CHiFi from Cattylink

soulforged schrieb:

I remember this topic being discussed a couple of years ago... Has anybody had any experience with Chinese brands? Anybody dealt with Cattylink. (www.cattylink.com)? There seem to be some pretty nice deals out there. Tempting stuff like Shengya (apparently the same as Vincent) CDP + pre + pwr monoblx for about INR 120K after factoring in 37% customs...I really like the hybrid sound of Vincent... There are also brands like Jolida, Opera Consonance, Shangling etc. I read some good reviews about these brands and Cattylink on the net. Wanted to know if anybody has had first had experience... Thoughts??? :prost

I've personally had experience with JoLida - I used to own their 502A 60W/ch 6550 or KT88 based integrated amp that operated in ultra linear mode. For the price that I paid for it, it was a good amp. When I got it stock, it was sonically very dark. Then, I had my friend replace practically every component with much better grade material (but not top-of-the-line components because those were very expensive & my personal opinion was that the amp was not of that caliber to warrant it). After the mods, the amp was significantly better. Of course, the tubes used made a big difference too.
Bias-wise the amp was rock solid - I had to set the bias about 30 minutes after switching it on for the very 1st time as the owner & then I basically forgot about the bias & just played the amp each time. I used to check the bias every 4-6 months & each time I found that the bias stayed put - no need for adjustment.
This Jolida had about 5dB for global negative feedback, which was not a lot considering that other amp manuf use 20dB & even 25dB of GNFB.
I would say that this amp was a good, solid amp with good sonics but it was not a great amp.

I have another friend, who owns an audio business, who modifies SHanling gear. He thinks that Shanling is very good for the money & superb once he modified it.
Shanling, from what I have seen over the years, has established a reputation amongst the USA crowd over the years as they were one of the 1st CHinese manuf on the audio scene to transcend their own country's borders. I feel that the USA crowd "trusts" Shanling more than any other Chinese brand.

No meaningful comments to make re. Shengya, Cattylink, etc, etc.

As with any audio gear - caveat emptor!
Know your gear before you put down your hard-earned money - check it out from as many angles as you can.
Also, if a deal looks too good to be true then it is!!

FWIW. IMHO. YMMV.

Hi Bombaywalla, Thanks for the response. Of course your caveat emptor is spot on. But when you are going for an online purchase, there is not much of a choice of checking out the stuff. Giong by the myriad of Chinese products that have flooded the market of late, one you expect the build quality to be cheap and not durable...but then there is a point of western labels picking up these products, adding their brand name and upping the price manifold...

These guys seem to stock some Chinese brands: http://abiaudio.com/


No idea about pricing, availability or support. Had found the link while browsing around a few weeks back.

Here is a site that offers US Products home delivered to us in India.

All prices quoted in Indiuan Rupees !

http://www.20north.com

Anyone used this site ????

You should be carefull about them.In the beginning they give very good imge , by giving replies and advices etc.And after getting the money they deliver to you completely different and cheap other brand material ,
and there is even for them no instruction manuel in english even for Esound whişch they claim they are the official distributor and audio cables are missing .
I would keep my fingers away from them.Their prices are aractive on their web page , but what you get you can consider scrab.
I tried my chance and lost lot of money.
You can decide what to do.