Kondo M7 + SFz vs ?

byrdparis

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Nov 24, 2015
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Hi all...
i was wonder if anyone had the opportunity to hear this set of phono stage and if yes, to compare it to others phono stage on the same caliber?
it is my all time dream but the cost is super high, and i would buy it blind... (except the SFz i have in my possession right now and its the most awesome SUT i ever heard... )

thank you.
 

bonzo75

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Feb 26, 2014
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Ask Shakti, he owned it and thoress and aesthetix. He also owns the SUT
 

bonzo75

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PM him, he will respond
 

gian60

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Apr 17, 2016
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I had for 2 years Kondo GE1 with SUT Silvercore pro,not SFZ because i haven't Kondo cartridge
I had also M7 KSL and 2 Souga

Sound is very good but at the end i prefer CH Precision P1 with X1,so i sold Kondo and bought P1
P1 vs GE1,was more natural with better and more deep bass and high more open
Mid was very similar but with better bass and high
 

Tango

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Sound is very good but at the end i prefer CH Precision P1 with X1,so i sold Kondo and bought P1

Hello Gian,

You used to be all tube guy until got caught by CH. Do you think the solid stage P1 would work wonderfully with your former tube gears?

Kind regards,
Tang
 

gian60

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Apr 17, 2016
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Hi Tang,

from 1980 till 1990 i had ARC SP 8 and SP 10 and Sp 11and D90 B and then D 250,Counterpoint,then i tried CJ and then i bought Jadis Ja 200 and JA 500 with pre and phono JAdis 200
with MAgneplanar timpani Iva and then Soundlab A1 with sub B1 and then i change with Mark Levinson ML 6B,network LNC2 mono and 4 pair of N 20 bridge for Soundlab,
so i already change tube with Transistor founded ML more neutral,natural and transparent that ARC,CJ and Jadis.

Then in 1990 i knew and became friend with Be Yamamura that show us the triode amp with 845,211,300B that i and my friends saw only in japan magazine,and we really discover a new world and new sound really much better of all we listen and was imported in Italy,AudioNote,Audiotekne,Shindo,Mactone,ecc,arrive in Italy some years later.

So Yamamura came to live in Italy and stayed some months also in my home,i was not married,and built for me a preamp and amp 8 stack with the weight of total 280 kg with super permalloy trans and amp with 845 and a turntable air bearing

All we were shocked for this quality.
Then Yamamura had health problems and go back first in USA and then in Japan and amp broken 3 times and in Italy adjust bad,ecc,ecc and i sold everything and i started to buy Audiotekne and Kondo
and in meantime i tried Mactone M8V otl mono,Shindo Petrus with Shinonia and 300B Limited,Dyssanayake,FAL,Sakuma,ecc,ecc
I had also a beautiful collection,and beautiful sound and i had Vintage MC 30,MC 75,Quad II,Leak TL 12 plus,Redford sta 15.

So i listen from 1990 till 2 years ago with tube

When i tried CH pre line L1 and mono amp A1 i found them very good,similar midrange than Kondo but better bass and high,the sound was more clean,listening Kondo was very good but seems more dirty than CH
Then i tried P1 vs Kondo GE 1 and i prefer P1
Also my friend that wanted to buy my GE1,he had Viva top preamp,italian tube company,tried in his system GE1 and P1 and also him with Viva pre and Viva Aurora mono amp prefer in his system P1
Then i bought P1 and M1 mono
 

gian60

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Apr 17, 2016
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I post 2 photo of my system that Ken Kessler of HI FI News listen in my home and did report in Hi Fi News in february 1992
You can see the Yamamura turntable air suspension with big motor and tonearm in graphite like KL Audio and on top my Yamamura system
with preamp 4 stack,mono with power supply and behind the mono amp always with big external power supply
Also speaker were from Yamamura,a tower very heavy,2 people cannot move for the bass,a foster pm 2 A for mid and super tweeter TAD 703 modified from him

Sound was impressive and much better of what you could listen in the market
 

Tango

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Mar 12, 2017
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Geez Gian..you are like Wolverine been through all kind of wars with lots of audio scars.

