Dared I30BT Vacuum Tube Integrated Amplifier, Bluetooth, USB DAC Input, LINE Input, Headphone Output, Power Output 30Wx2

This is my first tube amp besides an old German radio, and I'm absolutely blown away. I've listened to other models in stores, but this is an incredible piece of hand-made hardware that blows away anything I've previously listened to. Its construction is meticulously crafted and machined, it is a very gorgeous piece that has received many compliments from guests. I have mine paired with Polk Signature s50e speakers, and the sound is very crisp, volumonous, and just feels like you're in the room with the band, when paired with this amplifier. The company also expertly packaged the Amp, with exceptional amounts of packing to keep the product safe.I also really have to mention the incredible customer service, they went up and beyond to help out with a complicated issue, especially when it came to shipping. They consistently followed up with me, keeping me informed every step of the way. I really couldn't believe it, they are probably the best customer service I've worked with.Overall, I couldn't be happier with this purchase and will definitely buy from this company again.

The day before the shelter-in-place came down, my integrated amplifier died. No vinyl! I ordered a new consumer model, another overpowered black monolith designed for fat home entertainment systems (which I dont have or want). When I got the unit I realized I didn't want it at all. My set up is about MUSIC, on vinyl principally, then tape and CD, and finally streaming. Many of today's integrated amps don't even have enough RCA ports for my needs. Plus I wanted something different, more elegantly focused on sound, design, and non-home theater situations.I am only a budding hifi geek, but I do appreciate good sound and my gear mostly lives at the low end of hi end. I had never considered a tube stereo amp but like I like the sound of tubes in guitar amps. So when I found the Dared listed on Amazon and did some research, I decided to go ahead and spend twice what I had paid for the bloated integrated amp I had just returned.I have been incredibly happy with the improvements in the sound from both my good (Mordaunt Short 914) speakers and the small JBL bookshelves I run. The unit is just versatile enough for my input purposes, and some of the other features it does not have I was able to get in an impressive Marantz CD player—the Marantz ND8006, which is not cheap but works with wireless streaming, net radio, servers, and AirPlay. (This means I havent used the bluetooth on the Dared.) Finally, the tube-forward retro look of this unit is great, minimalist and playful, a tad steampunk.My only disappointment is that the amp does not have the power to run two pairs of speakers simultaneously, which has caused some complications in my set up. (If I knew anything about anything, I would have known this when I bought it!) But the inconveniences have been very much worth it, and I have had some nice email exchanges with NewSong support. For someone roughly in my shoes, I would strong recommend this fine and gently playful piece of machinery.

I purchased two Dared I30BT from Newsong and let me say A+++ to their costumer service and ease of contact! They where most helpful with emailing me back and forth and helping decide the best amplifier for my needs. I decided on the Dared I30BT, for it is a Class A amplifier in Push/Pull configuration. This gives you a very clean sound and with my JBL horn speakers, in order to hear any buzz or hum from this amplifier requires me to put my ear directly up into the horn -- I mean about an inch from the compression tweeter itself. The sound is romantic and feels like it employs some negative feedback giving it tight bass and a nice upper frequency that sparkles but still has warmth. The amplifier itself is build like a tank and feels like a cinder block in the hands, always a good sign on a tube amplifier, in my opinion. I checked the accuracy of the VU meters using my DD-1 distortion detector and the proved accurate on my units, distortion landed just outside of the VU's range. Shipping was fast taking about a week to arrive and was double boxed with edge protectors and a plastic covering over the box to protect from any moisture. Thanks again to Newsong for going the extra mile for me, now I have two beautiful amplifiers!

I’m very pleased with this tube amplifier. It has the rich tone I was looking for as I don’t care for the solid state amplifier sound. Growing up in the sixties building a few amps of my own and working on several bands sound systems I have very specific tastes when it comes to my sound system.It arrived on time, solidly packaged to withstand abuse from delivery drivers. Took just a few minutes to hook up and enjoy.For the price point this is a very good amp.