Kondo M7 + SFz vs ?

Cantus

Well-Known Member
Sep 7, 2017
10
7
108
Beautiful
How you did?

Hi Gian
The photo was taken by Bé's friend Brian.
I am a huge Yamamura fan and was inspired when I read Ken Kessler's article about your system. Luckily I became friends with Brian, who worked and stayed with Bé during that time. Brian apologised for the poor quality of the photos because of difficulties with the camera's flash and the reflections from the amplifiers.I think that is you and Ken in this picture?
 

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bonzo75

Member Sponsor
Feb 26, 2014
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Cantus, we what speakers do you have, what amps are you driving them with, and what TT?
 

morricab

Well-Known Member
Apr 25, 2014
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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.

See my old review on Positive Feedback...

https://positive-feedback.com/Issue26/preamps.htm

Cheers
 

perart1

Well-Known Member
Mar 17, 2012
118
42
935
Cheltenham
Kondo SUT/M7

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.

18 months I had the opportunity to listen to the Kondo M7 and the SFz in my system with a Kondo Io-m. I also had a Tron Ultimate phonostage with a MC and MM input. Using the SFz into the Tron comared to the M7 was very instructive The M7 diplayed the typical Kondo sound that Shakti mentions; it had a wonderful ability to render female vocals with all their textures and nuances, small scale ensembles were magical, especially in the body of the notes. Choral works were highly coherent and with good scale. However, there is always a however, it did not have the dynamic contrasts that did justice to large orchestral peices or capture the power of brass in jazz combos. Here the Tron was significantly more accomplished and had a tighter control over the lower notes. I did put my Dynavector X1-vs through the Ksl and there was just too much gain, but only just. The outcome was that I got Graham Tricker to build me a TronGT MM phonostage for my Io-m and Io-j.

It would appear that gain matching between the cart and the phonostage might be more critical than loading (Aka J Carr). Given the dialogue on the forum, people demand increasing flexibility regarding functionality in their phonostages . Whereas some manufacturers support the view that the simpler and most direct the better.

Peter
 

byrdparis

Well-Known Member
Nov 24, 2015
427
478
295
Israel
18 months I had the opportunity to listen to the Kondo M7 and the SFz in my system with a Kondo Io-m. I also had a Tron Ultimate phonostage with a MC and MM input. Using the SFz into the Tron comared to the M7 was very instructive The M7 diplayed the typical Kondo sound that Shakti mentions; it had a wonderful ability to render female vocals with all their textures and nuances, small scale ensembles were magical, especially in the body of the notes. Choral works were highly coherent and with good scale. However, there is always a however, it did not have the dynamic contrasts that did justice to large orchestral peices or capture the power of brass in jazz combos. Here the Tron was significantly more accomplished and had a tighter control over the lower notes. I did put my Dynavector X1-vs through the Ksl and there was just too much gain, but only just. The outcome was that I got Graham Tricker to build me a TronGT MM phonostage for my Io-m and Io-j.

It would appear that gain matching between the cart and the phonostage might be more critical than loading (Aka J Carr). Given the dialogue on the forum, people demand increasing flexibility regarding functionality in their phonostages . Whereas some manufacturers support the view that the simpler and most direct the better.

Peter

Thank you Peter for your reply and experience you shared.
i was re-sold my SFz after i ordered the CH PRECISION P1 and be done with all phono-stages\SUT's searching and comparing.
the CH P1 is the ultimate phono-stage for me, and it just do what no phono stage done before in my system (and probably -arguably- in the world).
i dropped the itch for the M7 when i decided to go for the long about the CH phono... but great to read, what others experiencing with this equipment.

thank you again.
 
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Birdwatcher

Well-Known Member
May 29, 2018
218
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EU
Byrdparis, no regret at all regarding the CH Precision phono after all those years?

Any other who has left Kondo phono stages or at least compared with other brands, especially when using Kondo IO cartridges and SFz?
 

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