From Handwiki - Reading time: 4 minYaqin (pronounced "Ja-chin")[1] is one of the more prolific Chinese manufacturers of valve (tube) based audio equipment. They claim to have "engage [sic] in power amplifier research and production more than 10 years."[2] Despite having several disadvantages[3] compared to modern transistorised (solid state) equipment, a valve sound is preferred by some commentators as having the most pleasing listening experience[4][5][6][7] but has until recently been typically more expensive than transistorised equipment.[8]
Yaqin equipment is primarily designed for a 220 V AC mains electricity supply voltage. In countries with 230 V AC such as the UK, some caution should be observed[citation needed]. Rebadged models have been offered for sale[9] claiming to have dealt with the power supply issues.[10] Unless you have a 240 V version which is available by special order, then it’s wise to use a Variac (variable transformer) to drop the power to the required 220 V for the UK, as some of the UK still receives 240 V at the socket not the 230 V it should. With valve equipment a 20 V overload on the mains input will result in about a 40 V overload on the HT (High Tension) side. Use of correct input voltage is important. If in any doubt as to the voltage of your Yaqin, remove the cover from the power transformer, Yaqin typically stamps the primary voltage on the top.
The supplied mains lead have been identified as poor quality and sometimes not fused, discard it & use your own lead.
US and Canadian import models have a 110-120 V mains transformer. In America, with 110 V current, the MC-13S tube amplifier made by Yaqin Ling--(an actual person) makes these products essentially by hand, even though Ling's command of English (as noted below) is imperfect.
Little reliable English-language data is available (As of 2010). Often comical Engrish translations exist, for example 'First class-B gall stone is combined , grade is SRPP circuit before the gallbladder. The wide speed is fast frequently, the sound is nice.' [11] Having said that, 'gallbladder' is a mistranslation of tube or valve common to machine translation systems.
Pre-amplifiers
Phono Stages
Headphone-amplifier
Tube-amplifiers
Hybrid-amplifiers
CD player with tube output
Tube buffers
Power filter
List permanently updated by T.Langer
The name 'Yaqin' is unclear in origin. It may derive from the Chinese musical instrument Yazheng or may also relate to the Arabic word Yaqin meaning certainty. The 'Ya' character (雅) means 'elegant' or 'proper'. The 'qin' character (琴) could easily be a family name. It is also notable[according to whom?] that the logo contains the Greek letters 'Ψ' in place of the 'Y' and 'Θ' in place of 'Q'. This has led to many confusing alternative references on the web to both 'Yaoin' and the hypercorrected 'Yaquin'. In fact, however, it is the manufacturer's family patronymic.