Yaqin Audio Amplifiers
Yaqin audio is notable for the company's use of tubes rather than solid-state amplifier designs, which is in keeping with many high-end audio suppliers. Every home audio system lives and dies by its amplifier, as that's what sends the signal to the speakers and they can only reproduce the signal they receive. A good Yaqin amp or preamp can ensure that your speakers have the signal they need so you can enjoy the experience.
Why Tubes?
Tube amps are generally more expensive than solid-state amplifiers, and tend to require more maintenance. You never have to swap out transistors, though sometimes you have to swap out vacuum tubes. The question then becomes why should anyone use a Yaqin tube amp rather than a solid-state design? The answer has to do with musical tone. There are two ways in which tube amps differ from solid-state:
- Distortion: Tubes produce even order harmonic distortion rather than odd order harmonic distortion. This distortion actually enhances the sound, as opposed to the distortion from solid-state amps. That warm tone is one of the things that makes tube amplification popular.
- Dynamic Range: Tubes are also better than solid state for handling sudden transients with short peaks like loud bangs and thumps. It may be a result of their analogue nature, but it often makes listening more pleasant.
Listening to Yaqin Amps
Tube amps like the Yaqin MC-100B, which has rebadged and resold via a number of sellers around the world, can be a source of pure listening pleasure if you know what you're doing. To start with, you want to connect everything, including the speakers, before you apply power. Many tube amps need the resistance load of the speakers to prevent damage to the circuitry. Always let the amp warm up before use, as tubes take time to get up to operating temperature. Once you've done all that, sit back, close your eyes and enjoy the music. Tube warmth is a perfect way to enjoy music like jazz.
Amplifier Features
When looking at a Yaqin amp or even a Yaqin preamp, you should always check out the features to see what you need. Check both the number of channels and the amount of RMS power per channel. RMS is the constant level power and determines how much you can drive the speakers. The biggest advantage of going for a more powerful audio amplifier isn't loudness; it's headroom. Because the amp isn't struggling to push the speakers, it has more flexibility to handle transients and better dynamic range. You also want to match the speaker impedance to the amplifier's output so the speakers can take full advantage of the signal. Every home audio setup is a system, and you need to be sure that all the components work together.