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Post by Deleted on Jun 2, 2018 19:37:51 GMT
I only have experience of the Kandy range.
The last Kandy I had here was the K2 integrated. Which sounded more smoother than it's earlier predecessor. (Sorry DSJR) This amp can definitely kick out some nice fine bass! Wouldn't mind picking up the more posh K3 someday.
Any Roksan amp fans here?
S.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Jun 2, 2018 20:52:48 GMT
Never heard them. Look nice though
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Post by Deleted on Jun 2, 2018 21:18:14 GMT
They are well built. Kandy has a nice large transformer dominating inside.
S.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Jun 2, 2018 21:39:06 GMT
I liked the look of the earlier ones best
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Post by Deleted on Jun 2, 2018 21:52:30 GMT
Yeah I can understand. Some may find the K2 a bit too sporty looking!
S.
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Post by dsjr on Jun 3, 2018 10:45:28 GMT
Shane, did you ever compare the original Kandy with the K2? The original one was all noise and absolutely no music at all (an issue with cheap highly powerful amps which is why I'm still a little suspicious of the Yamaha pro amps for not much money), a clamshell Rega Luna and Mira, despite being far less powerful, sounding more like musicians playing music.
The CASPIAN amp was lovely though I remember, sweet, musical but not soggy like the Sugden A21se.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 3, 2018 13:29:05 GMT
I've had earlier generation Kandy amps. But never compared together with K2. My mind tells me the K2 is slightly more refined and less aggressive.
Which generation of Caspia are you on about, old man?
S.
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Post by dsjr on Jun 3, 2018 14:09:28 GMT
Early one. I think it may be from the same stable as the Quad 77 and 99 era amps as I *think* they shared common ownership at the time... The Quad 77/99 power amp was a conventional class AB design, but sounded musical and almost 'sweet toned' compared to say, an Audiolab 8000S/PS, which was rather more 'assertive' in comparison.
P.S. How to make all 'good' amps sound the same - match the output levels to within 0.2db and use 42 strand cheap speaker cables, albeit in short runs... |
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Jun 4, 2018 10:12:39 GMT
I tried the Caspan integrated yesterday and thought it to be very poor. A bit like an inferior Pioneer A400. The John Shearne in comparison was just lovely. I didn't bother connecting the Caspian power. It's put me off trying any more Roksan amps. Their first pre power was great but they seem to have gone downmarket "disco".Maybe the Sonneteer Campion has made me appreciate other qualities.
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Post by dsjr on Jun 4, 2018 12:34:36 GMT
Oh, ok... The Shearne was rather soft toned (or warm and beefy) and the Caspian was a late 90's or early noughties sample.
Now, what's wrong with an A400 then? it was a cheap amp and if used with cheap speakers and sources it sounded as crap as the source. I was told to regard it as a power amp with passive volume pot in the front, which I believe is basically what it was. Used with better sources and more capable speakers and cables it sounded far better. Same with the Audiolab 8000A, as my pre-conceived ideas about earlier grey cased samples were overturned when I heard an early one many years later but with sympathetic, Audiolab recommended cables - still a little 'grainy' compared to the newer wave of late 90's integrateds coming along, but far better than I recall when I first heard them in the mid 80's.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Jun 4, 2018 19:14:47 GMT
I think the A400 has a hardness to the sound and an smeared edge of distortion that isn’t there on the A400x. Basically I regard the hype around it as typical bullshit fashioned by the mags of the day. The 400x trounces it and even then it’s not that great. I’ve used it with Gastonburys and also Spica Angelus as well as Neat Petites all are very revealing, especially the toenshende and Spica’s. I’ve used top end turntables and CD players as sources so it has no excuses. Oh, and it has the worst MC stage known to man. I do like the looks though.
Incidentally the 400x has many of the Tom Evans GTE elements built in, yet the mags preferred the former. I’ve had 400 and 400x side by side and compared. It was a walkover. I then went one further and had another 400;and 400x plus a GTE version all at the same time. If I gave the GTE a perfect 10 (just for illustration) and scored the other two based on that, the 400x would be 9.5 and the 400 would be 6.5. If the mags hadn’t shouted so loud about it, the amp would’ve been nowhere. It actually has the exact same circuit and pub as the other lesser regarded pioneers of the day and nobody shouts about them. To me it’s a textbook case of magazine dodgy reviewing.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Jun 4, 2018 19:16:44 GMT
Oh, ok... The Shearne was rather soft toned (or warm and beefy) and the Caspian was a late 90's or early noughties sample. Now, what's wrong with an A400 then? it was a cheap amp and if used with cheap speakers and sources it sounded as crap as the source. I was told to regard it as a power amp with passive volume pot in the front, which I believe is basically what it was. Used with better sources and more capable speakers and cables it sounded far better. Same with the Audiolab 8000A, as my pre-conceived ideas about earlier grey cased samples were overturned when I heard an early one many years later but with sympathetic, Audiolab recommended cables - still a little 'grainy' compared to the newer wave of late 90's integrateds coming along, but far better than I recall when I first heard them in the mid 80's. I did really like that Shearne. I’d fully expected the softness, but the beefy bit too was a lovely surprise. I think you hit the nail on the head with that description. As much as I liked it. My ears these days seem to be “sonnet” ears  |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 4, 2018 20:44:36 GMT
You have stayed fairly long with the Campion. For second system duties. Do you see the Campion being an endgame?
S.
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