Koda K10 preamp in my home for evaluation

[LL21]

Hi guys. It's been a while since I last posted here. I've finally took the plunge and went for Robert Koda Takumi K-10 preamplifier. It was with me for a prolonged time a while ago if you recall for a test and review. Took me some time, but finally put my money where my mouth is and bought it. K-10 will serve as both reference preamplifier and musical machine for my late night quality time with records collection .

http://www.monoandstereo.com/2014/06/robert-koda-takumi-k-10-preamplifier.html

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Congrats!!! I would love to hear it someday, and have it on good account from many, many sources it is one of the world's finest. Enjoy!

 

[Matej Isak]

Thanks LL21. I do believe it is .

 

[jfrech]

Matej, congratulations ! I hope Robert comes out with a phono stage soon!

 

[Peter Breuninger]

wow, it more than doubled in price in two years!

http://www.theaudiobeat.com/equipment/robert_koda_takumi_k10.htm

 

[jfrech]

wow, it more than doubled in price in two years!

http://www.theaudiobeat.com/equipment/robert_koda_takumi_k10.htm

The K10 is the same price it's always been...the K15 is more... 2 models out now...

So the K10 is a steal at about 1/2 the price - I wish all of this wasn't so expensive !

 

[Jazzhead]

Anybody heard the Takumi K-70 power amps . Any feedback would be very welcome .

 

[ashandger]

Anybody heard the Takumi K-70 power amps . Any feedback would be very welcome .

It was very highly rated by Martin Colloms from Hifi Critic (UK advert free mag). You will find the full review by doing a quick search. This was for Gen I and there is now Gen II which is supposed to be even better. Martin is one the most experienced and critical reviewers IMHO. He is also an audio engineer. This amp is also on my list but haven't heard it yet. Hope this helps!

 

[LL21]

It was very highly rated by Martin Colloms from Hifi Critic (UK advert free mag). You will find the full review by doing a quick search. This was for Gen I and there is now Gen II which is supposed to be even better. Martin is one the most experienced and critical reviewers IMHO. He is also an audio engineer. This amp is also on my list but haven't heard it yet. Hope this helps!

A great read...

 

[defride]

Anybody heard the Takumi K-70 power amps . Any feedback would be very welcome .

Hi Jazzhead, I heard the G1 version a few years back not long after our local distributor got involved with RK. It was before the K10 and was driven directly from a dCS dac playing computer files, speakers were Lumen White and the cables Teo Audio.

I remember listening to some of the dealers tracks and thinking all was well, tonally fleshed out, nothing amiss, a nice natural portrayal of unfamiliar music. After half an hour or so I put on a track I was familiar with and it was one of those rare slack jaw moments. I'd not heard the track sound so open and musical before, the speakers utterly disappeared, outstanding imaging in a deep wide space without foregoing that sense of timing and musicality that gives life and believability to a recording. I came away surprised and impressed in particular because I'd had the dCS dac in my system and came away respecting what it could do but not loving it.

In an unfamiliar system it's impossible to draw conclusions other than to say that in a sympathetic system the amps should be able to deliver a performance worth investigating.

 

[Jazzhead]

Hi Jazzhead, I heard the G1 version a few years back not long after our local distributor got involved with RK. It was before the K10 and was driven directly from a dCS dac playing computer files, speakers were Lumen White and the cables Teo Audio.

I remember listening to some of the dealers tracks and thinking all was well, tonally fleshed out, nothing amiss, a nice natural portrayal of unfamiliar music. After half an hour or so I put on a track I was familiar with and it was one of those rare slack jaw moments. I'd not heard the track sound so open and musical before, the speakers utterly disappeared, outstanding imaging in a deep wide space without foregoing that sense of timing and musicality that gives life and believability to a recording. I came away surprised and impressed in particular because I'd had the dCS dac in my system and came away respecting what it could do but not loving it.

In an unfamiliar system it's impossible to draw conclusions other than to say that in a sympathetic system the amps should be able to deliver a performance worth investigating.

Defride , thank you most encouraging . Your feedback amongst others proved pivotal in my acquiring the Tripoint Troy , very very happy with it . So an investigation should be ..elementary my dear Watson , Cheers !

