BRAVO Audio V3 Tube Headphone Amplifier EQ Equalizer

BRAVO Audio V3 Tube Headphone Amplifier EQ Equalizer, Shenzhen Audio I wasn't expecting much from a £50 headphone amplifier from China, but how wrong I was!It took 10 days to be delivered to me in Scotland and was trackable all the way via Singapore Post.The packaging was basic but did the job as it arrived unscathed-except that on first switching on there was a crackling sound coming through the headphones. The amp was very cold after its journey so I left it switched on, without any audio signal, for a few hours-after which the crackling had gone. I presume there was damp/condensation on the connections as I have had no such problem in 4 months of subsequent use.The supplied valve/tube is easy to insert and needs to warm up by playing music through it for about 10 minutes to sound sweet,(all valves sound better warmed up). Thereafter, you will appreciate the rare combination of full volume clarity without excess treble harshness which, in my experience, is a rare event in affordable headphone amplifiers.Detail within the wide sound-stage is quite amazing, achieved at full volume without any ear pain or fatigue.Bass is clearly defined but not over prominent, never muddying things up by straying into the mid-range.Mids are very well projected, and most naturally integrated with the lower and higher frequencies. The treble is well extended and sweet.Vocals are gloriously portrayed, there seems to be endless headroom, even with modestly priced headphones.Large scale orchestral and jazz bands benefit from the open space and detail as do smaller ensembles and solo instruments.The volume knob is responsive and I am usually happy at the 9 to 10 o'clock level and I do like my music loud.Equaliser circuits often degrade the sound due to their electronic components, but not here, where the controls are passive filters, you use push and pull levers, and they work well. Beware though, there are no instructions with the amp but the only thing that I could not work out intuitively was that the 'off' position for the filters is with the levers fully 'up', rather than in the middle of their movement. The equaliser may also be used to modify the sound to avoid the cost of experimenting with different valves.It's not portable as it requires mains electricity, but it's small enough to sit unobtrusively, glowing prettily.Finally, the customer service is first class. I emailed Shenzhen a couple of times to enquire about one or two technical points and on each occasion I received pertinent and easily comprehensible replies within an hour. None of these automated emails informing you that you should get a reply within 5-10 working days.If your expectation of a valve amplifier is, as mine was, of a warm, rather opaque, cuddly, fifties radio sound, you will be in for a surprise!KIT: Marantz CD6004, Cambridge Audio DAC 3, Audiolab M-DAC, SoundMagic E10, Sony MDR-ZX300, ATH M50, Beyerdynamic DT880(250 Ohm), AKG K701, Senheisser HD 205,600,650)

I have just received this AWESOME piece of Kit from Sound Vision. I was needing a warmer audio wireless sound for my T.V. I wasn't sure if this would allow transfer via Bluetooth, in my mind it would, so I took the chance and ordered it. Works brilliantly. I watch a lot of tv, late at night and I didn't want to disturb Allison, I am Alex her husband writing this. As you may or may not know Bluetooth can only (in most tvs receive Bluetooth signals it cannot transmit). I bought a TaoTronics Bluetooth Audio Transmitter Receiver along with the AWESOME Bravo Audio V3 to pair with a set of Zoro 2 Wireless/Bluetooth Headphones. What a combination. The frequency response on the V3 Bass Mid Treble combined with the Valve warmth gives a massive tonal and Increased db range to my already excellent Zoro 2's., Combine that with my Bluetooth TaoTronics Transmitter I am blown away with the overall sound not only from my tv programmes but when you listen to music through this set-up WOW is all I can say. Thank You Bravo Audio and Sound Vision who I purchased this from for a sensational piece of kit.I am like the cat that got the cream, and also the cake to go with.Alex/Allison

Hours of endless fun.If, like me, you are not a fully paid up card carrying audiophile into lossless codecs (eh?) or all the rest of the hobby, this gadget is a little belter. What I am, however, is a massive fan of the sound of the Vox AC30 vintage amplifiers that musicians like Brian May use. Running your sound output through a valve and not completely solid state circuitry gives you a warmer sound that to me is more lifelike. Many audio buffs will tell you that valves in the amp are essential.This little box has an Electro-Harmonix valve at its core. There are also twin phono inputs should you want to have a go at listening to your vinyl or other hi-fi components as well as the standard PC-type sound input. The output to your headphones is loud and expansive and for the money in its niche it is extraordinarily good value as similar devices can run up to three hundred quid.Plug in, turn up, and listen to the difference as stuff like your MP3 collection gains a warmer, fuller sound.UPDATE: Thought I'd come back mto this review and tell you that we've now got two of these. One here on my desktop and another downstairs attached to a laptop, where it really does come into its own. The fact that I've bought another one should tell you just how much I've been impressed with this. Next job for me is some new headphones to cope with the increased depth of sound this provides.

What a great little amplifier. I bought this to sit on my desk for computer audio. It certainly doesn't disappoint.When it arrives, you will have to fit the valve yourself, just be sure to line up the pins carefully then push down. Mine is a VERY tight fit so required more than a little push. Once the valve is fitted, connect to your equipment and away you go. Don't worry if it doesn't sound that good when you first turn it on, it gets better, much better! The equaliser has adjustments for bass, mid-range and treble, and has notches at the middle position, note however that the notch is NOT the flat position. Flat is all the way up, as it's a passive circuit. If you don't agree with me, there's a very long thread about it on one of the forums!Oh, and don't put your cellphone next to the amp as it will interfere quite badly.This is probably best kept away from young children as it runs quite hot

Had my Bravo V3 for two year now and am more than happy with it. There is a point that may be of interest to owners and that is that there is a circuit link on the board which can cause trouble after a while, namely the connection in the form of a printed circuit track running from the +connection of the 6800uv to the red led immediately behind the tube. This has a tendency to fracture causing intermittent loss of signal an severe headphone noise. A small point but can be a bit of a problem in tracing break.