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Pure at heart, seeing things through a young mind, back to basics, simple is best, disciplined and logical, fun and educational... all these qualities are intrinsic to science projects and were exactly what I experienced with Elekit while assembling my own TU-879S. I can't stress enough how much fun it was seeing the melting tin fill the PCB holes, the resistors and capacitors gradually falling into places and how satisfied I was when the amp I created spun out its first piece of music. Soon I realized how this wasn't mere short-term pleasure for spur of the moment gratification. For months, my wife and I remained under the spell of Bogányi's Chopin Nocturnes. We took the discs from one system to the other and kept coming back to the TU-879S and Klipsch F2 combo where we found Bogányi's playing and the Fazioli sound the most mesmerizing.


Mr. Fujita might have kicked of a cult movement in audio without knowing it. If you read the language, you'll be surprised to find just how many modification blogs exist on the Japanese Internet. The TU-879S offers endless modification potential. However, it's my responsibility as a reviewer to state clearly that Elekit never explicitly encourages remodeling or conversion of any kind even though the possibilities are there. This is true for any audio products. DIYers undertaking such tasks should know what they are doing and be responsible for their sonic achievements as well as their personal safety. Here's just one of many links, this one by Mr. Shinichi-Kamijo, whose DIY amplifier has been published by MJ magazine. He shares his idea of running the TU-879S in ultra-triode mode on his online guide called Evolve Power Amplifier which has been translated into English by AltaVista. Well, at least it's English. Victor offered us a more comprehensible translation below.


Before I sign off, let me share with you a little note from Mr. Hidemi Iguchi, Elekit's president: "We are in the niche business targeted at niche people who want to be different, but not necessarily rich people. The emergence of what is called "select shop" is a good example. More and more people do not want to go to mass merchandise shops except for day-to-day living commodities. Our products are to serve people's quality of life by way of spending time to assemble and then to enjoy the audio from what they have made. To that end, the prices should be affordable yet the quality must be pretty good. It must be for this reason that our products have been fairly well accepted to date."


I couldn't agree more. For that reason, I am keeping the Elekit TU-879S as my gold standard for the frugal but fruitful approach to a pure Class A single-ended beam-tetrode integrated amp.
Quality of packing: Good.
Reusability of packing: The kit carton box can fit the fully assembled amp but you have to provide your own padding.
Ease of unpacking: Easy.
Condition of component received: Flawless.
Completeness of delivery: Complete with all DIY parts and vacuum tubes.
Quality of owner's manual: Excellent, the best I've seen.
Website comments: Canadian importer's website is informative and easy to navigate, even with complete step-by-step pictorial assembly guidelines. Japanese website has English pages.
Warranty: Manufacturer covers 1 year for the R-core transformer. Canadian importer offers 1 year for kit parts (if proven to suffer manufacturing defects) and 3 months for the tubes. Modifications void warranty.
Human interactions: Professional, helpful and friendly, timely responses to questions.
Pricing: Exceptional value for money.


TU-879S mod
  • TU-879S amplifier circuit
  • Reduce the amount of NFB or turn to no feedback
  • Change to ultra-triode connection

TU-879S amplifier circuit
The TU-879S amplifier circuit uses a 12AX7 triode for signal amplification at the first stage This is a CR-coupled two-stage amplifier circuit with a beam-power 6L6GCa t the output. 9dB of NFB are run through the first-stage triode cathode from the secondary output transformer. In addition, the first output grid has the high-frequency correction Cg. The coupling capacitor (Ci, Cc) is used in two places, at the first stage input and the point between stages even though the input capacitor can be forwarded (short circuit).


Reduce the amount of NFB or turn to no feedback
You can reduce the amount of NFB by increasing the resistance Rnf towards triode cathode that is running NFB from the secondary output transformer. (In reverse, the amount of NFB will be increased by decreasing the resistance. This is not recommended as the performance will not be stable.) Once you remove Rnf, it becomes a non feedback amplifier. (Cg can be removed if it is preferred.)


Change to ultra-triode connection
When you add a small signal transistor to the first stage, it becomes an ultra-triode connection by using the 12AX7 triode as the feedback device. (See below.) You can obtain high quality bass as this will reduce distortion drastically - home page for the ultra-triode connection.


Consumer Alert (July 11, 2011): The only thing better than free advertising is a good review. But if the manufacturer changed parts or allowed third party to change parts after the review was published, what do we do? Victor Kung of VK music was the first importer to introduce and successfully promoted Elekit to North America in 2008. Without any English literature and printing support from the factory, Victor translated all the kit building instructions into English and prepared printing artwork for the TU-882R, TU-870R, TU-875, TU-884CD and TU-879S. He invested tremendous time and money building up brand image and consumer loyalty by providing after-sales services and maintaining an active forum for Elekit. Thanks to Victor’s perseverance, the Japanese factory agreed to provide North American shipments of the TU-879S with the same Japanese made high-quality R-core transformer suitable for North American voltage. Victor accepted the fact that these transformers would jack up his cost and was willing to lower his already very humble profit margin. It’s shocking that the manufacturer could later turn around and flush all his hard work down the drain.


How so you ask? VK Music being a small enterprise short on capital could not meet the high volume the manufacturer demanded to grant him exclusive distribution rights. An American-based tube trading online store was attracted to take a piece of the TU-879S success. Since all the ground work had been done and the language barrier removed (a instruction manual being crucial to kit DIYers), the manufacturer gladly accepted. Anxious to push more sales in America and Europe, the American online store had their own dual-tap dual-voltage transformer manufactured in India.


Now I have nothing against lowering costs to benefit the masses but quality must be guaranteed. If I were Elekit, I would test these Indian transformers, then either endorse them if up to standard or reject them if not. I would not allow my products to be associated with unknown or untested parts. Yet Elekit has chosen to bow down to profit and do just that by supplying TU-879S sans R-core to the American company. In an Elekit forum on DIY Audio Projects, the manufacturer stated that "...as we cannot test the transformer they sourced on their own, we explicitly mentioned that we are not liable for any trouble caused by their transformers."


Pilate’s washing hands might have ridden him of guilt but not crime. Even more ridiculous in this case is that the manufacturer undercuts one loyal importer who pays a premium for factory-warrantied products and at the same time undermines the other importer’s credibility by legitimising their “grey-market” products yet claiming innocence and not being liable. It must be clarified that the review item here was fitted with the original Japanese made R-core transformer meeting Elekit specifications, which I believe has contributed significantly to the sonic performance of the kit. The American online store has a trustworthy and reputable name in the business and they’re a good company I have purchased tubes from. I truthfully wish they would send their transformers to Elekit for appraisal and endorsement.   
Elekit website
VK Music website