Every music lover knows that built-in acoustics or multimedia computer speakers are not capable of producing high-quality sound from any source. Therefore, a passive speaker system with an amplifier is needed. The latter, by the way, affects the sound quality in the most decisive way. It depends on him how many watts and kilohertz your speakers can give out.
Modern Hi-End amplifiers are unrealistically expensive. Not everyone can buy them. However, there are domestic models (even from the last century) that provide acceptable sound quality and cost a penny. Soviet amplifiers have always been quoted among music lovers. And "Vega 50U-122S" (amplifier) is no exception. Many scold this amplifier for what the light stands, others with crazy tenacity prove the opposite. Who is right? To do this, you need to consider the technical characteristics of the device, study the reviews of the owners and form your own point of view. Only after that you can draw some conclusions.
A little about the company
The Soviet manufacturer of radio electronics "Vega" was located in the city of Berdsk, Russian Federation. Basically, the plant isand now, but things are going badly for him. But that's not the point. Previously, the company was called "Berd Radio Plant". She was engaged in the production of consumer electronics: amplifiers, cassette decks, turntables, speakers. A little later, the plant mastered the production of CD players. Until the 90s of the last century, Vega products were in almost every home. Her amplifiers were wildly successful. Our hero is no exception - "Vega 50U-122S" (amplifier). However, after 1997, the plant's solid position was shaken. And in the early 2000s, the company was declared bankrupt and broken up.
Today PO "Vega" is engaged in the repair of consumer radio electronics and the production of devices on special orders. Not a trace of its former glory remains. Now the legendary amplifiers and speakers can only be found in the secondary market. But their condition will, of course, be far from new. Nevertheless, the memory of high-quality acoustic systems turned out to be surprisingly tenacious. Many music lovers are still looking for the legendary Vega 50U-122S (amplifier) at flea markets. Why is this device so appealing to audiophiles? Let's try to figure it out.
Look & Design
Let's start with the appearance of this amplifier, because it's too early to move on to the technical characteristics. Typically, Soviet devices were heavy and bulky. It's better to keep silent about the design. But the Vega 50U-122S sound amplifier is not like that at all. It has an unrealistically thin body (for Soviet equipment). Most of all heresembles a Chinese DVD player. This design has made it highly desirable for many music lovers. However, despite the thin body and not too large dimensions, the amplifier weighs a lot. Its weight is over five kilograms. For a stationary device, this is quite normal. However, taking it anywhere with you will be problematic.
The second design feature is the playback device switching buttons. They are quasi-sensory. This means that there will be no usual click (as in other Soviet amplifiers). They are pressed softly and easily. An unprecedented achievement for domestic technology of the 80-90s. "Vega 50U-122S" (amplifier), the technical characteristics of which we will analyze a little later, can be considered the most stylish device in the post-Soviet space. Although in terms of sound quality it may be inferior to other more famous brands. But we will talk about this later.
Sound quality
Here is the "double-edged sword". Judging by the way this amplifier is spoken about, its sound quality cannot satisfy the discerning audiophile. However, for an ordinary person, the quality of "Vega" is more than enough. It has the ability to reproduce sound ranging from 20 hertz to 25 kilohertz. This range is quite enough to capture the full picture of the musical composition. The Vega 50U-122S amplifier, reviews of which do not differ in an even picture, is quite suitable for home use, because the sound quality is quite consistent with the averageneeds.
An important role in sound quality is played by acoustic systems. If you use speakers with an impedance that is very different from the nominal, then you should not expect high-quality sound. Under the amplifier "Vega 50U-122S", the instructions for which are not required at all, you need to select speakers based on the technical characteristics of the amplifier itself. This is the only way to achieve high quality sound. Do not forget about the connecting wires. Thin and poor-quality wires can really ruin the sound. And this is a scientifically proven fact.
Specifications
So we got to the most interesting part. I would like to note right away that the power of the device declared by the manufacturer is real. In the Soviet Union, they approached this responsibly and did not sculpt figures "from the ceiling" on boxes. It is the power at which the amplifier is able to work for a long time without any harm to itself and other components of the audio system. So, the output power is 50 watts at 8 ohms and 80 watts at 4 ohms. These are "honest" watts, so the neighbors will be delighted with your sound. This is exactly the amplifier "Vega 50U-122S". Its characteristics are not limited only to power.
For example, its sensitivity is 79 decibels. This is a good result. I would also like to note the presence of loudness for turntables, support for four playback sources and cost-effectiveness in terms ofenergy consumption. There is also another feature - a lot of sound settings that make the Vega 50U-122S amplifier sound completely different. How to connect it? This is also not problematic, because all connectors are signed in Russian. It is simply impossible to make a mistake.
