Ifi crushed by cheap Chinese gear

[GUTB]

I had been using an iFi iPhono 2 phono stage for months. This unit is universally praised. Fans on the iPhono 2 claim that it beats out phono stages that cost many times more. It definitely has a lot of configuration options. I found the sound to be transparent and fairly resolving. It did not appear to harm the sound stage so I was happy to continue to use it until the phono stage upgrade came up.

 

I’ve had my eye on the china-hifi web store. I wanted to try them out so I bought something from them; a Lite CT3 phono stage: https://www.china-hifi-audio.com/en/lite-audio-dac-phono-stage-mm-mc-c-41/lite-audio-ct3-vacuum-tube-mm-mc-moving-coil-valve-phono-stage-amp-p-786?zenid=58eada801fd5755ad814487c0eaf085f

 

I chose this unit because it was cheap and it had a tubed power supply. After shipping it was about $400. They claim on the website up to two weeks of lead time for the 120v version, but after 3 weeks of not being updated I contacted them via email. They responded in a few hours apologizing and claimed that the factory is busy and that they’ll have it in tomorrow — and, they did ship it the next day using overnight shipping so overall I’m happy with the service.

 

I have a platinum-matched quad set of RCA JAN 5751 tubes which are the military version of the 12AX7; I replaced the el-cheapo Chinese tubes with these first thing. I left the rectifier and voltage tubes alone. The 5751s cost $350, so the total price of the phono stage is $750. I had to search the internet to find the dip switch settings for the right loading. Cartridge is the venerable AT-OC9ML/II which is a low-output MC.

 

With no burn-in time with only a few minutes of warm-up, the qualitative difference was immediately evident. First of all, the Lite has way more gain, which is appreciated. More importantly was the sound quality improvement: midrange sounds — voices, guitars, piano, etc — are now rich in harmonic information, given real depth, solidity, and presence in the sound stage. Where the iPhono 2 is “transparent”, the Lite CT3 is rich and holographic. Moreover, there is not the sense of a lack of transparency or resolution; rather there seems to be an increase of resolution, possibly because of the harmonic information which is being presented where it was missing.  The sense of reality and presence is much improved. In other words, the Lite CT3 destroyed the universally-praised iPhono 2. How much of this improvement is due to the very nice 5751s I used? I don’t know because I can’t use them in the iPhono 2 — and yes I realize that with the tubes the Chinese unit cost a good few hundred dollars more. But, I’ve seen reviews online that describe the iPhono 2 as the Second Comming that literally beats out line stages that costs many thousands of dollars. As it turned out, it’s just mediocre mass consumer audio.

 

The Lite isn’t perfection, though. It uses a flimsy metal case that is very resonant and it easily transfers vibrations into one or two overly microphonic 5751s which is audible. I have to fix this. I bought some Herbie tube dampers to see if that helps. I may also need to figure out a damping strategy for the case. 

 

 

[crenca]

So you like more gain and lot's of tubey gooey harmonic distortion  enhancement.  

 

I like a bit myself as well as I use a tubey gooey pre, though it is probably more restrained than this chi-fi you like.

 

I don't see why you would use such terms as "crushed" and "destroyed" in comparison to the iFi solid state, as you admit it is doing what it is supposed to be doing.  To those who like solid state, your new tubey gooey sound would be all wrong, and the iFi would crush an destroy the chi-fi.

 

Of course, you already know all this...

[GUTB]

In reality the Lite devastated the iPhono 2. I’m sure 10 out of 10 listeners would agree.

[DM]

I heard the Lite CT3 too, it's quite a colored phono stage IMHO, may be because it has a lot of coupling caps in the signal path (c.f. iPhono2 that is direct coupled, no coupling cap), and each additional coupling cap adds a different sound; also the MC stage was quite noisy for my taste.

 

Comparing to the iPhono2 will be quite difficulty I would say, it's like Fish Curry vs Sashimi (I like both),  the Lite CT3 is the Fish Curry, the iPhono2 is the Sashimi?

[beerandmusic]

+1 on color....

 

GUTB said he liked the ifi because it was transparent and it did what it was supposed to....

 

I think i would prefer the transparent one, plus i wouldn't buy off a chinese website.

[mav52]

I say it all depends what a persons system is capable of and what sounds the listener is expecting or wanting to hear.  Transparant, warm, detailed whatever it's up to the listener.  Enjoy, 

[GUTB]

The iPhono 2 is inferior — simple as that. BTW being direct-coupled is often a code word for "it sucks".

 

I also bought a CD player from them which arrives next week based on this experience...the same tubed power supply (rectifier and voltage tubes) and tubed output stage.

[Nordkapp]

Chinese gear is total crap, toxic and with every purchase you support a communist regime guilty of massive human rights violations.  

[firedog]

15 minutes ago, Nordkapp said:

Chinese gear is total crap, toxic and with every purchase you support a communist regime guilty of massive human rights violations.  

