Sophia Electric Baby Amplifier--Price Just Lowered!!
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Ships from | Loma Linda, CA, 92354 |
Ships to | United States |
Package dimensions | 12.0" × 11.0" × 7.0" (15.0 lbs.) |
Shipping carrier | UPS |
Shipping cost | Log in to see price |
Average | Research Pricing |
Mint condition Sophia Electric Baby Amplifier for Sale!!
This one has one of the latter ones made just before the lower powered Sophia Electric Baby Amplifier II came out. This First Version has 10-Watts Push-Pull using the Russian 6P1T Tubes (4 of them) as the Power Output Tubes and the Driver Tubes are (2) NOS 5670’s. These are surprisingly powerful 10-Watts. With my Von Schweikert VR-35 Speakers that have a reasonable efficiency (90 dB/1-Watt) and impedance (8-ohms), this amplifier can play surprisingly loud before clipping. For most reasonable listening levels with a speaker of reasonable efficiency, this does the job quite well.
You’ll notice in the Pictures that there is a blue sticker with “kmf” on it. This Amplifier has an additional $400 upgrade (parts and labor) from Kent Fuqua (so my total cost was $1,399.00 for this amplifier). Who is Kent Fuqua? He worked as the Audio Repair Technician at a High-End Store in San Diego called Stereo Design for more than 30-years. That Store in its prior iteration closed when the Owner retired several years ago and Kent went off on his own. Kent was highly skilled in Audio Repair, but also created a number of Audio Products from the ground-up. He also liked to perform basic mods and particularly liked the Sophia Baby Amp to do them on. His local customers loved them as well and when he would loan them one, they would often respond by saying “your not getting it back”. In fact Kent told me the only problem he had was getting enough stock Baby Amps to modify to meet the demand. Kent repaired a lot of my gear over the years so I can vouch for his knowledge as well as reliability of any of his work.
This Amplifier has extremely low hours, maybe 50-hours at most as it was part of a Second System and I had become so busy I had little time for any listening. It is in fact still breaking in. It has zero cosmetic flaws and except that it was bought more than a year ago would otherwise rate a “10” on the Audiogon Scale. I have rated it a “9” to be conservative.
This does not have the original Box. I spent literally hours searching in my garage for it and could not find it. However, my recollection is that this did not come in a box with form-fitting foam, but in a plain box with cushioning to protect it. I will be packing it very well and will send the tubes separately by Priority Mail to the Buyer to make sure they are kept from being damaged during transport.
Reason for selling? I am embarking on a Master's Degree and am liquidating most of my stereo gear to assist with funding it.
I have not sold in some time, but in the past, I have sold at least 39 Items on Audiogon and had a perfect (100%) satisfaction Record. I am an M.D. by background and most people know we take very good care of our possessions, especially audio equipment.
Any serious offers will be entertained. I am happy to answer questions, but as I have a busy schedule with both working and studying, I usually only look at e-mails at the end of each day, So please be patient we me in getting back--It will be the same day, but depending on your time zone, it may be late or very late that day.
Any Final Offer accepted will still need to add 2.9% to cover PayPay Fees that will be incurred. Buyer also pays for shipping costs.
Thank your for your interest!!
Accolades the Sophia Baby Amplifier has Received:
Enjoy the Music:
“The Sophia Electric Baby is a solid performer with clean, tight bass, endearing midrange and impressively extended highs. Fortunately for us the upper frequencies, while being downright too good for this price range, does not get irritating like a cheap high-feedback 1980's solid-state receiver. Whatever the magic formulation, the real enchantment of this baby is the midrange and upper frequencies. The bass is no slouch mind you. It is deep and tight, if a bit lacking the last word in definition. The midrange and highs, on the other hand, are stunning!”
“Another surprise is the very solid imaging and quite good soundscape ability. Not the last word in depth or width, yet very, very (did i mention it is very?) impressive. Add to this no buzzzzing. No Hummmm. No tube whoosssssh. Usually the cheap stuff, er um, "high value for the dollar" items have this background of grey (noise) that is always present. To my ears in my systems, regardless of the volume level you can tell that something is always present obscuring the innermost resolution with this noise. it brings me joy to say the Sophia Electric Baby stereo amplifier greatly avoids this deficit.”
Conclusion:
All in all the Sophia Electric stereo tubed amplifier offers impressive sound easily challenging unit more than double the costs. While not the last word in bass definition, midrange romance, or in offering complete room holography, you do get plenty of soundscaping, inner resolution, very good bass, quite accurate midrange, and an uppermost frequencies reproduction that is simply too good to be true at this low price point.
Tone Audio:
A 10 wpc push-pull tube amplifier, the Music Baby is a viable low-powered alternative for those who believe SETs lack extension at the frequency extremes and inner detail. Beautiful and robust in construction, the Sophia had plenty of finesse and will offer plenty of magic with the right room and the right high-efficiency speakers.
TNT Audio:
“The sound quality of the Baby Amplifier is at once clean and clear, with quick transient response and potent immediacy. It is more aggressive sounding than most SET amps, but without the harshness or added grit of most solid state offerings, especially those in the same price range. The Sophia Electric Baby amp has greater impact and slam to the sound combined with more power for increased dynamic range, again, compared to typical, flea-powered SET amps.”
“The combination of sound quality, frequency response, clarity, soundstage, and imaging of the Baby Amplifier is exemplary for a sub-$1000 power amplifier (review was written some years ago, my later issue model cost $999.00, but still “sub-$1,000”). The little Sophia strikes an excellent balance between its sound, power, and price.”
“The fact remains that the Sophia Electric Baby Amplifier is certainly among the finest in its price class - and beyond. With decent, usable power, impeccable sound, superb build quality, and very pleasing visual aesthetics, the littlest Sophia is pleasing to see, and wonderful to hear.”
Short Statement Found on an Audiogon Forum:
“I was a dealer for Sophia Electric and this little amp is killer......seriously is..”
Specifications:
Power: 10 watts per channel, (stereo) Push and Pull "Class A" circuit
Input: One pair of female RCA jacks
Output: Four Russian military 6P1T (with special treatment for low noise)
Input/Driver Tube: NOS 5670 (USA)
Frequency: 6Hz to 80KHz (+/-3dB), 12Hz to 45kHz (0dB)
Signal/Noise Ratio: -95dB
Distortion: less than 1% at full power
Hum: not measurable (less than 0.3mV)
Weight: 15 pounds
Size: 7 x 9 x 5 (WxDxH in inches)
Color: Black metal chassis with hardwood deco
AC Power: 120V/60Hz or 235V/50Hz
Required break in time: 50 to 100 hours
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