I have heard the KB1 completed in five different build guises and also heard it compared A/B to a range of Pre Amp's, including Passive, Autoformer, Solid State and Valve.
The A/B comparisons were carried out on a System using a EAR Valve Power Amp > Quad 2912.
The system owner has chosen the KB1, there are others who were in attendance who now own a KB1, hence my being able to listen to five different build guises.
I have used a loaned KB1 in my system for many months and it has shone well above a owned Valve Pre' and Autoformer Volume Control
I also have a version of a KB1 to be produced, that is to be a Balanced Design.
As you are a Speaker Builder, I will suggest that when the KB1 has been assessed against all of the Pre's I have heard it compared to, the Transparency and insight into the performance is quite startling and for myself very attractive.
An expensive Valve Pre' was able to present a Voluminous room filling sound, but Richness/Colour in the SQ was easily perceived.
Passives and AVC's that have been used add a Colour to the SQ, I am not too sure I would give it a terminology as being Rich.
In my assessment the SS Pre' has a similar sense of transparency, but the SS Pre' used, did not supply the perception that it was able to match the detail retrieval or insight to the level the KB1 can.
One question that might be worth considering, is when using a Pre Amp', how much colour do you want as being perceived in a replay.
In my case, it is as little as possible, the KB1 does achieve this nicely.
I can add ancillaries at other places in the System, that are able to create Richness / Colour , a Cartridge, SUT, or Swap out of a Tube are all capable of producing a SQ that is perceived to have a injection of Richness / Colour.
The A/B comparisons were carried out on a System using a EAR Valve Power Amp > Quad 2912.
The system owner has chosen the KB1, there are others who were in attendance who now own a KB1, hence my being able to listen to five different build guises.
I have used a loaned KB1 in my system for many months and it has shone well above a owned Valve Pre' and Autoformer Volume Control
I also have a version of a KB1 to be produced, that is to be a Balanced Design.
As you are a Speaker Builder, I will suggest that when the KB1 has been assessed against all of the Pre's I have heard it compared to, the Transparency and insight into the performance is quite startling and for myself very attractive.
An expensive Valve Pre' was able to present a Voluminous room filling sound, but Richness/Colour in the SQ was easily perceived.
Passives and AVC's that have been used add a Colour to the SQ, I am not too sure I would give it a terminology as being Rich.
In my assessment the SS Pre' has a similar sense of transparency, but the SS Pre' used, did not supply the perception that it was able to match the detail retrieval or insight to the level the KB1 can.
One question that might be worth considering, is when using a Pre Amp', how much colour do you want as being perceived in a replay.
In my case, it is as little as possible, the KB1 does achieve this nicely.
I can add ancillaries at other places in the System, that are able to create Richness / Colour , a Cartridge, SUT, or Swap out of a Tube are all capable of producing a SQ that is perceived to have a injection of Richness / Colour.
After my experiences and experiments with audio what conclusion is about tube preamplifiers....
Ok the same class A power amp and wide range 12" drivers in configuration.
Now we get the very best preampfier connected ?
Well is not that simple....
Your audio sources quality DAC, CD player or audio card and synergy with the rest of the Hi-Fi gear make a perception difference..
B1 Korg is my best tube preamplifier , not Decware or SRPPAnzai but Your preamp & taste is not my..hey enjoy
Ok the same class A power amp and wide range 12" drivers in configuration.
Now we get the very best preampfier connected ?
Well is not that simple....
Your audio sources quality DAC, CD player or audio card and synergy with the rest of the Hi-Fi gear make a perception difference..
B1 Korg is my best tube preamplifier , not Decware or SRPPAnzai but Your preamp & taste is not my..hey enjoy
Last edited:
In my case, I have had the Korg in my system for a long time, in a minimal (negative) H2 setting. I have been very happy with it in my main system. After that I tried the Wayne line stage which, in combination with vfet/sissysit/f6 was more pleasing. Those amps combined with KB1 gave me just a little less clarity. So my experience is that the combination of pre and power amp is most important (and their harmonics).
Audio source quality and synergy with the other elements of the audio chain isn't neglected frequently ?
True, this is indeed equally important. I have had a transformer output dac (dddac), op amp output DAC (ad1862) and of the shelf DAC (Schiit) and the do alter the sound as well. Source is often one that people consider sticking with though.Audio source quality and synergy with the other elements of the audio chain isn't neglected frequently ?