Reisong A10 Single Ended Vacuum Tube Amplifier (Part 1) Introduction

This Reisong A10 is a very popular vacuum tube amplifier. This is because the price is very cheap consider to it's high built quality.

I got one in this second hand condition for about US$250. The amplifier condition is like new.

In my opinion, it is a great small amplifier. It weight about 7 kilos and the casing is all stainless steel, beautifully mirror finished, and well arranged components inside out.

In this post, I will make a review about what this amplifier gives for the price.

I think, this could be the entry point for anyone who want to explore the excitement of do it yourself audio, especially for vacuum tube amplifier. So let's begin.

This Reisong A10 is single ended vacuum tube amplifier using EL34, one per channel, in the ultra-linear configuration.

The signal driver is using 6N2P configure in parallel, so it need one per channel.

The rectifier tube is using 5Z4. This is the great implementation for better sounding amplifier using a vacuum tube as rectifier instead of diodes.

All transformer are covered with steel housing to minimized the inductance noise. Especially for the output transformer, they are put inside the steel housing and covered with resin.

The front knobs are all beautiful aluminum knob, one for the power switch, one for the volume control.

The back connector are AC power input using IEC socket, the speakers output using small banana plug with screw type connection for bare wires, and 2 pairs of RCA input with the switch to select the input position.

The speakers output is available for 4 ohm or 8 ohm speakers impedance.

The overall dimension of this amplifier is quite small, around 25 cm by 20 cm.

Looking to this beautiful finished amplifier, no one could believe that this amplifier is sell for less than US$350 in the brand new condition.

The casing is great finished. I also think the transformer are all great as well.

But the vacuum tubes are all low quality. I can see from the internal filaments and materials used are all poor quality. They should be replace once you want to use this amplifier in the full sound potential.

The bottom casing is the cover plate using the same material as the whole casing. I unscrew all the bolts and I can access all the components inside.

This Reisong A10 here is using PCB. The older version using point-to-point connection.

The PCB quality is very good. It is dual layer using thick fiber glass and high quality copper tracing.

I see this amplifier using transformer choke that put inside the casing. This is another good sign for cleaner voltage output for better audio quality in vacuum tube amplifier.

The components is all okay especially for the capacitors, potentiometer and RCA connector, but not for the most resistors using there.

I test this Reisong A10 amplifier in my audio system.

I connect this amplifier to the not sensitive speakers, the 2 way bookshelf speakers using SB acoustic driver. They are around 88 dB sensitivity I think.

My personal impression about this amplifier is very positive. Although the maximum power output only 10 watt per channel, the bass sound clear and punchy. I cannot play the music too loud since the amplifier don't have so much gain, and I could heard the sound start to clipping in higher volume level.

But for moderate listening, this amplifier is wonderful.

The vacuum tube sound coloring very well, which is what most of people are looking in kind amplifier. The warm mid-range and the rich top-end really makes me enjoying the music more. With this vacuum tube amplifier, it feels that the music is presenting with body, more lifelike sound presentation.

The only downside I think is the harshness of overall sound and the small sound-stage presentation. This could be the vacuum tubes using in this amplifier is not so good like I mentioned before.

For this price, anyone can say this Reisong A10 is a no brainer vacuum tube amplifier to have.

If I build one, with the same level of quality, I don't think I can spend equal.

Again, this amplifier will become my experimental audio project. So stay tuned for the next part.

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