I use this amp regularly for about 5 months now. There is a little break in involved. For an entry level audiophile amp it's priced right not perfect but hey it's under 400 bucks. I own a pair of mackintosh 240s in mono I have built several amps over the years. I enjoy this little guy.
@@jafethuertathey mean it needs some time to (for a lack of better words) get used to being used. Kind of like when driving a brand new car hard you’ll smell burning glue and plastics, nothings wrong with it; it’s just “breaking in” and getting used to being driven. then after a while those smells go away as it’s now used to its life of being driven.
A true owner of HTA200, and I can tell that this amp can drive a very good speakers with power. I set the tone controls @ 12 o'clock. HTA200 is a very good amp with little cost.
I just ordered this unit through Parts Express. Then I called their customer service to ask a few technical questions after second guessing myself. I will say this... They are very nice, very helpful people who answered a bunch of my questions. Specifically regarding my speakers. I have a set of PSB Stratos Minis, which are hardly mini... they are pretty big for a book shelf speaker. Anyways, they are 4 ohm speakers, and while the spec sheet for the HTA200 states they will drive 4 ohm speakers, these PSBs are quite current thirsty and I was concerned that the HTA would struggle. They quickly pulled up the specs for the PSBs and did some quick calculations, explaining to me exactly what to expect. I am really excited to get this unit up and running, and will return for a more complete review once it is broken in. Thanks to Rick for the honest review!
Yeah, Parts Express legit has the best customer service. I ordered like 40% of the parts for my DIY speakers from them. I'm designing a pair myself and reached out with some parameters for the mid-bass... They didn't try to sell me the most expensive driver, just the one that fit my application. I respect that! Enjoy the amp! just give it a little break-in time!
@RickRuizAudio Hey Rick, it's been about a year with the HTA200. First, your comment on the remote is spot on... it's shit! But I don't care because I rarely use it. As for SQ, I have been exceedingly pleased. I don't have and hum or noise, so I might have just been lucky. I run it with both bass and treble balanced, and use my sub set at 60hz, which is the sweet spot for the PSB speakers. I am very satisfied at this price point. I wish I had some 8ohm towers to test with... I think it packs enough horsepower to drive larger speakers in my space. Great review of a darned decent inexpensive option.
Just a follow up, I’ve had this amp now almost a year using it 10 hours a day everyday at my shop and it’s still performing beyond my expectations! It is by far the best amp I’ve owned, I own a record store and have some serious gear. This amp performs better than my natural sound Yamaha, pioneer elite or any other solid state I have. Like many I wasn’t sure because of the unreal low price, but it’s beyond amazing. I did swap the tubes to the Russian Voskhod which really kicks it up a notch! I only listen to vinyl and love the warm rich analog sound it’s known for. This tube amp is more of a raw and somewhat imperfect sound like a live concert sound, which I love, stuff like Hendrix, zeppelin, Santana all sound like I’m there, gives me goose bumps. If that’s not what you like (and idk why you wouldn’t) this is not for you, its not extreme but it’s definitely noticeable in comparison to a solid state. I’m powering 1980 La Scalas and a subwoofer and I have yet turned it past 50 percent volume as that was too loud, and even still had absolutely no distortion whatsoever! I went with this amp for a couple main reasons, I like to buy new as I use it so much and this comes with a 5 year warranty which is unheard of and it has all the features I wanted. I was even impressed by the quality of the box it came in. 5 years? Even if it goes out after 5 years, at this price point I’ll just buy another one. They really knocked it out of the park with this one! 5 stars!!! Cannot recommend enough! 🤘🤘🤘
Very cool. Thanks for the follow up. I have a good friend with La Scalas, and the big K-Horns. He rents sound systems for events. I'm going to have to take mine to his place for a listening session! Thanks again. This is the kind of stuff that can be helpful for viewers. It might not work for everybody's system, but definitely has a place!
@@RickRuizAudio I’ve tried so many amps and receivers that have come into my shop, easily almost 100, both vintage and new. As the owner I get that perk of keeping anything I want, so always looking for better, been Some serious shid, denon, marantz, pioneer elite, Yamaha, b&l, kenwood, the list goes on, both modern and vintage, and the Dayton performs the best! with the best sound. they really give the Klipsch heritage series the type of signal to really sing! As a store I have no problem or attachments to any record or audio gear, if it was junk, it would hit the bin. But no need, the Dayton is amazing! I even have some of my regulars that have stuff like McIntosh, Maggie’s, bowers and wilkson come in and say wow! What kind of speakers do you have? Where did you get that amp??? Sounds better than mine! I tell them and I don’t think they believe me 😂 anywho, feel free to email or message me at my shop, maynardsmusicOS @ gmail , com. If you want to know any further details. Keep on rockin in the free world! 🤘
@@RickRuizAudio you’re friend is very wise. As a record store I have heard just about every maker and type of speaker….my favorite? Klipsch. By far. With the right tube amp, right recording and EQ adjustment, it sounds like a symphony in your lap.
Just to give you an idea, I only know of 2 other guys locally that own a pair of La Scalas, one also owns a record store, the other is the conductor of the local symphony philharmonic, that tells me all I need to know,
I have this tube amp and it sounds fantastic! I would not go out and spend thousands on a tube amp or any other amp for that reason. It only needs to sound good to your ears in your own home. I don't buy things to impress anymore. If that floats your boat then go for it and best of luck trying to keep up with the Jones's.
Yeah, it's a nice amp Tim. I'm glad it works for you. But it can and does get better, And you don't have to spend thousands (if you don't want to) I'm glad you're enjoying the HTA200. I have an AV-525 that I'm listening to right now, and that was just $30 more and I'm loving it. I'm sure it's from the same manufacturer in China and sounds beautiful as well. Thanks for watching! I appreciate you!
I purchased the HTA200 about 2 weeks ago and I agree that the bass is a little uncontrolled through my Fluance speakers and SVS sub. All in all I am happy with it. I mostly listen to vinyl but I do like the option to just go through Bluetooth if I want. It took mine about 30 hours of breakin before it smoothed out. Thanks for the video.
