New phono Kronos

Chris F

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Oct 17, 2014
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Pretty sure I saw a pair of S5 Mk II in crates at the factory when I was there earlier this year. He does have a LOT of speakers.

Anyhow back on the phono topic I think it will be a top choice/reference level for tubed phonos as long as you are OK with the lack of flexibility. On my Argo, Velissarios of Trulife added a low/high gain switch for the step up which gives 3dB of headroom and allows accommodation for LOMC up to about 0.6mV. You might be able to request similar custom mods.

Here are some pictures from a few days ago that Louis posted on FB:
phono1.jpg
phono2.jpg
 

Chris F

Well-Known Member
Oct 17, 2014
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240
Ottawa, ON, Canada
kronos phono.jpg

From instagram/facebook. When I was there a few weekends ago Louis was still working on the top plate and other final details. Should come to market this year.
 

Chau

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Feb 20, 2018
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Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Louis told me of this phono since it was a prototype. I understand his sound signature. He likes extreme transparency and resolution, super quiet, very open sound with, body, high extension, t ight quick bass but not floor shaken and majestic. Some find his tt a little laid back, but imo that depends on arm/cart on his tt. I think this phono will carry on his sonic signature. He also uses horns at his home reflecting his taste. Maybe thats why this phono is tube.

Kind regards,
Tang

Dear Khun Tang,

I love all the positive attributes you've mentioned above to describe the new Kronos Ref. phono. Plus I also love floor shaking and majestic effects.

What shall I do now? :)
 

bonzo75

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How different is the kronos phono to the Trulife. Some say it is a two box Trulife.

I compared the Allnic 3000 to the one box Trulife (priced almost twice to the Allnic). With the stock recti, the Trulife is better. With the recti swapped, Allnic is. The Trulife has slightly wider stage than the recti rolled Allnic, but the body, tone, depth, layering, bass/midbass and dynamics are clearly better on the Allnic. Of course you could roll valves on the Trulife too but have no experience with how sensitive that is to valve rolls.
 

Chris F

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Oct 17, 2014
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Ottawa, ON, Canada
Hey Bonzo the power section for sure has undergone significant changes to completely separate left and right all the way back to dual power cords.

The Trulife is very sensitive to rectifier changes; it can make or break the sound. I don't know what the stock one is but guessing it's probably just OK. I've tried a bunch of EZ81/6CA4 tubes and the "best" are the 60s Mullard D getters or a Siemens. Siemens is the most linear, Mullard is just a touch sweeter but has the best tone.

For the 12AX7/12AU7 signal tubes I'm using 60s Siemens E82/83CC triple mica and I like them very much. Goes well with Zyx. There are lots of pretty good NOS 12AX7/AU7 choices.
 

bonzo75

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Thanks Chris, good to know
 

bonzo75

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And the EZ81/6CA4 are a bargin in comparison to a good GZ34 needed in the Allnic, and so many good choices for 12AX7 and 12AU7.

The cost for an allnic KR recti is 300 quid. That's sufficient
 

Uk Paul

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Hey Bonzo the power section for sure has undergone significant changes to completely separate left and right all the way back to dual power cords.

The Trulife is very sensitive to rectifier changes; it can make or break the sound. I don't know what the stock one is but guessing it's probably just OK. I've tried a bunch of EZ81/6CA4 tubes and the "best" are the 60s Mullard D getters or a Siemens. Siemens is the most linear, Mullard is just a touch sweeter but has the best tone.

For the 12AX7/12AU7 signal tubes I'm using 60s Siemens E82/83CC triple mica and I like them very much. Goes well with Zyx. There are lots of pretty good NOS 12AX7/AU7 choices.

Agree on the NOS D getter EZ81's, lovely tube.. And a 1/10th of the cost of the KR 5U4G..
 

bonzo75

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Agree on the NOS D getter EZ81's, lovely tube.. And a 1/10th of the cost of the KR 5U4G..

Yes but given the cost of the phonos the cost of tubes is pocket change
 

Chris F

Well-Known Member
Oct 17, 2014
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Ottawa, ON, Canada
Yes but given the cost of the phonos the cost of tubes is pocket change

Agree for sure. Maybe some exceptions like old WE stuff and Telefunken 803S where prices are through the roof (and counterfeits are everywhere) but for sure you should be grabbing the best NOS tube you can get.

Funny Louis called me the other week (after I showed him a picture of some backup tubes I bought for my Trulife) and we had quite a discussion about the subject. The problem manufacturers face is that sourcing a specific NOS tube in quantity - even with a very limited run like the Ref phono - is somewhere between really hard and impossible. I can put in an eBay search and sometime between 0-3 months find a really nice matched pair (measurement/production codes etc..) of replacement Siemens tubes or whatever other nice AX7/AU7 I want. To get 20 pairs? Yeah.... good luck with that. So it is always a compromise.

In this specific case I think Louis said he found a tube he likes quite a bit (RCA?) that he could source enough of for a first production run. He is acutely aware that the customer base for this thing almost certainly already own some kind of high end phono (CH, EMT, Allnic, Lamm etc...) and that it will be tossed in the ring immediately so it needs to deliver sonically right out of the crate.
 

boonyarat

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Jan 7, 2011
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Now it's here, the KRONOS REFERENCE PHONO with PSU :)
 

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MadFloyd

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Now it's here, the KRONOS REFERENCE PHONO with PSU :)

Wow, you must be the first customer! I got to hear this recently in Montreal, it sounded lovely. Congratulations!
 

boonyarat

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Thanks for coming and have fun together on listening the reference analog sound that we never heard before .... you did a really great products again LOUIS !!!
 

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Tango

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Thanks for coming and have fun together on listening the reference analog sound that we never heard before .... you did a really great products again LOUIS !!!

Sorry for couldn’t be there K.Boonyarat. I was busy making money for future purchase of your goodies.

Tang:)
 

boonyarat

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Sorry for couldn’t be there K.Boonyarat. I was busy making money for future purchase of your goodies.

Tang:)
Thank you so much for that commitment krub. Louis miss you , he hope you could able did attend yesterday and you gonna cry for his reference analogue source system that made unbelievable analogue sound we never heard before:D:D:D:
 

Tango

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Thank you so much for that commitment krub. Louis miss you , he hope you could able did attend yesterday and you gonna cry for his reference analogue source system that made unbelievable analogue sound we never heard before:D:D:D:

It must be unbelievably ear piercing sound if I have not heard before K.Boonyarat.

Tang:D
 

ddk

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May 18, 2013
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Thank you so much for that commitment krub. Louis miss you , he hope you could able did attend yesterday and you gonna cry for his reference analogue source system that made unbelievable analogue sound we never heard before:D:D:D:

Sorry khun Boon but this sounds like a line out of a Soi Cowboy bar, "hello, where you beeen? Miss you so much Tilak..." and you know the rest :p!

david
 

boonyarat

Well-Known Member
Jan 7, 2011
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It must be unbelievably ear piercing sound if I have not heard before K.Boonyarat.

Tang:D
Of course not that way for sure...:):):):)
 

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