Additional options
What else can the Vega 50U-122S amplifier boast of? Its characteristics are far from the main thing. The most interesting thing is the additional features of this model. These include excellent protection against voltage surges and overload. If the voltage reaches a critical level, the amplifier will automatically turn off. So it is completely protected from burnout. There is also an option to automatically turn off if there is no sound signal from the source for a long time. This helps save energy. Thus, this amplifier can be called unique. Especially against the background of other products from the Soviet Union.
What else is the "Vega 50U-122S" characterized by? The amplifier is equipped with a four-band equalizer. It helps improve sound quality. It is possible to make the device work in mono mode. But this is not the main thing. Much more interesting is the ability to connect additional acoustics. In addition to the main pair of contacts for connecting speakers, there is one more. With this type of connection, it is quite possible to get stereo surround sound with four different speakers. Not all amplifiers of this class have such a useful option. This alone makes "Vega"very interesting device.
Revision
"Vega 50U-122S" - the amplifier is not very high quality. Especially those models that were produced after the collapse of the Union. The soldering was of disgusting quality. The wires fell off on their own. Just like the other components. Therefore, after the purchase, I had to solder everything manually. But the full potential of "Vega" is revealed only after proper refinement. What is the point of improvement? In "Vega" capacitors of the UM type, standard for such devices, are installed. These are not particularly high-quality components, so you can’t expect high-quality sound either. It is better to replace them with something comparable from TDA or STK. It seems to be a trifle, but the sound will improve. To do this, you need to unsolder the old capacitors from the printed circuit board and install new ones in their place, which will not be difficult to buy at any radio store.
But that's not all. It would also be desirable to replace the VT49 transistors with more adequate components (VT43 is perfect). You can also fix the manufacturer's flaws (poor-quality soldering, wires). All this is replaceable, which means that the amplifier will sound much better. That such a "station wagon" turned out to be "Vega 50U-122S". Refinement will help the amplifier work for a long time and with high quality. That is, exactly as he was supposed to initially. But let's move on to the next section of the material.
Amp Repair
Amplifier "Vega 50U-122S" is a fairly reliable device. But it also has the propertyfail. But the repair of the Vega 50U-122S amplifier does not pose any problem for those who are at least a little versed in the radio business. What most often fails in this device? Usually these are diodes in KD202D and KD202K bridges. Due to a voltage drop, they burn out and the amplifier simply refuses to turn on in the future. Replacing them is not difficult. They are available at any radio store. You must first "ring" the diodes with a tester in order to make sure that the problem is in them, then unsolder the damaged components and solder others in their place.
However, this is the simplest malfunction. But what to do if the amplifier turns on, but there is no sound? There may be several problems here. However, the most common is the failure of a capacitor. To confirm this hypothesis, you should ring all the capacitors with a tester, identify the faulty one and replace it. But remember: never do anything to amplifier boards without a schematic. Out of ignorance, you can do such things that the equipment will have a direct road to the trash. By the way, the diagram of this device is located in the article.
Positive feedback from owners
So, what do people say about such a product as the "Vega 50U-122S" amplifier? Reviews of some are just laudatory odes to the amplifier. One gets the impression that these people agree to idolize all Soviet technology. Whatever quality it is. Nevertheless, the owners note the high sound quality for an amplifier of this level (of course, in tandem withgood sound system). Many are happy with the thin case (which is really unusual for Soviet equipment). But most are happy with the price (in the secondary market) and ease in terms of refinement and repair. These are the features against which it is impossible to come up with any counterarguments.
Negative owner reviews
Here the picture is just the opposite. Dissatisfied users note the disgusting quality of soldering in 1992 models (and this is true). The sound quality does not suit many (apparently, they are audiophiles). Almost everyone is annoyed by the automatic shutdown of the amplifier in the absence of a sound signal. And some are annoyed by the built-in overload protection, which does not allow you to unscrew the volume knob to the maximum. The case is also considered flimsy: if you drop the amplifier a little, dents immediately appear. Also, people are annoyed by the equalizer, which they consider an unnecessary addition.
Where can I buy?
Currently, it is almost impossible to buy such an amplifier in retail sales. The only way out is to look for something similar in the secondary market. By the way, there may be already modified models. And this is good. No need to spend time upgrading. It is almost impossible to buy such a device in another way.
Conclusion
So, we have considered "Vega 50U-122S". The amplifier belongs to entry-level devices, has excellent sound, a thin body and several very interesting options. He's finesuitable for home use and will last a long time after some refinement. But you can't expect more from budget devices (especially domestic ones).