@audioeeze8396 Nice! I'm glad you're enjoying it, Jim. Maybe different tubes would help the low end control. And I'm sure your sub also helps! With the XLS Encores I recently added a Jamo S 808 and that helped. This one: amzn.to/3pua0a7 It would be cool if Dayton Added a High Pass switch to maybe cut the lows to the Full range speakers like at 80Hz or maybe a variable control from 60Hz to 120Hz. Would make it easier to integrate the sub. Thanks for watching! I'm just getting started so I'm not great in front of the camera yet, but wanted to share my experience. It's great to hear what others experience too because we all have different rooms and different equipment parings so again thanks for sharing! 👍 Oh By the way, do you get transformer hum??
@@RickRuizAudio Yes, the SVS does help. I will say that this amplifier does seem to be "recording dependent" so to speak. but I am happy with it. I had a Rotel rx 1052 that it replaced. This is my secondary system, so my main system is downstairs. That's a whole nother story Lol. As far as hum, it's funny you should mention that because when I am pushing the volume(with cd) I thought that I occasionally hearing a hum come and go like you can sometimes hear in a turntable, but I blew it off because it was a cd. Tomorrow, I am going to focus a little more on that. Thanks for pointing that out. Cheers my friend
This amp is amazing I got one for my brother for his birthday strong with a pair of Svs ultra bookshelf we listened to vinyl it was completely silent once the ground was connected from the turntable and I mean completely silent so if you getting that low hum (which we did without the ground) it will disappear once the ground is connected!
I purchased this amp recently just to try a hybrid. I already had a Marantz 2240, a Pioneer sx-880, and a McIntosh ma5300. I found that this amp, to my ear, is really good. The sound is a bit different, but not bad at all. If I owned nothing else, I could definitely be happy with this unit, particularly at the price.
I am planning to get this HHTA 200 .My only reason for selecting this amp over HTA100,is due to a major reason ie the MAIN TRANSFORMERS are TORROIDAL transformer ,that puts out great performance.Also it has extra 2 tubes as compared to HTA 100. WAITING for my Nephew, who is in Texas to visit India
We have such a weird hobby. People don't get it. Beautiful speakers Rick! I'd love to hear them. Good review too. I'm still on the fence about this amp.
Thanks! I appreciate it. Yean, LOL it is a weird hobby. And tough to fine a "nice" group to share it with. LMK whenever you're in the LA area and you can come thru for a listen to my system. The amps are the weak link, but the speakers shine regardless.
@@TC-bz8sm Hey TC, I'm sorry, I can't advise. I have returned the HTA200 at this point. I don't own any headphones of great quality. I own a pair of Status Audio CB-1 and that's what I use to monitor recordings but not for music listening. I usually listen to music on my Status Audio Between Pro earbuds.
For bass guitar which usually has a little reverb, you'll really like it. But like for electronic 30hz to 80hz bass, it won't stop on a dime. It takes a sec for the energy to release so you get a little muddy. But generally great.
A friend of mine bought one and shipped it back after 2 days. Nowhere near rated output and the volume was far from linear, not much happening until halfway point. Also discrepancy in the tone. Parts Express was cool with the return, so kudos to them.
Hey Travis, yeah the guys at Parts Express are cool. What power output was your friend getting? And what speakers did he hook up to test? Yeah, most lower end and even some nicer amps, tend to not be super transparent w the output details. I wish they were all more honest. But people like to see big numbers and equate that with sound quality. Thanks for the input and thanks for watching. 👍
One more comment on this amp I used sonus Faber ll bookshelf speakers with a thorsen mk ll turntable with a soundsmith cartridge. Tracks albinoli agagio and organ. The sound i teared a little.
Great review. Would have been interesting to compare it to a $400 Denon/NAD/Canbridge Audio integrated amp which seem to be the standard for the price point.
@sobeautifulsrilanka Thanks for the comment. I have this amp for a few more weeks. Maybe I can compare to a closer priced Solid state integrated amp. The only problem is which one. Prices vary so much and sometimes if has nothing to do with sound quality. Sometimes its more about features and build quality. So it's difficult to compare apples to apples. My goal was to express what I heard in my system to give a "general" idea of one persons experience. But please suggest a comparison unit and I'll see if I can get one in before my return window expires on the HTA200. Thanks again! 👍
@@RickRuizAudio The Denon PMA-600NE, NAD C316BEE, and Cambridge Audio AXA35 . AXA35 got 5 stars from WhatHifi and is $100 cheaper than the other two, but the Denon has gotten the most buzz on TH-cam.
Hi Rick, excellent review. I’m interested in this amp or the Nobsound. What is your opinion of the phono preamp in the Dayton? Is it a good one or am I better off going with the Nobsound and buying an external preamp. I look forward to your reply.
Hey Ed, If you don't mind spending a little more for a dedicated phono pre, that would be my suggestion. If you want to keep everything in one box, then the Dayton is fine, but I prefer the Nobsound. You'll get more detail and life out of a better phono pre than the one in the Dayton. But then you're looking at, at least $50 additional for a better phono pre and $150 to $400 for the next level up. And thanks for watching. I appreciate it!
Yeah they do. It's cumulative for better or for worse. But I like the tube sound. So for me it's a plus. If you want to lean towards more accurate, go solid state. I hope you'll enjoy the Nobsound. Please do leave your opinion and experience here after you've listened for a bit!
I swapped out the tubes and it changed the amp sound huge in a good way. At first I would have to turn it to 12 o'clock to get it kinda loud but after I got different tubes I get it about a quarter the way up and it's really loud.
@@RickRuizAudio I switched out the front little ones with GE jan 5654 those are the only ones I changed for now.. I read those are the responsible for the sound. It made a huge difference. I told my friend and he changed them and he noticed the same thing. He ended up getting even better tubes when he saw the difference and he told me it's even better. I think they used the cheapest tubes to save money obviously but I wasn't sure if it was really going to make a difference. I was going to get rid of it because it didn't push my diy speakers the way I wanted. But now I am content for awhile. I'm going to look for the rest of the tubes to swap down the road. Once I get a chance. I just so many other things to think about right now.