 

[redsquare]

I demo'd the K10 and thought it sounded very smooth and slightly rich. In the end I chose not to get it as it was somewhat slow and the bass was not well defined. It was also impossible to get the right volume levels.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Redsquare, I can't agree w/you more. Much as I was impressed by many stellar qualities of the K10, I felt it was too bass-centric, somewhat coloured. I felt the timing was unreal, but the balance too velvety overall. I've plumped for an Audion Quattro 4 box true mono preamp which is more neutral o'all but not at the expense of just the right amount of tube sweetness.
The killer re turning down the K10 was the volume control. It's promoted as a massive step above other volume controls, but the graduations were way too wide. At $25k, just not quite perfect enough.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

sounds like you guys might try the new darTZeel NHB-18NS preamp which will be released soon.

amazing bass, vanishingly low noise floor, and overall balance, to-die-for phono section. it's battery powered and has a remote control without any of the compromises sonically for that feature. and even with the remote the fine adjustment for the volume makes it very easy to live with.

i had a pre-production version in my room for 2 weeks in June and was blown away.

 

[bonzo75]

How do these preamps compare to the GBP 33k Kondo, asking because it was recently available used for around 15. Or the CAT?

 

[Mike Lavigne]

How do these preamps compare to the GBP 33k Kondo, asking because it was recently available used for around 15. Or the CAT?

as far as the 'new' darTZeel compared to a specific 33k British Pound Kondo the list price including a great phono stage is around the same amount. if you look for a used 'current' model darTZeel NHB-18NS preamp it will run slightly more than the used Kondo.....but it will include at least one phono stage....and it's battery powered with a remote.

as far as performance, dart verses Kondo, they are two different beasts. i love my dart pre for how it does not sound like solid state, yet it's not rolled off or soft at the frequency extremes either. low noise floor, built like a tank.

but as much as i like my current dart pre, the new one is quite a ways better.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Mike, all of these incl the Dart are a little out of my price range. However I don't doubt the Dart is a stellar performer. I must say I've never had such a schizophrenic reaction to a high end component as I had to the Koda. What it did well (calmness/texture) it was streets ahead, what it fell down on (lushness/slowness), it did dramatically so. And I could never get used to those volume graduations.
I've hit a home run acquiring the $15k Audion Quattro 4 box flagship (used, at 2/3 off).

 

[defride]

Interesting comments regarding the Koda pre. It along with the likes of the Dartzeel seem to me to inhabit the upper echelon of what's available today. What seems to have been missed in this conversation is system synergy. I've had a fair bit of experience with the K-10 both in my system and in others, it's always struck me as surprisingly neutral reflecting what goes on around it. Spirit, did the K-10 introduce a lush/slow element to my system when you were here? I don't think so but perhaps you did? Neither did it add depth of bass where my speakers don't go, articulation - well that's a different story.

What's important is that these quality components slip into a system to compliment it in a way that suits the preference of the systems owner.

There are usually compromises, for most it's cost, for others it may be the graduation of a volume control. I wasn't so keen on the K-10 in this respect but if the time comes that it becomes a serious option it wouldn't put me off trialling it again in the context I'd be putting it to use, I'd definately try the Dart too.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Dan, I really can't say whether it slowed down your system, since I was totally unfamiliar w/it having only heard it for the first time, and w/no opportunity to swap it out.
I don't want my comments about it to be construed as a major criticism - in many ways it was SOTA, and the slowness was in some way a boon, allowing one to live in the moment as opposed to being artificially rushed as is the case w/so many so-called high end components.
But I did feel in my system at any rate it imparted a touch of over-ripeness, almost like an overly warm tube pre (BAT, anyone?), and felt this character might impose itself over time.

 

[defride]

Defride , thank you most encouraging . Your feedback amongst others proved pivotal in my acquiring the Tripoint Troy , very very happy with it . So an investigation should be ..elementary my dear Watson , Cheers !

Congrats on the Troy purchase, my time with it is fondly remembered but a purchase will have to wait... and I'd give Entreq a try. Hope you get a chance to hear a K-70, would be interesting to hear your thoughts. In the meantime happy listening

 

[redsquare]

Yes, I agree with Spirit; the Koda was just too slow and did not have the requisite speed and control. Pretty yes, but the volume gradations drove me nuts. I also spent time with the Dartzeel and thought it was better than the Koda but on the soft/gentle side and lacking dynamic energy. Just vey relaxed and elegant but ultimately not engaging. Tried Trinity as well but it was all transients and dynamics - no musical flow at all. I use an all CH Precision system so looking forward to the new CH L1 pre coming out next month - will report back then....