Interest in Korato Amp Tour?

[richidoo]

We'll be ready for it Bryan! Thanks so much for sending it our way.

I think the Korato will be a perfect match for the mighty Usher Be-20's that are already here, thanks to hometheaterdoc!


The G2G is March 30, 5pm. I hope everyone who can make it will try to come! The G2Gs have been a lot of fun. This meet will be less gear swapping and lots more listening. So bring your tracks!
Rich

[bpape]

Mmmmm.  I bet that will be a nice match.  What preamp are you using?  I might be able to swing sending you the entry level Korato preamp.  It'd have to be my personal one that has NOS tubes and has had the output caps swapped from Mundorfs to VH OIMP's.

Bryan

[Carlman]

I'll have my C220 preamp there... I just put some new Electroharmonix tubes in it.. They sound pretty good, I'm surprised to say.  I might have some Groovetubes also to try before the meet... we'll see. 
Is the Korato pre a really nice piece?  How's it sound?  or not sound?

-C

[bpape]

MINE is very much a tube preamp sound.  Tube regulated PS, 12at/12au7 setup.  TONS of gain.  I have NO problem running the reduced output of the Bolder SB.  It's definitely on the warm and lush side but that's what my setup needed.  I've had several other pieces in my system costing several times more and for me, in my system, this is a winner until I want to spend a LOT more.  So you know where I'm coming from, the rest of the system:

Bolder Statement Mod SB3
Bolder Ultimate PS
Odyssey Stratos Mono Extreme SEs
Dynaudio Contour 3.3's
Harmonic Tech Pro-9
VH Audio Pulsars

Substituting the KTA-100 amp for the Odysseys is actually MORE bass and IMO smoother (I'm a sucker for Class A amps) but obviously not as much power - though it's not as big a drop as you'd think.


Scott F. has the same preamp with the same mods but has VH Teflons in the tube couplers.  A bit more detail and a bit more forward but still nice.

In any incarnation, this preamp is very very accepting of tube rolling.  Stock EH, vs 60's RCA Blackplates (this is what I run with a Tele in the power supply), vs NOS Mullards - 3 completely different sounds.

Remember this is the entry level piece.  The next step up is a 2 chassis (PS and preamp separated), dual mono, etc.  The basic is a sub $2k piece that can be made to sound pretty much however you want.  It's a simple circuit like the amp.

The entry level is more 'tubey'.  The 2 chassis is more neutral and 'accurate'.  Both are receptive to tube changes and other circuit tweaks.

Bryan

[richidoo]

Nice system Bryan! I would love to hear those Dynaudios. I started reading the Positive feedback review.

I'm game to try your pre Bryan, but I hate to take away the heart of your system? I couldn't handle that.

I am breaking in Carl's new EH pre tubes for him and it is really opening up. With ss output buffers it can drive anything easily. I love the Mac features but I think I still prefer the purist, all tube circuit design of Minimax which I love for it's sunny clarity with RCAs, but it is not as quiet as the much larger chassis mac. Mini has 110ohm output Z with 9dB gain so it should have enough grunt for the the KTA100.  The speaks are 91dB (8ohms) so gain is fine. The Altmann DAC is very hot output. 2+Vrms.

So, we don't need the KVP20 to make KTA100 sound great, but it's up to you if you want to showoff two pieces. The guys that usually come are pretty curious so we would probably swap things a bit. If you send it we can plan well so you're not without it for more than a few days.
Thanks
Rich

[pmkap]

If you get the chance, do yourself a favor and audition the Korato KTA-100; for what it offers, its music lovers, high end bargain.

FWIW,
Paul (aka Occam)