YG Acoustics Kipod II Signature speakers / active woofer

Barry2013

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Barry2013,

I also have the Carmels (driven by BMC M2 monoblocks) and am interested in the Stillpoint enhancement. What size adapters did you need to fit into the Carmels?

Thanks,
Hi ptman,
I have to confess that I don't know.
The Stillpoints guy kindly fitted them for me. It didn't take him very long so it must be part of Stillpoint's standard range.
I also have them under my amplication and sources. They normally recommend starting with amps and CD players, I started with the speakers and the improvement with my system was significant and immediately apparent and the remainder followed shortly afterwards again with clearly apparent benefits.
I don't know if you are familiar with the Entreq cables and power conditioners but I use them and again with very apparent and beneficial effects. The Stillpoints provide the protection against mechanical noise and the Entreq do the same for the electrically generated noise. In combination they have dramatically lowered the noise floor in my system and the sound just flows out of the speakers with great ease, purity and fidelity. Details are at Entreq.com and I understand that Stillpoints have or are to become the US distributor because of the synergy with their products.
You do not have to get the lot to begin with because the improvements start in round one and grow with subsequent additions.
On the basis of my experience they are both well worth checking out and do come back to me if I can be of further help.
Barry
 

ptman

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Dec 23, 2011
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Thanks, Barry. Greatly appreciated.
 

rbbert

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Dec 12, 2010
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I don't know how relevant it is to the powered woofer version, but at RAMF 2011 the Kipods were in a fairly large room on the ground floor. At a not very loud volume (people in the room speaking in normal tones were easily heard) the woofer was very noisily bottoming out on some jazz music. I don't remember the electronics, sorry.
 

MylesBAstor

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Apr 20, 2010
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I don't know how relevant it is to the powered woofer version, but at RAMF 2011 the Kipods were in a fairly large room on the ground floor. At a not very loud volume (people in the room speaking in normal tones were easily heard) the woofer was very noisily bottoming out on some jazz music. I don't remember the electronics, sorry.

Was it Veloce?
 

dallasjustice

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Apr 12, 2011
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I don't know how relevant it is to the powered woofer version, but at RAMF 2011 the Kipods were in a fairly large room on the ground floor. At a not very loud volume (people in the room speaking in normal tones were easily heard) the woofer was very noisily bottoming out on some jazz music. I don't remember the electronics, sorry.

I was there. That was Nugent's room.

Yes the Kipod will bottom out if the user doesn't know how to use the speaker.
 

dallasjustice

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Was it Veloce?
No. Nugent had his Empirical Audio DAC playing music off a server using heavy DSP. The powered woofer already uses EQ to get sufficient bass below 35hz. I agree that Nugent's system didn't sound good that year.

Having said that, I've heard the kipod in at least 6 different rooms and haven't heard them bottom out. I heard the passive kipod at the factory with Scotty and Dick. Yoav's listening room is very big. Fed with Krell, the passive kipod had almost unlimited bass. I was very impressed.
 

mep

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Apr 20, 2010
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I was there. That was Nugent's room.

Yes the Kipod will bottom out if the user doesn't know how to use the speaker.

So why was it bottoming out at RMAF?
 

trh8654

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May 29, 2010
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Hi trh,

Thanks for your posts.

I'm going for the active model also for the same "amp friendly" reasons.

Any comments on the "volume" question would be appreciated.

Did you experience any distortion issues at louder volumes or are they fine except for the "head banger" type?

GG
I listen between 80-90db at my seat. Using only 160wpc tube amps. I've heard them play a lot louder, in much bigger rooms than mine, with big SS amps. I have not had any problems with distortion at these levels.
 

Barry2013

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I have a pair of Kipod II Studio Signature passives arriving next week to replace my Carmels.
Took some finding but really looking forward to hearing them.
Room is 21x12x7.5 and will be firing across the room from the long wall where the Carmels are.
Amp is Vitus SIA 025.
The Stillpoint Ultra 5s worked well with the Carmels so am assuming they will be equally at home on the Kipods but any experience from others would be welcome together with any other thoughts on getting the best out of them, Speaker cables are biwire Entreq Challenger.
 

LL21

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Dec 26, 2010
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I have a pair of Kipod II Studio Signature passives arriving next week to replace my Carmels.
Took some finding but really looking forward to hearing them.
Room is 21x12x7.5 and will be firing across the room from the long wall where the Carmels are.
Amp is Vitus SIA 025.
The Stillpoint Ultra 5s worked well with the Carmels so am assuming they will be equally at home on the Kipods but any experience from others would be welcome together with any other thoughts on getting the best out of them, Speaker cables are biwire Entreq Challenger.

congrats! Great news...look forward to reading about them.
 

