Tubes Asylum: REVIEW: Ming Da MC3-R Preamplifier (Tube) by sgb

Model:	MC3-R
Category:	Preamplifier (Tube)
Suggested Retail Price:	$550.00
Description:	Line stage, tube rectifier, based on Marantz 7
Manufacturer URL:	Ming Da
Model Picture:	View

Review by sgb ( A ) on August 19, 2005 at 08:32:31
IP Address: 68.225.106.197

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This preamp delivers excellent sound for the price, but extensive tube-rolling is recommended for it to yield optimum performance. By so doing, it is possible to tailor the preamp's sound to best suit your tastes and associated equipment. It is strongly recommended that you dispose of ALL of the tubes supplied (including the rectifier) in order to hear what this preamp is capable of providing. The Chinese and Russian military tubes that came in my unit suggested that the unit was not capable of producing deep, solid bass (even after break-in), nor could the sound project an image much beyond the outer edges of my speakers.
The tube complement consists of a single 12AU7 used as a stabilizer, a pair of 12AX7's for generating the signal and either a 5Z3P or 5Z4P rectifier. I replaced the rectifier with a vintage Raytheon 5Y3GT, and ultimately decided on a pair of RCA Command 5751's and a 5814 for the three other tubes. These replacements provided a substantial improvement in the unit's ability to perform as well as one would hope it could. Tonal balance is as good as I have ever heard in any tube-based system, with clear, extended highs, a supple, transparent midrange, and bass depth and tautness that belies the component's affordable price.
With regard to the bass performance, the reader is advised to choose his signal tubes and rectifier well. While the legendary Telefunken 12AX7 provides a most superior midrange with the kind of air you only read about from other tubes (but have never experienced yourself), it isn't in quite the same league as the Command 5751's in its ability to reproduce taut, fast bass transients. The Telefunken sounds a little wooly in this area, masking the air around drums and bass guitars. If bass performance is critical to you, then in this preamp the two best performers I've found are the aforementioned RCA Command tubes and some vintage USA-made Teslas.
Images can be very deep and wide, and depending on your speakers' ability to project it fore and aft of their plane, you might be startled to find that on great recordings (such as Opus 3's Showcase Sampler) that the piano might suddenly appear to have considerable depth. Recordings that offer an accurate portrayal of image height might be just as startling. Try the Sheffield Labs Harry James, Comin' From A Good Place for a great example of this.
Break-in period appears to be relatively short. After less than 48 hours, the unit had already begun to sound as good as I would hope it would.
The preamp has its shortcomings, too: these aren't particularly well made despite the fact that they are beautiful to look at. After just a few weeks, my unit developed a bit of a scratchy sound in its right channel, and has been returned to the importer for repair. For this reason, I would suggest that if the lure of a low cost unit from China appeals to you, then it is imperative that you know how to fix little problems like these yourself, or pay a little extra to an importer who can deal with these kinds of things for you.
Despite that weakness, I can recommend this preamp to anyone who wants to hear how natural the sound can be at such a low price.

Product Weakness: Quality control issues that MeiXing needs to address
Product Strengths: Very natural and dynamic sound

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	Quicksilver MS190 (DC coupled input)
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Compared to Rogue, Dared, etc.
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Marantz SA-14
Speakers:	Rosinanté Evolution Signatures
Cables/Interconnects:	Redmond Shock and Awe
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Classical, Jazz, a little rock
Room Size (LxWxH):	27.5 x 19.5 x 10
Room Comments/Treatments:	Damped with wall hangings
Time Period/Length of Audition:	<1 month
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	Power Conditioners muck up the sound
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

Product Weakness:	Quality control issues that MeiXing needs to address
Product Strengths:	Very natural and dynamic sound