Kondo Ongaku

[mtemur]

Try Amperex 211s. They are outstanding I think and I've done listening tests with others and they thought the same. Done against GE, KR, RCA etc.

the best sounding 211 tube is united electronics. btw I listened to ANUK Ongaku several times and I can say that it sounds good, silky smooth. it’s a wonderful amplifier but not like Kondo. Kondo is lively and better on every aspect.

 

[Zero000]

I sold my United Electronics 211s.

The problem is the way they manufactured them seemed to vary over time, and building a quad of the same type proved impossible.

They are now extremely hard to come by.

STC 4242 is also supposed to be very good and was why PQ of Audio Note UK asked Psvane to make a molybdenum 211. He felt that it was the best sounding 211.

Also, very hard to come by. I saw and heard a pair at Munich in the Silbatone room a while ago now. But no comparisons were possible.

The UE 211s where well made, no question.

If I had an Ongaku I'd buy Telefunken RS237 for it as a rolling option.

 

[monkda]

Thanks for all valuable input. How much was SE when it sold in 2011/12?

 

[mtemur]

Thanks for all valuable input. How much was SE when it sold in 2011/12?

it was %50 more expensive than regular ongaku

 

[MrC.]

Ciao,
When i had Ongaku i hadnt a preamp.
I had M 10 and Gakuon,M10 was fantastic but Gakuon i dont like a lot,little rolloff and mid bass too full
We tried 2 days Ongaku KSL and old Ongaku with Wadia S71,more simple to use and i prefer the new bacuase the bass more controlled,little more dinamic and little more transparent
but here some prefer the old product and some the new
I also compared the old Neiro Silver with the KSL Neiro,and i preferred the new.

My friend living 5 km from my home has Neiro Silver,Kageki,old Kegon,M 10,M77,M 7 and Gakuon,the first prototype with 845,production has 211.

Do you prefer Ongaku alone or with a AN preamp?
How sound Mt riaa,this never listen

Is the Neiro the parallel 2A3 amp? If so I knew someone who preferred his silver Neiro to the Ongakus. How do you feel about them in comparison? Also, what speakers are you using with them?

 

[bonzo75]

Is the Neiro the parallel 2A3 amp? If so I knew someone who preferred his silver Neiro to the Ongakus. How do you feel about them in comparison? Also, what speakers are you using with them?

Any decent 2a3 amp will sound better than a 211 if the speakers are efficient enough for the 2a3. The 2a3 z will run out of juice on more speakers as compared to the 211. I have compared the Ongaku to other amps and heard it in other systems and don't like it. The AN 2a3 empress, which is a model below the Neiro is an amp I like. Transparent and agile, nuanced, great tones, but only 6 watts.

That said, rare to get vintage tubes can transform both amps

 

[monkda]

I have owned both Kondo Ongaku 2014 and ANJ Neiro mk1 2A3 copper. Using with ANE, AN M7 silver and all AN/ Kondo silver cables, Neiro has better micro dynamic and the tone is better. The transparency of Neiro copper is on the same level compared to Ongaku. However sometimes I feel Neiro sounds a touch thin.

 

[Zeotrope]

Hi gian60, I own an ongaku anj from 1994 and I also bought a m7 riaa from 1996, for me with the step up sfz it is the most beautiful sound I have ever heard coming from the black record. I also have a pair of gakuohs and a Neiro silver. I had and sold an m1000 some time ago (no mkII), I listened to a comparison of the m10 anj with the m1000 and I liked the m10 more. For me, the m7 riaa + Ongaku combination is unsurpassed in terms of naturalness, transparency and musicality, connecting an extra source such as a rtr directly to the ongaku (I have a studer a810) you would like a little more thrust and airiness. In what conditions did you compare the old ongaku with the ksl? what pre and what sources? Gustavo

Have you heard the M77? That’s the successor to the M7 - essentially a dual-mono M7 in one chassis.

