An integrated Tube amp and possible GIANT killer???? the MP-301MK2

eclein · « **on:** 5 May 2011, 03:52 am »

The end of January was a horrific time for me health wise but there was a bright spot when I purchased the first MP-301 from an AC member, 6 watts of bliss I was enjoying then my legs went away and all hell broke loose, somewhere in the next month of my hospital stay I heard that Garry Huang, designer of the MP-301 was working on an upgraded version the MP-301MK2 and today I took delivery on one.

Musical Paradise MP-301MK2

Highlights:
1) They are built like tanks, heavy, well built, and did I say Heavy??
2) Takes up very little room with its redesign
3) Uses a new tube compliment

Tubes used in MP301 (first version)

In place of the supplied 6J1 driver tubes, you may use these tubes: 6AK5, 6AU6 and EF95. And in place of the supplied 6P6P output tubes, you may use these tubes: 6V6, 6V6GT, 6L6, 6L6GB, 6L6GC and 6PS3-E.
_______________________________________ _______________________________________ ________________________

Tubes used in MP301 MK2 (second version)

Tube Replacement Guide:
6J8P(Stock) 6SJ7, 5693, 6AC7, 6SK7, 6SD7, 6J4P, 6*4, 6*8
6L6(Stock) 6P3P, 5881, EL34
_______________________________________ _______________________________________ ________________________

I'm currently running the stock tubes and have no plans on changing them tonite, tomorrow or the next day--if it ain't broke don't fix it!!!!!
4) Sound quality is amazing within the first hour out of the box and has gotten better and better throughout the day.
5) Cost is $260

Lowliights
1) There is a hum in some of the units shipped so far they are working to resolve
2) The headphone impedance option wasn't listed in the very beginning so alot of people got a version that has trouble playing back through their headphones (Too much gain, not enough gain)
3) The unit runs very hot depending on the tubes used, as is stock its too hot for me to touch for more than a microsecond.

All in all for me its all about the sound quality regardless of build, design, parts used- these amps sound excellent to me, this model clearly and easily kicks its predecessors butt, trounces it in fact and feels more like a total redesign rather then an upgrade. Sound is so subjective and I could easily use all the catch phrases to describe this piece, find a way to hear one and I think you'll be ordering soon after.
I just wanted to let you guys know there is another option out there to check out and did I mention they cost $260.00.......LOL amazing for the price, just amazing.........

Pez · « **Reply #1 on:** 5 May 2011, 03:55 am »

UL? SET? whats the flavor?

eclein · « **Reply #2 on:** 5 May 2011, 03:59 am »

Class A Single Ended (whatever that is)......LOL...at least I'm honest when I say that, I've yet to learn all the types

Pez · « **Reply #3 on:** 5 May 2011, 04:27 am »

Probably single ended Pentode would be my guess.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #4 on:** 5 May 2011, 07:09 am »

Quote from: Pez on 5 May 2011, 04:27 am

Probably single ended Pentode would be my guess.

Hi,
NiteShade had a nice 807 amp, in the big Pentode tubes, the 813 ribbed plate are very praised.

I prefer a 15W SET with one 6C33, if MusicalParadise could made this amp I could really thanks.
Tubes as 300B,2A3, 845 and others are expensive in my country, so I had to rely in Russian tubes.
Regards

eclein · « **Reply #5 on:** 5 May 2011, 07:44 am »

Quote from: FULLRANGEMAN on 5 May 2011, 07:09 am

Hi,
NiteShade had a nice 807 amp, in the big Pentode tubes, the 813 ribbed plate are very praised.

I prefer a 15W SET with one 6C33, if MusicalParadise could made this amp I could really thanks.
Tubes as 300B,2A3, 845 and others are expensive in my country, so I had to rely in Russian tubes.
Regards

Check out the website they have a bunch more amps, this isn't the only one they make....
http://www.musicalparadise.ca/mp/

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #6 on:** 5 May 2011, 07:53 am »

Just look, nothing new so far, only the 3 usual models.
No 6C33 SET yet.

bummrush · « **Reply #7 on:** 5 May 2011, 01:09 pm »

Hello could someone remind me what was the name of that little 6.5 watt int. amp that people mentioned the other day. Thanks.

eclein · « **Reply #8 on:** 5 May 2011, 01:12 pm »

MP-301MK2 Musical Paradise
http://www.musicalparadise.ca/mp/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6&products_id=75

bummrush · « **Reply #9 on:** 5 May 2011, 01:19 pm »

Nice that was quick Eclien. Doing ok Eclien I presume

ThomDP · « **Reply #10 on:** 5 May 2011, 01:59 pm »

The Musical Paradise looks like this amp that is always available on on ebay. I wonder what the differences are? The MP is certainly cheaper.