@@BostonMike68 thanks for the tips on the roll your own tubes. I bought both the AIYIMA T9 PRO, which uses the GE MIL spec JAN5654 vacuum tubes, and honestly I cannot believe how good this little $120 made in China amp sounds. It's ridiculous for the price. I also picked up the HTA200 to compare the two. Very different amps, one's class D the other's class A/B. The Dayton is massive compared to the little AIYIMA, yet that little amp is clean and sounds great. The Dayton has gobs more power, but I'm not convinced I like it's sound better. I cannot quite put my finger on it yet. It's like when it's on it's on, but sometimes I feel like it's not, but maybe it's just me. I didn't see that inconsistency with the AIYIMA T9 PRO. Anyhow I plan to try the JAN5654 vacuum tubes from the AIYIMA that sounds fantastic [for the price] in the Dayton as you did to hear how they sound. Question for you @BostonMike68 - you said you were looking to swap other tubes on the Dayton. Anything you can point me to with intel on the tube swapping?
@@BostonMike68 Thank you so much for that tube information. I have been wanting to experiment with tube rolling but just didn't know where to start. I ordered those tubes off Amazon. Hey, for 20 bucks I'll give it a shot.
@@audioeeze8396 you are going to notice a big difference. It got more bass and louder. Someone got the tubes like I did and he liked them so he ordered Russian tubes and it sounds even better. I haven't tried the Russian ones myself but I will probably eventually
There are several reasons i would not buy this again. Underpowered and thin. Even after changing to quality tubes. The hum in a quiet space is unacceptable for a modern unit.
Hello, I had the HTA100 model for a few years before a channel went out. I reached out to parts express & they offered to replace my older model HTA100 with the newer model. I agreed & now think I made a mistake. The Dayton 12" sub I had would shake the walls before, now the newer unit barely turns on the subwoofer. I have it turned up to 50% of its volume & the subwoofer barely does anything. The Dayton speakers I have over power any of the bass coming out. My cheaper Fosi unit outperforms my Dayton unit bass wise. The sound from the Dayton unit is amazing but severally lacks in bass. Any ideas? I reached out to parts express but they haven't responded.
Hello, Is your sub passive or active? Hooked up via high level of RCA SW Out? Do you turn the volume up on the HTA100 or on Sub amp? I don't see why the new version would have 50% less bass. Check that your speakers polarity isn't reversed and check that the bass knob is functioning by sweeping left and right a few times while listening to bass notes. You might have gotten a defective unit as well. But luckily the guys at Parts Express are awesome!
What are the best ohm-rating speakers for these Dayton or the Nobsounds? 8ohms or 4ohms? I know 4 needs more power and would it put a strain on these amps.
I don't think 4 would be a problem. The power section isn't Class A so as long as you don't go down to 2 or 1 they should be fine. They're rated 4 to 8 so I wouldn't worry.
Hey Rick, can you clarify exactly which tubes are for the preamp section? Are they the front tubes or the small ones in the middle row? Your video is the only one I can find on the HTA 200.
All the tubes are for the pre-amp section. The 3 on either side handle the pre-amplification and the one in the middle is a rectifier tube to keep the voltage at its optimal value. The Amp section doesn't use tubes. It uses transistors in a Class A/B fashion. 👍
@@RickRuizAudio Thank you for clarifying that. I have tried upgrading the 2 smallest tubes(the ones that are on either side of the rectifier tube) with some GE tubes but the sound was very low. I then replaced those tubes with some Russian tubes. They on the other hand sounded smooth and detailed but if I started to turn it up it sounded like it was breaking up. Have you done any experimenting with tubes on your HTA200? I'm hoping that @BostonMike68 will chime in.
It’s hard to tell from all photos online and videos on TH-cam. What cable will I need for sub? My hta 200 will be here Tuesday and I want to be ready. I have an 1/8” to rca that I’m currently using with my fosi bt20 pro. Will that work or will I need an rca to rca cable?
Can a dac streamer be used with this amp for better sound maybe that would help the bass trouble. I have a streamer receiver Yamaha a 780 looking to upgrade sound what you think would be a good dac ? Thanks for review
Hey @danbalkey2580 I don't know about the DAC in the Yamaha, but if you like how it sounds, for sure you can use it. That AVR doesn't have digital outs but it does have analog outs so you get your DAC sound out from either the Zone 2 RCAs or the PRE Outs, which could also be a good idea. That way you set the max volume on the HTA200 to before it distorts or before you hear any noise you don't like, and then control the volume with your Yamaha. But you have to just try to see which sounds better to your liking. I hear their streaming platform is cool though. How do you like it? I think is MusiCast or something like that?
Hey Colin, Well if you need a speaker amp and a headphone amp, it would be ok. But if you only intend to use the amp for headphone listening, you might want to consider the xDuoo TA-22 here: amzn.to/3Y0J1QC Thanks for subscribing as well! 👍
Apples and oranges. Class D vs Class A/B sound. I personally prefer class A/B generally. Very different applications. T9 Pro is more of a desktop amp, AV525 is for your living room rack. Richer fuller sound although not as accurate. Personal preference but they have their own merits. Large price difference, sound characteristic differences, feature sets. Generally not in the same category to compare. Thanks for watching! I appreciate your support!!
Hey @gage4375 Thanks for watching and for the question! Depends on the budget, but I'm currently testing the Douk T8 here: amzn.to/44XJBly It's a value Tube Preamp w 5 band EQ. I'm actually doing sound comparisons to Schiit Lokius right now for an upcoming comparison video. The Lokius is a 6 band EQ but no tubes. www.schiit.com/products/lokius If you have a larger budget, People say great things about the Schiit Saga+ And Freya+ although I have not heard these preamps. I'm more of a DIYer and might venture into something in the lines of the Elekit TU-8500 or even better their TU-8550. Check out @hificollective They have awesome tutorials on all things DIY audio. I'm also trying to get ahold of a xDuoo MP-01. that's a Tube Pre w Both MM and MC Phono In as well as a line level In. I'll post a video on that one if I can get one in for listening. Thanks again 👍
The inputs for the phono stage, the ones it says are under the caps, what kind are they? RCA or something else? I just ordered my 200 to use with my TT, and need to see if I need another type of cable, thanks!