Respectfully yours,
Tang
 

gian60

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Apr 17, 2016
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i spent half of my life for music and hifi and i enjoy a lot mainly 10/20 years ago
 

bonzo75

Member Sponsor
Feb 26, 2014
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I post 2 photo of my system that Ken Kessler of HI FI News listen in my home and did report in Hi Fi News in february 1992
You can see the Yamamura turntable air suspension with big motor and tonearm in graphite like KL Audio and on top my Yamamura system
with preamp 4 stack,mono with power supply and behind the mono amp always with big external power supply
Also speaker were from Yamamura,a tower very heavy,2 people cannot move for the bass,a foster pm 2 A for mid and super tweeter TAD 703 modified from him

Sound was impressive and much better of what you could listen in the market

Hi, how was the yamamura TT
 

byrdparis

Well-Known Member
Nov 24, 2015
427
478
295
Israel
I had for 2 years Kondo GE1 with SUT Silvercore pro,not SFZ because i haven't Kondo cartridge
I had also M7 KSL and 2 Souga

Sound is very good but at the end i prefer CH Precision P1 with X1,so i sold Kondo and bought P1
P1 vs GE1,was more natural with better and more deep bass and high more open
Mid was very similar but with better bass and high

Hi gian.
thank you for your comment, !
the thing is - if you are comparing the less expensive GE1 (with Sut) with probably one of the best phono stages there are today, its says something
and i was referring to the M7 phono stage (not the preamp with the phono) with the SFZ combo that i heard (from a very much known in our business say that it is a LOT better then the GE1

i truly have some trouble to decide....
i currently listen and experience with the sfz connecting to a Luxman eq500.. and its sound great.
but cant help thinking what will go on when something like the M7 will go behind the sfz.
i was mounting my Ortofon Anna for that session... and comparing all that to a ds audio 002 set (on a different arm )
 

gian60

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Apr 17, 2016
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I understood you was talking of M7 phono
I know but never listen in my home
Did you compare with GE1?
For my experience the new KSL serie is much better than the old
I compare in my home M7 ksl vs M7 tube silver and new was much better
Also compared Ongaku ksl vs old ongaku and also Souga vs Kageki but new production is more fast transparent,natural
Really much better
 

byrdparis

Well-Known Member
Nov 24, 2015
427
478
295
Israel
I understood you was talking of M7 phono
I know but never listen in my home
Did you compare with GE1?
For my experience the new KSL serie is much better than the old
I compare in my home M7 ksl vs M7 tube silver and new was much better
Also compared Ongaku ksl vs old ongaku and also Souga vs Kageki but new production is more fast transparent,natural
Really much better

i didn't compare anything nor i listen at my own rig for a Kondo phono... (not the ge1 or the M7)
that the real problem :(.... i have the SFz to listen with, but that it for kondo equipment.
i was wonder how the M7 phono (new, not old) will preform against the Giants phono stages of today.... paring with the SFz sut (that is clearly one of the best if not THE best there is- in step up trans' world out there.. )

i am listening now with a Luxman eq500 phono stage on MM with the SFz snd its wonderful and magical (paring with an Ortofon Anna).
the M7 is ALOT !!! more money then the Luxman phono... and a lot less versatile..
the real question how much better the Kondo will sound...
 

shakti

Well-Known Member
May 9, 2015
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The Kondo KSL M7 is a great Phono Preamp, if combined with Kondo SFZ!
(after having changed the standard factory tubes to "better" tubes)

But the level of flexibility is limited, so your cart has to meet SFZ spec!

You can only connect one! Cartridge, which is not longer the standard on High End Phono Preamps.

Compared to other High End Phono gear, the Kondo M7 has a little less overall dynamics and punch (Aesthetix IO Sig 2PSU),
less resolution (vdh The Grail SB, Blue Amp model 42) , less conture, maily in the upper basslines (Thoeress PhonoEnhancer)

For me the Kondo is a nice balanced compromise , which will enable you to listen and enjoy your Music.

Many other Phono Pre are very good in one area, and you will focus on that area to enjoy the music.

At least , I sold my Kondo, as I am using more that one cart, so my next best compromise is Thoeress, which is a little less performing than Kondo, but still a great Phonostage for the given price point.

Juergen
 

bonzo75

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Feb 26, 2014
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Hi, how is Thoeress a little less performing?

Also does a colibri sound much better with VDH Grail, or would it not matter if you had an equally good or better phono
 

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