 

[gian60]

My friend near 5 km from my home has M7,M77 and M10
M 77 i dont like because i find little dark,while M10 is awesome and some told better than M 1000

 

[Zeotrope]

My friend near 5 km from my home has M7,M77 and M10
M 77 i dont like because i find little dark,while M10 is awesome and some told better than M 1000

When you say it sounds "dark", this is so highly dependant on the overall system, cables, etc. Also the tubes make a huge difference (not surprisingly). When my stock tubes in the M77 needed replacement, I lowered the noise floor considerably with RCA green tubes. Kondo just uses cheap tubes - they sound great - but you can improve the sound even more.

 

[gian60]

My friend has M7,M77,M10, Neiro silver,Kageki,first Ongaku,Kegon,Gakuho and Gakuon
All with top tube and one hundred of the best tube you can find in the world.
Speaker yamamura Dionisio,Kondo 3 way,Western Electric,Audiotekne 8716 CB,Acoustat X and Quad 57,
so we tried all possible combination in his home

 

[Zeotrope]

For every "I like Kondo X", I can find you another owner who prefers Kondo Y. It's highly subjective, and again, dependant on your system, room, etc.
What is "Kondo 3 way" - there are no Kondo 3 way horns, as far as I have ever heard... just curious, not trying to discredit you.

I hope you are referring to all Kondo Japan products, not to be confused with Kondo Audio Note UK (which is night and day different)...

 

[gian60]

I refer all ANJ/Kondo,not UK AN.
M 10 is an old preamp made around 1980,with external power supply like M 1000,but all dual mono

An old partner of An,Yosuhiro,send 3 driver to my friend,tweeter is old YL with silver bobin,woofer and mid they did with silver coil and with measure of the box and my friend did exact in Italy,was a ANJ project but never produced,like Ongaku speaker,we saw only one in Italy

 

[Guscom]

Have you heard the M77? That’s the successor to the M7 - essentially a dual-mono M7 in one chassis.

The M7 Riaa (silver sound, only phono) is a different device from the M7 Pre (silver sound, line+phono). It’s the riaa section for the Ongaku. Both are different from M77 (I heard ksl version), this one pairing better with Gakuoh amplifier (300B push pull mono) then Ongaku. M77 is more “thick” and has more body then M7, imho end for my experience, of course.

 

[Uwiik]

What do you guys think about Ongaku Vs. Kagura? Obviously Kagura can drive more speaker type but other than that? @gian60 thinks Ongaku is better than Kagura and he got a lot of experience with Kondo, I wanna know why? Thanks

 

[howiebrou]

What do you guys think about Ongaku Vs. Kagura? Obviously Kagura can drive more speaker type but other than that? @gian60 thinks Ongaku is better than Kagura and he got a lot of experience with Kondo, I wanna know why? Thanks

I have had both for a number of years. I would venture to say that the Ongaku is a bit more dynamic than the Kaguras. Masaki-San the boss of Kondo prefers the Ongaku over the monoblocks too. Again, my comment is only relevant if the Ongaku has a preamp. Without it, it is not good at all.

 

[Uwiik]

I have had both for a number of years. I would venture to say that the Ongaku is a bit more dynamic than the Kaguras. Masaki-San the boss of Kondo prefers the Ongaku over the monoblocks too. Again, my comment is only relevant if the Ongaku has a preamp. Without it, it is not good at all.

Agreed on the pre amp, I wouldn’t buy it even with 70% discount without pre amp LOL..thanks for the insight. I assume you had the first Kagura? or?

 

[howiebrou]

Agreed on the pre amp, I wouldn’t buy it even with 70% discount without pre amp LOL..thanks for the insight. I assume you had the first Kagura? or?

Yes, not the latest Kagura.

 

[Guscom]

Is there someone who tried CV378 instead GZ34 as rectifier on the Ongaku? I heard that it is possible on the first series of Ongaku. Had someone experience about?

 

[Stigmater]

So wat is the difference between Japan Kondo and UK Kondo ? in terms of sound of course.