@@RickRuizAudio awesome thanks! Good to know it at least has 2 rca inputs, I’ll be keeping my Yamaha amp for all my other components, cd, tape, 8 track, reel and using it like a hub and connecting it to the line in. Wish this amp had at least 3 maybe 4 RCA ins
@@RickRuizAudio any other tips or tricks you can recommend? It will be here Wednesday, also do you have any recommendations for RCA cables? I see they go from $8-$800 lol
@@envelopeuser Sure, Make sure the ground connection is nice and tight on both amp and turntable! And be patient with the Amp. Let it burn in a few days. Like Jim B said, it took his about 30 Hours, Mine after about 24 was noticeably better. As for cables, for sure I can recommend some. These are my Go To cables: amzn.to/3IajRs8 These use Mogami 2964 Cable with Eminence Locking RCA Connectors This one is a little more affordable: amzn.to/42zsCEw These also use Mogami 2964 Wire but with Amphenol RCA Connectors. I do prefer the Eminence RCA but the Amphenol saves you a few bucks. . WBC uses a great range of Wires and Connectors on their offerings and I hear if you contact them, They'll solder custom products too. Hope this helps. 👍
@@RickRuizAudio awesome thanks! I actually had looked at both of those! Do you just use a piece of speaker wire for your ground wire? I have a roll of 12 gauge wire, I’ll be powering my heresy’s. I see some of the cables have the ground wire attached. Thank you so much for your help!
@RickRuizAudio if you get the chance, try to get your hands on the reisong a20. Everyone reviews the a10 but there isn't a single review for the a20 yet.
I have had mine around 4 months now and I am not experiencing any bass issues anymore. ( it was very minor)I think it just needed break in time. I'm very happy with it now. Hope this helps.
Yeah, I realize that the sound isn't going to translate well on the video through a computer but how about playing the thing so we can hear it. Maybe play the HTA200, then the higher end amp so we can hear a difference. Watching you sit in a chair and explain what you hear is pretty much boring and a waste of time.
Hey Richard, That's precisely why I didn't record and play through video. Sorry to waste your time... On my coming up video, I did record audio, but because TH-cam does compress the audio, I'll be leaving a link to wav files for download. But another downside to this is that the audio I used is from TH-cams free audio library as I don't have any copyright-free High Res files that I can use and share. I just do this for fun and to share my experiences. Hopefully you'll watch my next videos anyways. Thanks.
@@waynereid6103 Hey Wayne, Thanks for watching. I appreciate it. As I just now replied to Richard, I won't be playing any music on my videos but I'll have download links of the music when comparing devices. Hope this is an OK compromise. As for the speakers, they are a DIY that I made based off of a Joseph Crowe Design. His Bass cabinet, and I commissioned a custom Horn for my LCY super-tweeters. For the Mid, he uses a large Horn as well. I changed that to an Open Baffle Bipole and adjusted the crossover accordingly. The super-tweeter crosses at 10kHz, the Mid from 10kHz down to 500Hz and the Bass under that. Because I moved the bass cabinets x-over point from 300Hz to 500Hz, to keep the bass from getting muddy, I used 16 Gauge Air Cores Inductors and Poly Caps with Copper Foil Bypass caps to pull that higher frequency energy out fast. Plus it's a paper cone woofer so it's light and fast anyway. The speakers sound beautiful, up to about 90dB. I usually rock out at 80dB anyways. 👍
@@waynereid6103 Hey Wayne, I got an email with your comment but it appears to have been lost here on TH-cam. Point taken on the music. I'll see what I can do going forward. As for my speakers, Yes, Horn loaded super-tweeter for greater dispersion. the Mid is a Planar Magnetic so no issues with the woofer. I appreciate your feedback!
@@RickRuizAudio Hello Rick, As I posted the question/comment I saw your reply which covered most of what I had to say. I decided to delete my email. Gist was no-one ever plays music on reviews. We all understand what we hear is not representative of the system. The question is is not hearing anything at all the better option?
![[FREE] Travis Scott x Utopia Type Beat - "Tunnel Vision" [MIKE DEAN OUTRO]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/bc-HHhOArOE/mqdefault.jpg)
I use this amp regularly for about 5 months now. There is a little break in involved. For an entry level audiophile amp it's priced right not perfect but hey it's under 400 bucks. I own a pair of mackintosh 240s in mono I have built several amps over the years. I enjoy this little guy.
For sure, for the price, you can't go wrong. Just manage your expectations. But even when it's off, it's an attention getter.
What do you mean by break in ?
@@jafethuertathey mean it needs some time to (for a lack of better words) get used to being used. Kind of like when driving a brand new car hard you’ll smell burning glue and plastics, nothings wrong with it; it’s just “breaking in” and getting used to being driven. then after a while those smells go away as it’s now used to its life of being driven.
@@loveusmore4881 especially when it comes to the usage of tubes right ?
A true owner of HTA200, and I can tell that this amp can drive a very good speakers with power. I set the tone controls @ 12 o'clock. HTA200 is a very good amp with little cost.
I think so as well. Maybe it doesn't produce the true 200 watts, but it was definitely enough power for my speakers.
I just ordered this unit through Parts Express. Then I called their customer service to ask a few technical questions after second guessing myself. I will say this... They are very nice, very helpful people who answered a bunch of my questions. Specifically regarding my speakers. I have a set of PSB Stratos Minis, which are hardly mini... they are pretty big for a book shelf speaker. Anyways, they are 4 ohm speakers, and while the spec sheet for the HTA200 states they will drive 4 ohm speakers, these PSBs are quite current thirsty and I was concerned that the HTA would struggle. They quickly pulled up the specs for the PSBs and did some quick calculations, explaining to me exactly what to expect. I am really excited to get this unit up and running, and will return for a more complete review once it is broken in. Thanks to Rick for the honest review!
Yeah, Parts Express legit has the best customer service. I ordered like 40% of the parts for my DIY speakers from them. I'm designing a pair myself and reached out with some parameters for the mid-bass... They didn't try to sell me the most expensive driver, just the one that fit my application. I respect that! Enjoy the amp! just give it a little break-in time!
