they did show a bad tube. New tubes were pretty cheap.
I’ve never seen an ‘exploded’ vacuum tube (imploded?) but I suppose it’s possible.
@cabohn @daveinwarsh Thanks for clarifying this. I have worked with tubes for a very long time, and in the receiving tube (read: consumer/civilian) side of the business, I have never heard of a tube exploding. The worst I have personally seen was melted plates inside a 5U4GB rectifier due to a dead short in the amplifier. Tubes are generally pretty reliable and durable…most that I have to replace were either used very hard for a long period (usually TV sweep tubes) and just became weak over time, or were accidentally physically broken.