[Jon L]

I'm almost embarrassed to mention the low price involved but thought some may want to buy it before the tariffs.  If shopping carefully on Ali, one can find the FU-19 version for something like $130 with $80-100 shipping (tubes included). Below is photo of FU-19 amp I bought with RCA 829B tube rolled in.




I have just confirmed the amp body is the same, so one can tube-roll FU-19, FM30, 829B, and other tubes.  They quote anywhere between 4 wpc to 6 wpc, but it definitely seems to have more power than my 2A3 SET and have no problem driving desktop speakers of 84.5dB/8 Ohm sensitivity to loud levels with great clarity and tube magic 

 

[viggen]

i was eyeing this one a while back.  glad someone got it before me.  i somewhat like the new chassis more, a bit NAD like.  so it's better than say a tubecube?  what type of tube does this amp sound more like, el84, 45, 2a3 or 300b?

[FullRangeMan]

Years ago they had a 832/FU32 amp version also a Tetrode tube.

[Jon L]

i was eyeing this one a while back.  glad someone got it before me.  i somewhat like the new chassis more, a bit NAD like.  so it's better than say a tubecube?  what type of tube does this amp sound more like, el84, 45, 2a3 or 300b?

I would say FU19 reminds me of a cross between 45 and 6C33 tube, neutral, detailed, yet with sweet, magical tube midrange.

FM30 (829B) reminds me of a cross between 2A3 and 805 (or 211), still pretty neutral and clear, but richer meats on bones through lower-midrange to bass. 

Reminder that this amp has KILLER headphone output jack.  Something like Sennheiser HD6xx series with Oratory1990 PEQ settings sound astoundingly good.  And no background noise!

Between the two, I would choose based on the character of the speakers and headphones involved mostly. 
FU-19 tube sure lights up more and looks prettier at night. 

1123241949 by drjlo2, on Flickr

[FullRangeMan]

Looks a great amp at a low price.
Do you mind post the link from this amp?

[Jon L]

Looks a great amp at a low price.
Do you mind post the link from this amp?

The store I bought the amp above now says "sold out."  The value is so insane I actually ordered another one from another Ali store.  I plan to try that one on my Alte 511b horns   

Stock status and price/shipping change quickly, so I would just search for "FU-19 tube amp" and look at the prices after shipping from a store that has good reviews. 

I don't know if Ali links work here, but this is the link to the second amp I ordered, but I can't vouch for this seller yet because amp is not here yet!
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806188732044.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.5.55fc1802IKDwpO&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa

[FullRangeMan]

Thankyou for the link, I will check.

[viggen]

Thanks for the feedback Jon.

Resisting urge to get something I don't need haha.

This link has 3 versions one of them has an extra transformer.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807077324527.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.17.580d7403sBbag9&algo_pvid=7c341f75-2252-42d5-a991-e965afa1b4fe&algo_exp_id=7c341f75-2252-42d5-a991-e965afa1b4fe-8&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21USD%21217.06%21128.07%21%21%211561.57%21921.33%21%402101efeb17330177352354487e28dd%2112000039995313296%21sea%21US%214349778353%21X&curPageLogUid=W4dB2hmQ4dOo&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A

[FullRangeMan]

This link has 3 versions one of them has an extra transformer.

Choke.

[opnly bafld]

The others have a choke inside the chassis.

[FullRangeMan]

Or a capacitor. There is any internals image from this amp?

[Jon L]

Or a capacitor. There is any internals image from this amp?

The amps that have choke inside (side-long chassis) look the same inside.  Note how easy it would be to swap out the coupling caps (the black boxy ones) and to cut/desolder negative feedback wires (marked with red arrow in this photo from the 'net).  Driving headphoens and my desktop bookshelf speakers, I actually have no desire to change anything right now, but when I power Altec 511b horns later, I probably will do both mods.

FYI.  I bought the one with wood side panels because it was a bit cheaper after shipping and the wood side panels make the amp look larger (a good thing) compared to the compact grey one in photo below. However, my amp did NOT have any markings on the toggle swiches and speaker taps, so I had to look at the grey amp photos on Ali  to see the markings. 

The thread with mods:  https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/chinese-fu19-5894-amplifier-questions.889424/

[FullRangeMan]

Thanks for posting this image.
This is a few connections amp, simple circuit, hence the good sound.

[Jon L]

Wow, my second amp arrived in 8 days from a Hong Kong address via DHL World Express!

I fully expected problems as I connected the amp to my Altec 511B horns with 110dB sensitivity compression driver.  Everything is fully active, so the amp output is directed connected to the horn with the volume pot 100% opened up, so any noise or sonic issues are magnified.  12" Alnico bass driver is powered by another amp.

The resulting sound quality is silly good, with even less background noise than my Elekit 300B SET.  Initial plan to just test for noise turned into 4 hours of straight listening.  Highly recommended, period, not for the price 

1205241653_1733455696107 by drjlo2, on Flickr

[Jon L]

12AX7 to 6N2 tube adapter with Telefunken 12AX7 tube installed, leading to intense tube tone and harmonics. 

1207241933 by drjlo2, on Flickr

[Jon L]

Audio sample with FM30 tube amp driving some desktop speakers (Vanguard Scout).

https://vimeo.com/1037666148

[FullRangeMan]

These tubes are double Tetrode 12V series/6V parallel filaments from 1943, certainly much better value than any current 300B.

[viggen]

just placed an order.

so the 12ax7 is a must?  can 12au7/12at7 be used?

[FullRangeMan]

No, the driver 6N2 tube is 6V.

[Jon L]

just placed an order.

so the 12ax7 is a must?  can 12au7/12at7 be used?

6N2 stock tube is actually pretty nice and neutral sounding.  After experimenting with Telefunken 12AX7 on adapter, I put the 6N2 back since my system doesn't need the extra tube lushness Telefunken brought.  I can see some tube lovers preferring the different sound though.