@RickRuizAudio Hey Rick, it's been about a year with the HTA200. First, your comment on the remote is spot on... it's shit! But I don't care because I rarely use it. As for SQ, I have been exceedingly pleased. I don't have and hum or noise, so I might have just been lucky. I run it with both bass and treble balanced, and use my sub set at 60hz, which is the sweet spot for the PSB speakers. I am very satisfied at this price point. I wish I had some 8ohm towers to test with... I think it packs enough horsepower to drive larger speakers in my space. Great review of a darned decent inexpensive option.
Just a follow up, I’ve had this amp now almost a year using it 10 hours a day everyday at my shop and it’s still performing beyond my expectations! It is by far the best amp I’ve owned, I own a record store and have some serious gear. This amp performs better than my natural sound Yamaha, pioneer elite or any other solid state I have. Like many I wasn’t sure because of the unreal low price, but it’s beyond amazing.
I did swap the tubes to the Russian Voskhod which really kicks it up a notch! I only listen to vinyl and love the warm rich analog sound it’s known for. This tube amp is more of a raw and somewhat imperfect sound like a live concert sound, which I love, stuff like Hendrix, zeppelin, Santana all sound like I’m there, gives me goose bumps. If that’s not what you like (and idk why you wouldn’t) this is not for you, its not extreme but it’s definitely noticeable in comparison to a solid state.
I’m powering 1980 La Scalas and a subwoofer and I have yet turned it past 50 percent volume as that was too loud, and even still had absolutely no distortion whatsoever! I went with this amp for a couple main reasons, I like to buy new as I use it so much and this comes with a 5 year warranty which is unheard of and it has all the features I wanted. I was even impressed by the quality of the box it came in. 5 years? Even if it goes out after 5 years, at this price point I’ll just buy another one. They really knocked it out of the park with this one! 5 stars!!! Cannot recommend enough! 🤘🤘🤘
Very cool. Thanks for the follow up. I have a good friend with La Scalas, and the big K-Horns. He rents sound systems for events.
I'm going to have to take mine to his place for a listening session! Thanks again. This is the kind of stuff that can be helpful for viewers. It might not work for everybody's system, but definitely has a place!
@@RickRuizAudio I’ve tried so many amps and receivers that have come into my shop, easily almost 100, both vintage and new. As the owner I get that perk of keeping anything I want, so always looking for better, been Some serious shid, denon, marantz, pioneer elite, Yamaha, b&l, kenwood, the list goes on, both modern and vintage, and the Dayton performs the best! with the best sound. they really give the Klipsch heritage series the type of signal to really sing!
As a store I have no problem or attachments to any record or audio gear, if it was junk, it would hit the bin. But no need, the Dayton is amazing! I even have some of my regulars that have stuff like McIntosh, Maggie’s, bowers and wilkson come in and say wow! What kind of speakers do you have? Where did you get that amp??? Sounds better than mine! I tell them and I don’t think they believe me 😂 anywho, feel free to email or message me at my shop, maynardsmusicOS @ gmail , com. If you want to know any further details. Keep on rockin in the free world! 🤘
@@RickRuizAudio you’re friend is very wise. As a record store I have heard just about every maker and type of speaker….my favorite? Klipsch. By far. With the right tube amp, right recording and EQ adjustment, it sounds like a symphony in your lap.
Just to give you an idea, I only know of 2 other guys locally that own a pair of La Scalas, one also owns a record store, the other is the conductor of the local symphony philharmonic, that tells me all I need to know,
I have this tube amp and it sounds fantastic! I would not go out and spend thousands on a tube amp or any other amp for that reason. It only needs to sound good to your ears in your own home. I don't buy things to impress anymore. If that floats your boat then go for it and best of luck trying to keep up with the Jones's.
Yeah, it's a nice amp Tim. I'm glad it works for you. But it can and does get better, And you don't have to spend thousands (if you don't want to) I'm glad you're enjoying the HTA200. I have an AV-525 that I'm listening to right now, and that was just $30 more and I'm loving it. I'm sure it's from the same manufacturer in China and sounds beautiful as well. Thanks for watching! I appreciate you!
I purchased the HTA200 about 2 weeks ago and I agree that the bass is a little uncontrolled through my Fluance speakers and SVS sub. All in all I am happy with it. I mostly listen to vinyl but I do like the option to just go through Bluetooth if I want. It took mine about 30 hours of breakin before it smoothed out. Thanks for the video.
@audioeeze8396 Nice! I'm glad you're enjoying it, Jim.
Maybe different tubes would help the low end control. And I'm sure your sub also helps!
With the XLS Encores I recently added a Jamo S 808 and that helped.
This one: amzn.to/3pua0a7
It would be cool if Dayton Added a High Pass switch to maybe cut the lows to the Full range speakers like at 80Hz or maybe a variable control from 60Hz to 120Hz. Would make it easier to integrate the sub.
Thanks for watching! I'm just getting started so I'm not great in front of the camera yet, but wanted to share my experience. It's great to hear what others experience too because we all have different rooms and different equipment parings so again thanks for sharing! 👍
Oh By the way, do you get transformer hum??
What kind of inputs are the phono under the caps? RCA?
@@envelopeuser RCA
@@RickRuizAudio Yes, the SVS does help. I will say that this amplifier does seem to be "recording dependent" so to speak. but I am happy with it. I had a Rotel rx 1052 that it replaced. This is my secondary system, so my main system is downstairs. That's a whole nother story Lol. As far as hum, it's funny you should mention that because when I am pushing the volume(with cd) I thought that I occasionally hearing a hum come and go like you can sometimes hear in a turntable, but I blew it off because it was a cd. Tomorrow, I am going to focus a little more on that. Thanks for pointing that out. Cheers my friend
This amp is amazing I got one for my brother for his birthday strong with a pair of Svs ultra bookshelf we listened to vinyl it was completely silent once the ground was connected from the turntable and I mean completely silent so if you getting that low hum (which we did without the ground) it will disappear once the ground is connected!
Very cool! Glad you liked it.
Rick - Thanks for your lucid, detailed, and insightful report. Very informative and engaging.
Glad it was helpful! I'll get better as I review more. I'm still new at this youtube thing. Its easier to listen than explain what you hear!
