Snoopdog's current kit

[Snoopdog]

Iv'e had a little spend recently and changed speakers and main equipment rack. Also evaluating Karan KA L REF/KA S 270 pre/power combo.

System now comprises:-

Combak Reimyo CDP-777 CD player; Tom Evans Audio Design Vibe/Pulse preamp; Conrad Johnson Premier 350SA power amp; Avalon Indra speakers.

In a supporting role, are Stillpoints ESS 405 equipment rack; Stillpoints Component Stand for amp, Stillpoints + Risers under individual components; Nordost Thor mains distribution with Valhalla & Vishnu power cords, Nordost Valhalla interconnects and Cardas Golden Cross speaker cables.

The A/V side of things comprises Velodyne DD15 sub; Meridian G91ADAB DVD player/controller; Meridian 568.2MM Digital Surround Controller; Meridian DSP5200C centre channel / M60 surrounds; Pioneer 506XDE plasma display.

Records are played on an Oxford Acoustics Crystal Reference turntable/SME V/Koetsu Rosewood Signature mc phono cartridge/Whest PS.20 phono stage.

Steve

 

[macvisual]

Hey snoopdog,
That's a nice hi-fi set-up you have there! They say those C-Johnson Premier 350 power amp's are meant to be the mutts nutts! I believe Martin Colloms uses one presently, I spoke to him in person at the hi-fi show back in January of this year, he loves it much more than the Krell FPB700CX he told me... Lovely turntable also, I've only got back into vinyl after 18yrs absent, I'm using a Technics SL1200MkII/Goldring 1042/Rotel Michi RHQ-10 phono etc...

Best wishes.
peter

 

[indolent]

Those indras do look great. Be very interested to hear how you think the CJs and Karan compare. Both are on my potential list. The Karan slightly ahead before listening as it has balance connections.

 

[Dev]

I quite like the rack as well.

 

[Elberoth]

Be very interested to hear how you think the CJs and Karan compare.

I'm interested as well.

 

[Snoopdog]

I'm interested as well.

I listened to the Karans over a three week period to allow for settling in and hearing adjustment.

This is a £15K pre-power combination so the comparison with Tom Evans Vibe/Pulse and CJ350SA is on a par, price-wise.

I tried the Karans in single-ended as well as balanced mode, using Nordost Valhalla and MIT interconnects.

I preferred the sound in single-ended mode which, to me, appeared more open and dynamic. I did not think that there was much to be gained, noise-floor wise, using balanced interconnects.

I tried the Karans together, the KA L REF preamp with the CJ350SA and the TEAD Vibe/Pulse (now upgraded to Pulse2) with the KA S 270.

I liked the Karan combo a lot. For such solidly built amplifiers they present a sonic picture that is anything but bold and brash. They possess delicacy as well as scale and a particular strong point is their portrayal of voice and piano which is uncannily natural.

Overall they are unfatiguing and easy on the ear and I can imagine that they would be the perfect foil for some edgy or aggressive systems that they were twinned with.

For me personally, it was not enough of an improvement to make me want to sell my CJ and TEAD gear and buy the Karans.

For me, the TEAD/CJ in my system is more expressive and 'alive' compared to the more 'polite' sound of the Karans.

Don't get me wrong, the Karans could never be described as boring but they have a more laid back presentation than what I have been used to.

I don't really care what is more accurate or faithful to the original sound because I have never believed that hi-fi is capable of recreating the experience of faithfully replicating live music. It is about an emotional experience however, and the TEAD/CJ succeeds in communicating that emotion in recorded music in the context of my system/room.

This was all about comparing two pre-power amps in the context of known sources and speakers and cables and judging whether making a change would amount to an upgrade.

For anyone contemplating the purchase of pre and power amps at this price level, I would definitely add the Karans to the list for audition.

The CJ350SA is still for me, my reference power amp under £10K. The TEAD is a bit of a 'hot rod' product and the appearance and finish may not be to everyones taste given the very sturdy build quality of preams like the KA L REF, but it delivers the sonic goods and represents very good value at it's price point.

Steve