 Silly generalization.Lots of Chinese made hifi gear is top notch. Yes, and some is junk. BTW, is the Chinese made iPhone crap?

As far as the politics, certainly your right to boycott them for those reasons. But that has zero direct relationship to the quality of the products. 

[Milt99]

Do people buy US made gear depending on who is in the White House and has a majority in the House & Senate because doing so supports or doesn't support politics you agree with?

 

Same with England?

[mav52]

35 minutes ago, Milt99 said:

Do people buy US made gear depending on who is in the White House and has a majority in the House & Senate because doing so supports or doesn't support politics you agree with?

 

Same with England?

I know I don't that's for sure.  I buy what works for me, fits the budget

[NOMBEDES]

I can't wait for North Korean Hi Fi.

 

 

[mav52]

6 minutes ago, NOMBEDES said:

I can't wait for North Korean Hi Fi.

 

 

The Rocket Man Dac

[Ralf11]

DM, you may want to Gloggle parasites in salmon...

[Shadders]

2 hours ago, firedog said:

 Silly generalization.Lots of Chinese made hifi gear is top notch. Yes, and some is junk. BTW, is the Chinese made iPhone crap?

As far as the politics, certainly your right to boycott them for those reasons. But that has zero direct relationship to the quality of the products. 

Hi,

I buy garlic as a large bag - about 14 bulbs per pack.

What i am surprised at, is that there was a spate of when the garlic was sourced from China. I mean, for something as simple as garlic, Tesco had to import from half way around the world. I cannot believe that European garlic was so expensive that you had to go to China.

Or is it profit at any cost ?.

Are people being greedy when they use China to make their products ?, or are our products that we purchase so low cost we cannot make a profit if it is made locally ?

In addition, products are made to a specification - so if it is crap and the product is an American or European brand - then it was specified to be crap.

Regards,

Shadders.

[NOMBEDES]

2 hours ago, Shadders said:

Hi,

I buy garlic as a large bag - about 14 bulbs per pack.

What i am surprised at, is that there was a spate of when the garlic was sourced from China. I mean, for something as simple as garlic, Tesco had to import from half way around the world. I cannot believe that European garlic was so expensive that you had to go to China.

Or is it profit at any cost ?.

Are people being greedy when they use China to make their products ?, or are our products that we purchase so low cost we cannot make a profit if it is made locally ?

In addition, products are made to a specification - so if it is crap and the product is an American or European brand - then it was specified to be crap.

Regards,

Shadders.

 

 

I would have the garlic tested for led.

[Nordkapp]

19 minutes ago, NOMBEDES said:

 

 

I would have the garlic tested for led.

Exactly.

[Ralf11]

I want an HerbalLife Nutrition DAC - every 5 packets, I get money

[mansr]

5 hours ago, Nordkapp said:

Chinese gear is total crap, toxic and with every purchase you support a communist regime guilty of massive human rights violations.  

The Chinese government is many things, but communist is not one of them.

[AnotherSpin]

2 hours ago, Shadders said:

Hi,

I buy garlic as a large bag - about 14 bulbs per pack.

What i am surprised at, is that there was a spate of when the garlic was sourced from China. I mean, for something as simple as garlic, Tesco had to import from half way around the world. I cannot believe that European garlic was so expensive that you had to go to China.

Or is it profit at any cost ?.

Are people being greedy when they use China to make their products ?, or are our products that we purchase so low cost we cannot make a profit if it is made locally ?

In addition, products are made to a specification - so if it is crap and the product is an American or European brand - then it was specified to be crap.

Regards,

Shadders.

 

Chinese garlic tastes wrong. We have it too, but I prefer to buy local even if it would not be available at the end of winter - early spring.

[AnotherSpin]

2 minutes ago, mansr said:

The Chinese government is many things, but communist is not one of them.

 

I do not know any government one may call communist, now or then.

[mansr]

3 minutes ago, AnotherSpin said:

I do not know any government one may call communist, now or then.

The early Soviet years may have come close. Attempts at communism do seem to turn into plain old despotism rather quickly.

[AnotherSpin]

1 minute ago, mansr said:

The early Soviet years may have come close. Attempts at communism do seem to turn into plain old despotism rather quickly.

 

The early Soviet years were the time of mass terror and killings, ruin and disorder. If this is communism, than maybe.

[mansr]

1 minute ago, AnotherSpin said:

The early Soviet years were the time of mass terror and killings, ruin and disorder. If this is communism, than maybe.

The trouble, as it were, with communism is that it has to be maintained by force. Given a choice, people seem to reject it in favour of something less extreme.

[firedog]

53 minutes ago, mansr said:

The trouble, as it were, with communism is that it has to be maintained by force. Given a choice, people seem to reject it in favour of something less extreme.

You guys are confusing 2 different things: Communism and communism.

The first did and does exist, and is maintained by force, including in China. 

The second also exists, and is maintained by choice among the people who are communing.