Hi,its good combi to fyne audio 501 @@RickRuizAudio
I purchased this amp recently just to try a hybrid. I already had a Marantz 2240, a Pioneer sx-880, and a McIntosh ma5300. I found that this amp, to my ear, is really good. The sound is a bit different, but not bad at all. If I owned nothing else, I could definitely be happy with this unit, particularly at the price.
Awesome. I'm glad you liked it as well. Yeah, I'm with you. I'd have no problem with this as my main amp. Thanks for watching!
I am planning to get this HHTA 200 .My only reason for selecting this amp over HTA100,is due to a major reason ie the MAIN TRANSFORMERS are TORROIDAL transformer ,that puts out great performance.Also it has extra 2 tubes as compared to HTA 100.
WAITING for my Nephew, who is in Texas to visit India
You'll enjoy it! It's a great amp. Thanks for watching! 👍
We have such a weird hobby. People don't get it. Beautiful speakers Rick! I'd love to hear them. Good review too. I'm still on the fence about this amp.
Thanks! I appreciate it. Yean, LOL it is a weird hobby. And tough to fine a "nice" group to share it with. LMK whenever you're in the LA area and you can come thru for a listen to my system. The amps are the weak link, but the speakers shine regardless.
Yeah, and they will never get it because all talk and no sample music..🤣
For a while I actually thought there were two front loading washing machines 😢
Nice video 👍
😂😂😂. Thanks for watching 👍
Nice and straight forward honest review ! Hope you get more subscribers soon!
Thanks so much! I appriciate it!
@@RickRuizAudio BTW could you advise whether the headphones output is good eg quiet with holographic soundstage ?
@@TC-bz8sm Hey TC, I'm sorry, I can't advise. I have returned the HTA200 at this point. I don't own any headphones of great quality. I own a pair of Status Audio CB-1 and that's what I use to monitor recordings but not for music listening. I usually listen to music on my Status Audio Between Pro earbuds.
Very well done review. Thanks
Thanks Paul. I appreciate you watching and the support 👍
Thanks I enjoyed the video. Exactly what I wanted to know but still concerned about the bass control (and I’m a bass player).
For bass guitar which usually has a little reverb, you'll really like it. But like for electronic 30hz to 80hz bass, it won't stop on a dime. It takes a sec for the energy to release so you get a little muddy. But generally great.
A friend of mine bought one and shipped it back after 2 days. Nowhere near rated output and the volume was far from linear, not much happening until halfway point. Also discrepancy in the tone. Parts Express was cool with the return, so kudos to them.
Hey Travis, yeah the guys at Parts Express are cool. What power output was your friend getting? And what speakers did he hook up to test? Yeah, most lower end and even some nicer amps, tend to not be super transparent w the output details. I wish they were all more honest. But people like to see big numbers and equate that with sound quality. Thanks for the input and thanks for watching. 👍
One more comment on this amp I used sonus Faber ll bookshelf speakers with a thorsen mk ll turntable with a soundsmith cartridge. Tracks albinoli agagio and organ. The sound i teared a little.
Nice!
Great review. Would have been interesting to compare it to a $400 Denon/NAD/Canbridge Audio integrated amp which seem to be the standard for the price point.
@sobeautifulsrilanka Thanks for the comment. I have this amp for a few more weeks. Maybe I can compare to a closer priced Solid state integrated amp. The only problem is which one. Prices vary so much and sometimes if has nothing to do with sound quality. Sometimes its more about features and build quality. So it's difficult to compare apples to apples. My goal was to express what I heard in my system to give a "general" idea of one persons experience. But please suggest a comparison unit and I'll see if I can get one in before my return window expires on the HTA200. Thanks again! 👍
@@RickRuizAudio The Denon PMA-600NE, NAD C316BEE, and Cambridge Audio AXA35 . AXA35 got 5 stars from WhatHifi and is $100 cheaper than the other two, but the Denon has gotten the most buzz on TH-cam.
@@sobeautifulsrilanka I'll look into getting the Denon in then! Thanks for the suggestion!
Hi Rick, excellent review. I’m interested in this amp or the Nobsound. What is your opinion of the phono preamp in the Dayton? Is it a good one or am I better off going with the Nobsound and buying an external preamp. I look forward to your reply.
Hey Ed, If you don't mind spending a little more for a dedicated phono pre, that would be my suggestion. If you want to keep everything in one box, then the Dayton is fine, but I prefer the Nobsound. You'll get more detail and life out of a better phono pre than the one in the Dayton. But then you're looking at, at least $50 additional for a better phono pre and $150 to $400 for the next level up. And thanks for watching. I appreciate it!
@@RickRuizAudio Thanks Rick, so Nobsound it is and go for one of the preamps you mentioned in another comment. Do the tube preamps make a difference.
Yeah they do. It's cumulative for better or for worse. But I like the tube sound. So for me it's a plus. If you want to lean towards more accurate, go solid state. I hope you'll enjoy the Nobsound. Please do leave your opinion and experience here after you've listened for a bit!
@@RickRuizAudio
Thanks for your input.
I swapped out the tubes and it changed the amp sound huge in a good way. At first I would have to turn it to 12 o'clock to get it kinda loud but after I got different tubes I get it about a quarter the way up and it's really loud.
What tubes did you upgrade to, Mike?
@@RickRuizAudio I switched out the front little ones with GE jan 5654 those are the only ones I changed for now.. I read those are the responsible for the sound. It made a huge difference. I told my friend and he changed them and he noticed the same thing. He ended up getting even better tubes when he saw the difference and he told me it's even better. I think they used the cheapest tubes to save money obviously but I wasn't sure if it was really going to make a difference. I was going to get rid of it because it didn't push my diy speakers the way I wanted. But now I am content for awhile. I'm going to look for the rest of the tubes to swap down the road. Once I get a chance. I just so many other things to think about right now.