I've been eyeing the amp on ebay for a long time.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Brand-New-AC-EL34-Tube-Amplifier-Headphone-Amplifier-/320684340427?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4aaa46b4cb

Letitroll98 · « **Reply #11 on:** 5 May 2011, 02:09 pm »

Quote from: bummrush on 5 May 2011, 01:09 pm

Hello could someone remind me what was the name of that little 6.5 watt int. amp that people mentioned the other day. Thanks.

I merged your topic with this one because they are on the same amp and posted about the same time, I left your old heading on your posts so you can see they were once separate.

eclein · « **Reply #12 on:** 5 May 2011, 02:32 pm »

The designer said when asked about the ebay amp that they do indeed have the same case and chassis in common other then that its not his so he doesn't know.

Letitroll98-I was going to suggest that, but forgot, works for me

milford3 · « **Reply #13 on:** 5 May 2011, 05:41 pm »

I'm still waiting for mine. Mailed from Canada five days ago. ECLEIN, what speakers are you driving with the MP-301MK2

eclein · « **Reply #14 on:** 5 May 2011, 07:31 pm »

milford3- mine sat in a post office up there for 5 days then it took a week to go a 13 hour ride away,,,,have some coffee, sit back, relax.....

I'm using some JBL S38ii like 89db sens. drives them effortlessly....I just got a bunch of tubes to roll and put them all in..what the hell...RCA output tubes not sure what size or # and some Mullard EL34's and now it sounds even better.

milford3 · « **Reply #15 on:** 5 May 2011, 07:34 pm »

I'll using Axiom M22ti's with a 93 sen. Where is that mailman?

monsterbill · « **Reply #16 on:** 5 May 2011, 08:13 pm »

Howdy Ed! How noticable is the hum, if any, after your tubes burned in? Can you hear it from the listening position with or without the music on?

canzld · « **Reply #17 on:** 5 May 2011, 08:24 pm »

Quote from: eclein on 5 May 2011, 03:52 am

All in all for me its all about the sound quality regardless of build, design, parts used- these amps sound excellent to me, this model clearly and easily kicks its predecessors butt, trounces it in fact and feels more like a total redesign rather then an upgrade. Sound is so subjective and I could easily use all the catch phrases to describe this piece, find a way to hear one and I think you'll be ordering soon after.

OK Ed - get subjective

- if the MP-301 Mki was so absolutely great when you first got it, what does the Mkii do so much better to kick its proverbial butt? It's all sounding very disappointing when I'd just got nice and settled with the Mk i and lain in enough 6v6 to last a while.
And i have to agree - it looks like a complete redesign rather than a tweak upgrade.

eclein · « **Reply #18 on:** 5 May 2011, 08:53 pm »

First of all, I most definitely go over the top when describing my new toys-full disclosure....LOL...

1) Beside the obvious physical looks etc... when you take each thing he did-at least the ones I understand-the new tube set, whatever it is that gives the music more power.....ie: when I first came to AC I was using a SONY AV receiver stated to be 110Watts X 7 then I got Virtue Audio TWO.2 at like roughly 35W X 2 at 8ohms(not important to state correctly) and the TWO.2 just had more power-you could hear it, feel it sort of. Its like you know while listening that there is a mess of power behind the sound, they both probably had close to 35 per ch.(Sony overstates all the time I found out) but the TWO just sounded like there was substance right behind the sound, this unit projects that same feeling to me.
The first version when I was using Tung Sol's and nicer tubes than stock sounded good but didn't have that intangible like the TWO.2 did.

2) We talk about clarity and detail in the high end all the time but rarely the low end, well its there with this version, I can hear even clearer the weight behind the bass drum, toms, bass guitar, etc.. the tone is dimensional with roundness and thickness where as ver 1 was more 2D, flatter sound. This version 2 gives you such a nice sound stage, if you close your eyes and visualize a stage, soundstage whatever you can see where each player is set up, the music comes from distinct areas, the mix now has more depth and instrument placement can be heard and heard very well.

3) At low volume this version retains all the detail that it presents at higher db's...I can hear all the stuff I wrote about above at a low volume with MK2 and I couldn't with 1

All those little things he did added up to crystal clear, dimensional sound to me...its hard to write what I'm hearing and sounds more twilight zone then hifi but its there and I could hear it an hour or two in........very cool, did that help???

sebrof · « **Reply #19 on:** 5 May 2011, 09:30 pm »

eclein - Nice looking amp.
The title says possible Giant Killer - What amps have you compared it to besides the Sony and the Virtue Audio?