OK. The way it was being portrayed (or the way I took it) was that the reviewer had the option of accommodation pricing but was standing on some type of principles and paid full price.
Koda K10 preamp in my home for evaluation
- Thread starter jfrech
- Start date
OK. The way it was being portrayed (or the way I took it) was that the reviewer had the option of accommodation pricing but was standing on some type of principles and paid full price.
John,
Have you recently had the fully balanced KX-R in your system? I'm not sure if its worth it to get in in there with the new Rockports but it may at least be educational if nothing else. It should be a pretty good match with the fully balanced MX-R amps and would keep everything running fully balanced if that is still one of your goals.
I'm mostly interested in your findings if you have recently had the KX-R in the system since your major changes (room and speakers).
Dre
Have you recently had the fully balanced KX-R in your system? I'm not sure if its worth it to get in in there with the new Rockports but it may at least be educational if nothing else. It should be a pretty good match with the fully balanced MX-R amps and would keep everything running fully balanced if that is still one of your goals.
I'm mostly interested in your findings if you have recently had the KX-R in the system since your major changes (room and speakers).
Dre
I have had the KXR in my system...but was a few years ago. I listened to it vs a BAT VK51SE, Aesthetix Io, and my current Nagra PLL...all with my MXR's. I may still hear it soon again (end of this month). The Aesthetix had just a amazing image...size width, depth height - but 3 boxes, 2 power cords, a lot of real estate and tubes. The BAT just killer weight in the mids - a little rough on top I thought (artifact of the 6h30 tube maybe?) - the NOS 6h30's BAT used to sell routinely were much better on the top end...but are now what $200+ each x 8 for that preamp? (I haven't heard the VK52SE) The Ayre KXR, the best in terms of resolution and quietness (like by far) ...but was a tad cool in comparison to the others.
The Nagra PLL (with the VFS) split all the others right down the middle...seemingly doing a little bit of what each was trying to do and so I bought it...and still have it after 4-5 years. It's really a nifty pre...I would not call it a giant "killer" but a highly musical preamp that does most everything very well...and preamps costing double or more..couldn't really best it in every area...just some areas...
I have better cabling now, better power cords/conditioners, better vibration control...so all may change...the Ayre...might come out on top of these given the other improvements I have made...I suspect it will really respond to my Transparent cabling and Grand Prix Silverstone racks. The MXR's LOVE the Shunyata Anaconda zitrons...so I can only imagine how the Ayre KXR might respond...
The thing I really learned was...fully balanced from source to speaker terminals doesn't mean the best sound. The Nagra was single ended input and gain...transformers for balanced output. What I learned was you just have to trust your ears and not the marketing speak..listen...vs analyze the features. Some single ended in a balanced system isn't lower performance always...
Hope this helps...let me know if I can answer more from my perspective (which you and your system may differ)
John, Thanks for the quick informative reply.
Dre
It takes so many folks a long time to realize this. If I could push one thing with reproduced music at home this would be of high consideration. I could literally drive to multiple systems of friends in my area that represent SOTA in terms of musical enjoyment. All of them sound different but all are equally musically satisfying whether it is tubed, SS, balanced, single ended, or some combination. The end result IMO should always be the owners satisfaction based on the amount of time (given it is available) they spend listening. I would expect that you will be spending a significant amount of your free time, when available for listening, in that room of yours.
Dre
Lloyd I don't know the person but perhaps if you go the site and drop Dave Clark or David Robinson a line, they could be more helpful.
I am up for that!...almost needs to be a category! Zanden, Kondo, Robert Koda, Accuphase, TAD, Technical Brain?, Esoteric, Reimyo, 47 Labs, Shindo, Concert Fidelity, Wavac, JVC, (plus the audiophile stuff from Marantz, Denon, etc)
...that is the main reason (I won´t tell my wife) to visit Japan for the first time, I am planning to be there hopefully this same year!
Go check out the Pioneer Center in Tokyo where they have an all TAD system you can listen to.
Hello everyone. Let me introduce myself, K-10 in grey.
Oh, and, K-10 roughly (yes, roughly) rigged up to Takumi K-70 with balanced bypass plugs and 70's NOS Western Electric 407a's.
Rough, yes. Please allow a wandering vagabond a little slack.
Dave.
Oh, and, K-10 roughly (yes, roughly) rigged up to Takumi K-70 with balanced bypass plugs and 70's NOS Western Electric 407a's.
Rough, yes. Please allow a wandering vagabond a little slack.
Dave.
Attachments
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Robert Koda-K-70_K-10_Initial Plugging-7.jpg
Dave...Thanks so much for posting...I Love THAT colorCan I borrow yours until mine is built ;-)
Didn't you ever read the Audio Bible? Don't covet thy neighbor's preamp!
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