@@BostonMike68 thanks for the tips on the roll your own tubes. I bought both the AIYIMA T9 PRO, which uses the GE MIL spec JAN5654 vacuum tubes, and honestly I cannot believe how good this little $120 made in China amp sounds. It's ridiculous for the price. I also picked up the HTA200 to compare the two. Very different amps, one's class D the other's class A/B. The Dayton is massive compared to the little AIYIMA, yet that little amp is clean and sounds great. The Dayton has gobs more power, but I'm not convinced I like it's sound better. I cannot quite put my finger on it yet. It's like when it's on it's on, but sometimes I feel like it's not, but maybe it's just me. I didn't see that inconsistency with the AIYIMA T9 PRO. Anyhow I plan to try the JAN5654 vacuum tubes from the AIYIMA that sounds fantastic [for the price] in the Dayton as you did to hear how they sound.
Question for you @BostonMike68 - you said you were looking to swap other tubes on the Dayton. Anything you can point me to with intel on the tube swapping?
@@BostonMike68 Thank you so much for that tube information. I have been wanting to experiment with tube rolling but just didn't know where to start. I ordered those tubes off Amazon. Hey, for 20 bucks I'll give it a shot.
@@audioeeze8396 you are going to notice a big difference. It got more bass and louder. Someone got the tubes like I did and he liked them so he ordered Russian tubes and it sounds even better. I haven't tried the Russian ones myself but I will probably eventually
those speakers look awesome!
Thanks! It took me 2 months to build them but I love how the came out and sound insane!
Hi, new subscriber. Looking 👀 to buy this amp from Parts Express. By the way great review and great channel 👍🏼😊👽✌🏼
Awesome. Thanks for watching and subscribing!
yes, the hum is there
What's your opinion? Deal breaker or is it fine at your listening position? And thanks for watching.
There are several reasons i would not buy this again. Underpowered and thin. Even after changing to quality tubes. The hum in a quiet space is unacceptable for a modern unit.
Hello, I had the HTA100 model for a few years before a channel went out. I reached out to parts express & they offered to replace my older model HTA100 with the newer model. I agreed & now think I made a mistake. The Dayton 12" sub I had would shake the walls before, now the newer unit barely turns on the subwoofer. I have it turned up to 50% of its volume & the subwoofer barely does anything. The Dayton speakers I have over power any of the bass coming out. My cheaper Fosi unit outperforms my Dayton unit bass wise. The sound from the Dayton unit is amazing but severally lacks in bass. Any ideas? I reached out to parts express but they haven't responded.
Hello, Is your sub passive or active? Hooked up via high level of RCA SW Out? Do you turn the volume up on the HTA100 or on Sub amp?
I don't see why the new version would have 50% less bass.
Check that your speakers polarity isn't reversed and check that the bass knob is functioning by sweeping left and right a few times while listening to bass notes.
You might have gotten a defective unit as well.
But luckily the guys at Parts Express are awesome!
I bought this amp and I feel like I need an Equalizer, any suggestions?
Hey Sergio, for sure. I would say the Douk T7 would be a good fit: amzn.to/3YirLXM
What are the best ohm-rating speakers for these Dayton or the Nobsounds? 8ohms or 4ohms? I know 4 needs more power and would it put a strain on these amps.
I don't think 4 would be a problem. The power section isn't Class A so as long as you don't go down to 2 or 1 they should be fine. They're rated 4 to 8 so I wouldn't worry.
Thanks
Hey Rick, can you clarify exactly which tubes are for the preamp section? Are they the front tubes or the small ones in the middle row? Your video is the only one I can find on the HTA 200.
All the tubes are for the pre-amp section. The 3 on either side handle the pre-amplification and the one in the middle is a rectifier tube to keep the voltage at its optimal value. The Amp section doesn't use tubes. It uses transistors in a Class A/B fashion. 👍
@@RickRuizAudio Thank you for clarifying that. I have tried upgrading the 2 smallest tubes(the ones that are on either side of the rectifier tube) with some GE tubes but the sound was very low. I then replaced those tubes with some Russian tubes. They on the other hand sounded smooth and detailed but if I started to turn it up it sounded like it was breaking up. Have you done any experimenting with tubes on your HTA200? I'm hoping that @BostonMike68 will chime in.
@@audioeeze8396 I personally haven't tried different tubes. But that's part of the fun of tubes! 👍
@@RickRuizAudio Thank you for the reply. I'm hoping someone will come out with a video on on tube rolling on this unit. hint, hint
its nice and need no extra amp, but sort of make m17 look good
NAD M17?
It’s hard to tell from all photos online and videos on TH-cam. What cable will I need for sub? My hta 200 will be here Tuesday and I want to be ready. I have an 1/8” to rca that I’m currently using with my fosi bt20 pro. Will that work or will I need an rca to rca cable?
Any single RCA cable. Something like this one:
amzn.to/3IPqnoc
Thank you! My sub has a dual could i run a single rca to a dual? Or is that not necessary?
I'd read the subs manual, but sub signals are usually mono, not stereo. so one cable should be ok
Can a dac streamer be used with this amp for better sound maybe that would help the bass trouble. I have a streamer receiver Yamaha a 780 looking to upgrade sound what you think would be a good dac ? Thanks for review
Hey @danbalkey2580 I don't know about the DAC in the Yamaha, but if you like how it sounds, for sure you can use it. That AVR doesn't have digital outs but it does have analog outs so you get your DAC sound out from either the Zone 2 RCAs or the PRE Outs, which could also be a good idea. That way you set the max volume on the HTA200 to before it distorts or before you hear any noise you don't like, and then control the volume with your Yamaha. But you have to just try to see which sounds better to your liking. I hear their streaming platform is cool though. How do you like it? I think is MusiCast or something like that?
I just Sub & like your chanel. Goodluck!
Thank you so much. I greatly appreciate it and hope to make better content! 👍
Do you think this amp can be paired with my ls50’s? I am afriad doest have enough power. My room is almost 50m2
Yeah, for sure it will be fine. I would guess up to around 75m2.
You'll have plenty of power. I also have a Douk Audio AV 525 coming in next month. I'll post a revyon that one soon after 👍🏼
Hello, does the fan run all the time or only when it gets hot? I have the same amplifier but I have never seen or heard the fan work, thank you
Pretty much all the time
would this tube amp sound good with the Arya stealth and HE 1000 stealth headphones
Hey Colin, Well if you need a speaker amp and a headphone amp, it would be ok. But if you only intend to use the amp for headphone listening, you might want to consider the xDuoo TA-22 here:
amzn.to/3Y0J1QC
Thanks for subscribing as well! 👍
How does this amp stack up against the Aiyima T9 Pro?