Barry2013

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Kipod II Signature passives arrived on Thursday morning from Kansas city all apparently unscathed and a few problems along the way which happily were not too serious and all resolved.
Deliverered into the hall which was greatly appreciated as it enabled me to slide the two 100lb bass unit cases and the two 50+lbs main unit cases into the lounge. Decided I could unpack them myself which took a bit of time as I was being very careful, but all went well as did assembling the two units. Visual inspection confirmed sellers description of excellent condition.
Moved the Carmels out of the room, fitted the supplied spikes as the Ultra 5s on the Carmels needed a different adaptor for fitting to the Kipods. Hooked them up and switched on the MD 109 tuner and everything working and sounding good. A few quick adjustements to placing and imaging well.
Couldn't do more at that stage as I had to go up to London to meet my son for a wine tasting - Portuguese.
Got back late and again sounding good but a bit of right wing speaker bias to the sound which I attributed to positioning and left for Friday as Fraser Robertson of Kog Audio was visiting to bring the Ultra 5 adaptors I needed and a fourth to add to the three under the Vitus SIA 025 amp,
Fraser arrived pm as arranged to be greeted by the sounds of Modern Cool through the Kipods.His initial impressions of the improvement over the Carmels confirmed mine so after a quick tea break sorted out the requisite adaptors and fitted the Ultra 5s from the Carmels, made some minor adjustments and we enjoyed the music. After about half an hour he without saying anything put his ear to the speakers and found that the tweeter in the left hand speaker was not working. Now what! Kipods not a speaker he is very familiar with, but felt the most likely cause was a broken connection but given his unfamiliarity with the speakers a bit cautious about opening them up. I had spoken earlier to Dick Diamond at YG so I suggested I call him. Happily Dick answered immediately and I explained the problem to him and asked him to have a word with Fraser. Dick was pretty sure it was not the tweeter itself and guided Fraser through opening up the back and the front of the speaker to check the connections to the crossover and the tweeter at the front. Fortune was with us, the plug cable connection to the tweeter at the front had become detached and just needed reconnecting.
Remounted on the bass unit, problem solved and improvement in sound immediately apparent thanks to two examples of outstanding customer service from Fraser and Dick Diamond.
I feel it is important to tell that story first because when you get that quality of help and assistance the least you can do is to publicise it to a wider audience.
The KII is a three way speaker about 41" high with a 1" tweeter, 6" mid and 9" woofer so a significant step up from the Carmels. YG say the character of the sound remains throughout the range but you get more of it as you progress up.Certainly borne out in this case. Same mini monitor like focus and discrimination of the Carmel but more bass with no downsides on the mid and high frequencies. More music to use Lloyds term and greater clarity of the vocals, Cymbals very clean and uncluttered with no hardness or splash and beautifully clear and musical decay on all the instruments. The overall sound is very natural and musical with no sacrifices to resolution, imaging and dynamics. Spot on timing and soundstaging and the additional scale and bass I was looking for.All coupled with a lounge friendly size and elegant looks which are enhanced by the six Ultra 5s, quite apart from their sonic benefits. The biggest improvement is obviously from the speakers but the fourth Ultra 5 under the amp has also made a positive difference.
So one very happy bunny and extremely grateful for the aforementioned support from Fraser and Dick Diamond at YG!
 

LL21

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Congrats. And yes, Fraser is a workhorse, a gentleman and a scholar. He knows his business, is prepared to put in the hours and is always great to work with. Congrats and enjoy!!!
 

LL21

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GuillaumeB

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Congrats. And yes, Fraser is a workhorse, a gentleman and a scholar. He knows his business, is prepared to put in the hours and is always great to work with. Congrats and enjoy!!!

+1

Guillaume
 

spiritofmusic

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Congrats Barry. I've been meaning to request a visit to you. Maybe when things are settled I can pop over in May/June to hear things for myself.
 

Barry2013

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Congrats Barry. I've been meaning to request a visit to you. Maybe when things are settled I can pop over in May/June to hear things for myself.

Thanks Marc.
Yes it would be good catch up with you.
Just PM me and we'll fix up a date for your visit.
They are certainly worth listening to.
 

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