This review page is supported in part by the sponsors whose ad banners are displayed below

This sidebar is a translation from the Crafty site about a visit to the Yarland factory in China. Photos are courtesy of Roland Breteler.


Factory visit to Yarland Wenzhou, China
These pictures were taken during a visit to the old Yarland tube amplifier factory in Wenzhou China. There are plans to move to more modern premises. I had never been to Asia before and didn't know what to expect. Before this visit, my contacts with Yarland were only via e-mail. I wanted to go to China before the Chinese Spring Festival because then almost everything in China is closed for about a month. Spring festival in China is somewhat like our Christmas Year period - family visits, good food and fireworks.

Once I arrived in China, the employees of Yarland appeared to be young hip Chinese. The CEO Mr. Daikai unfortunately didn't speak English but marketing director Bowie did. Everybody knows stories about negotiating with the Chinese and the many misunderstandings that can occur because of cultural differences. In this case I was very lucky. We had great fun with the Chinese business card etiquette (present your card well legible first to the most important person in the company while holding it between thumb and forefinger, bending deep).


Mr. Daikai designs all Yarland electronics himself and is rightly very proud of his amplifiers. It was nice to notice that he tries a lot of different components before he is satisfied. I saw Mundorf, Jensen paper-in-oil and Solen capacitors, different tubes etc. He compared and tried them all. Yarland amplifiers therefore do not sound warm or woolly but very analytical, with a preservation of the flow as he describes it himself. I had a very nice time in Wenzhou and hope to go back soon to these very hospitable people. - Roland Breteler

1. All Yarland designs are elaborately listened to before released for production. Of course the door closes when it's time for serious listening.
2. Yarland FV 66-S in action.

3. Tweaks in progress.
4. Transformers and fronts hanging out to dry.

5. All transformers are being wound in the Yarland factory. It takes a couple of years to get the hang of it and that's the reason that doubling production is impossible.
6. All amplifiers are being tested for 24 hours before they are found fir to be packed.

7. Mr. Daikai and Roland in front of the test rack.
8. View on Jiangxin Island from the ferry.

9.On Jiangxin Island with marketing director Bowie.