Apples and oranges. Class D vs Class A/B sound. I personally prefer class A/B generally. Very different applications. T9 Pro is more of a desktop amp, AV525 is for your living room rack. Richer fuller sound although not as accurate. Personal preference but they have their own merits. Large price difference, sound characteristic differences, feature sets. Generally not in the same category to compare. Thanks for watching! I appreciate your support!!
I have a crown XLR 2002 ,any recommendations on a tube pre amp
Hey @gage4375 Thanks for watching and for the question!
Depends on the budget, but I'm currently testing the Douk T8 here: amzn.to/44XJBly
It's a value Tube Preamp w 5 band EQ.
I'm actually doing sound comparisons to Schiit Lokius right now for an upcoming comparison video.
The Lokius is a 6 band EQ but no tubes.
www.schiit.com/products/lokius
If you have a larger budget, People say great things about the Schiit Saga+ And Freya+ although I have not heard these preamps.
I'm more of a DIYer and might venture into something in the lines of the Elekit TU-8500 or even better their TU-8550. Check out @hificollective They have awesome tutorials on all things DIY audio.
I'm also trying to get ahold of a xDuoo MP-01. that's a Tube Pre w Both MM and MC Phono In as well as a line level In. I'll post a video on that one if I can get one in for listening.
Thanks again 👍
The inputs for the phono stage, the ones it says are under the caps, what kind are they? RCA or something else? I just ordered my 200 to use with my TT, and need to see if I need another type of cable, thanks!
The Phono Input are RCA. and take MM signal. If you have a MC cartridge, you'll have to get a MC Phono Pre and then plug into the Line In.
@@RickRuizAudio awesome thanks! Good to know it at least has 2 rca inputs, I’ll be keeping my Yamaha amp for all my other components, cd, tape, 8 track, reel and using it like a hub and connecting it to the line in. Wish this amp had at least 3 maybe 4 RCA ins
@@RickRuizAudio any other tips or tricks you can recommend? It will be here Wednesday, also do you have any recommendations for RCA cables? I see they go from $8-$800 lol
@@envelopeuser Sure, Make sure the ground connection is nice and tight on both amp and turntable! And be patient with the Amp. Let it burn in a few days. Like Jim B said, it took his about 30 Hours, Mine after about 24 was noticeably better.
As for cables, for sure I can recommend some.
These are my Go To cables: amzn.to/3IajRs8
These use Mogami 2964 Cable with Eminence Locking RCA Connectors
This one is a little more affordable: amzn.to/42zsCEw
These also use Mogami 2964 Wire but with Amphenol RCA Connectors.
I do prefer the Eminence RCA but the Amphenol saves you a few bucks. .
WBC uses a great range of Wires and Connectors on their offerings and I hear if you contact them, They'll solder custom products too.
Hope this helps. 👍
@@RickRuizAudio awesome thanks! I actually had looked at both of those! Do you just use a piece of speaker wire for your ground wire? I have a roll of 12 gauge wire, I’ll be powering my heresy’s. I see some of the cables have the ground wire attached. Thank you so much for your help!
How does this compare to the reisong tube amps?
Hey Scott. I haven't tried the Reisong. Hopefully I can get my hands on one. Sorry to everyone for the late replies. I've been extremely bust!
@RickRuizAudio if you get the chance, try to get your hands on the reisong a20. Everyone reviews the a10 but there isn't a single review for the a20 yet.
Thanks for the suggestion. I've just sent them an email to ask if they'd be able to send a review sample. 👍@@scotthooten5967
Is the bass issue fixable. If not, that's a deal breaker for me.
I have had mine around 4 months now and I am not experiencing any bass issues anymore. ( it was very minor)I think it just needed break in time. I'm very happy with it now. Hope this helps.
Yeah, I realize that the sound isn't going to translate well on the video through a computer but how about playing the thing so we can hear it. Maybe play the HTA200, then the higher end amp so we can hear a difference. Watching you sit in a chair and explain what you hear is pretty much boring and a waste of time.
I couldn't agree more - cut the gibber gabber and play something. Also what are those speakers?
Hey Richard, That's precisely why I didn't record and play through video. Sorry to waste your time... On my coming up video, I did record audio, but because TH-cam does compress the audio, I'll be leaving a link to wav files for download. But another downside to this is that the audio I used is from TH-cams free audio library as I don't have any copyright-free High Res files that I can use and share. I just do this for fun and to share my experiences. Hopefully you'll watch my next videos anyways. Thanks.
@@waynereid6103 Hey Wayne, Thanks for watching. I appreciate it. As I just now replied to Richard, I won't be playing any music on my videos but I'll have download links of the music when comparing devices.
Hope this is an OK compromise. As for the speakers, they are a DIY that I made based off of a Joseph Crowe Design. His Bass cabinet, and I commissioned a custom Horn for my LCY super-tweeters. For the Mid, he uses a large Horn as well. I changed that to an Open Baffle Bipole and adjusted the crossover accordingly. The super-tweeter crosses at 10kHz, the Mid from 10kHz down to 500Hz and the Bass under that. Because I moved the bass cabinets x-over point from 300Hz to 500Hz, to keep the bass from getting muddy, I used 16 Gauge Air Cores Inductors and Poly Caps with Copper Foil Bypass caps to pull that higher frequency energy out fast. Plus it's a paper cone woofer so it's light and fast anyway. The speakers sound beautiful, up to about 90dB. I usually rock out at 80dB anyways. 👍
@@waynereid6103 Hey Wayne, I got an email with your comment but it appears to have been lost here on TH-cam. Point taken on the music. I'll see what I can do going forward. As for my speakers, Yes, Horn loaded super-tweeter for greater dispersion. the Mid is a Planar Magnetic so no issues with the woofer. I appreciate your feedback!
@@RickRuizAudio Hello Rick, As I posted the question/comment I saw your reply which covered most of what I had to say. I decided to delete my email. Gist was no-one ever plays music on reviews. We all understand what we hear is not representative of the system. The question is is not hearing anything at all the better option?