KRONOS Pro ... finally

[redandgold]

The first day we wanted to proof if there is an opportunity to get my system to better performance. I realized that Louis is one of the few persons with real golden ears. As are few in the world. Only hearing one moment he understood the full sound signature of my system. Not that my room and system is really misaligned. But he had some ideas (here tightening screws, there decoupling a component with a layer of foam. The most stress I felt he wanted to toe in my 300 kg/1,90 m speakers well spiked on washers on my parquet floor for 2mm. But he was wright and again something made clique and the performance was better. Don’t believe it was huge, but in HighEnd removing every tiny layer of fog matters. Hearing was fun this night.

As you can see the tonearm comes in a flightbox very safe.

 

[redandgold]

 

[redandgold]

O.K., it should be at a tonearm of 28.000 USD, if I am correct. If you see photos of both arms, you feel this arms should be near to equal. But never saw both arms 1:1 beside. Here are some photos:

 

[redandgold]

You see, they from outside not really equal. And believe me, from the inside they are even more different. The principles of Resonance Suppression is the same. But the Discovery RS is much more work inside to proceed. Sorry, the details I promised to keep silent.

 

[redandgold]

 

[redandgold]

Next morning Louis started his activity with the KRONOS system. He de-installed half of the turntable refreshing oil and Vaseline and proofed the torque of several screws. Aris had done a wonderful job. But Louis found one corner were he felt the torque a bit tight. Yes, you will say we are in spheres of homeopathic doses. You are correct. But in my system you could hear it. And what you can hear, you don’t deny to make it even better.

 

[redandgold]

The good thing about set up work with Louis was, when I realized a tiny bit of musical characteristic which was not perfect, Louis was already getting up from chair, in his mind the solution.

 

[redandgold]

The last 1 ½ hour of setting up was (like with Aris) a crazy musical rollercoaster of madness. When I felt my system is perfect for me and has never been better before, we always found a thing to make it even better. Always I thought please stop, Louis, the next step will be worse and the goodness never comes back. No, he found something to make it better again.



Even my soundstage, which was always wide and high due to my transverse room arrangement, got deeper and deeper. And the microdetails were getting more and more. I asked myself if I am able to proceed all this details in my mind at once, so transparent the music became. And the dynamics were crazy too, never believed a cantilever could proceed such huge attacks without distortion.

 

[redandgold]

To resume, Aristomenis was correct, that the Discovery RS has better bass performance than the Kronoscope RS. Better transparency, faster, easier to localize, deeper, more palpable,… But mid frequency took the same level of a step forward. Not only more authentic, better overtones, better flowing, every aspect of midrange was better. Looking at the highs, they were through the new tonearm clearly better. The sound had it's airiness, never harsh or hard, but completely clear and transparent. And what I liked maybe mostly, the highs are direct into your face. As fun, not as pain.

 

[mtemur]

Tonearm wires look pretty thick to my eyes, maybe it's because of the way the picture was taken. Does the tonearm have an anti-skating mechanism?

 

[Salectric]

I am enjoying your story @redandgold and I am pleased that you are enjoying improved sound with all of the adjustments Louis is making. But it does seem like the adjustment flexibility may be a two-edged sword. Will things go out of optimal adjustment over time? Will Louis need to return each year to retune the table and arm?

 

[No Regrets]

I am enjoying your story @redandgold and I am pleased that you are enjoying improved sound with all of the adjustments Louis is making. But it does seem like the adjustment flexibility may be a two-edged sword. Will things go out of optimal adjustment over time? Will Louis need to return each year to retune the table and arm?

I think that those are some very valid questions... I actually had some very similar thoughts running thru my mind as well.

I'm very excited for you and your new table and my wish is for you to enjoy it for many years in great health!
Also, I hope you are watching Louis very closely and taking excellent notes as to what he is all doing so that maybe you might be able to do any necessary tweaking/adjustments if needed down the road. It almost seems a little like black magic, but hey... if it works, it works

Best wishes,
Don

 

[redandgold]

Tonearm wires look pretty thick to my eyes, maybe it's because of the way the picture was taken. Does the tonearm have an anti-skating mechanism?

Hey mtemur,

yes, this impression may come due to the short macro point of view. Under the holding arm it looks clearly thinner, but is the same size.

No, it has no anti-skating by intention. There was a reason. I had ask Louis Desjardins once, but nowadays forgotten, why.

 

[redandgold]

I am enjoying your story @redandgold and I am pleased that you are enjoying improved sound with all of the adjustments Louis is making. But it does seem like the adjustment flexibility may be a two-edged sword. Will things go out of optimal adjustment over time? Will Louis need to return each year to retune the table and arm?

Fair question!

Absolutely, there is no measurement, you can do now and later to know, it has the same level and no one will tell you by memory after a year.

I asked Louis about this topic and he assured me that the settings will be stable in time. As he visits several customers after years and no changes were necessary. I have only by monthly periode to refresh one drop of tonearm oil in the open cup and one fingertip of vaseline at the roll. That's it.

If Louis has given me any advice, he was always correct. He is a perfectionist in a positive way. He would hate it, if there is any imperfection at his lifetime achievement and not rest until he has a solution.

 

[mtemur]

Hey mtemur,

yes, this impression may come due to the short macro point of view. Under the holding arm it looks clearly thinner, but is the same size.

No, it has no anti-skating by intention. There was a reason. I had ask Louis Desjardins once, but nowadays forgotten, why.

Thanks for your response. Maybe tonearm wires are double functioning as anti-skating mechanism but I wouldn't count on that.

 

[redandgold]

I think that those are some very valid questions... I actually had some very similar thoughts running thru my mind as well.

I'm very excited for you and your new table and my wish is for you to enjoy it for many years in great health!
Also, I hope you are watching Louis very closely and taking excellent notes as to what he is all doing so that maybe you might be able to do any necessary tweaking/adjustments if needed down the road. It almost seems a little like black magic, but hey... if it works, it works

Best wishes,
Don

Thank you, Don, for your warm words. I made a photo series of every step, Aris and Louis do. But more important, they showed me the torque force which is required. There is a small edge between good and perfect, you can feel.

 

[redandgold]

Thanks for your response. Maybe tonearm wires are double functioning as anti-skating mechanism but I wouldn't count on that.

Everything matters, as I had written in my report. Louis was working on the correct tension of this wire min. 15 - 20 min. until he was satisfied.

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

Everything matters, as I had written in my report. Louis was working on the correct tension of this wire min. 15 - 20 min. until he was satisfied.

Hi 'redand gold',
Have you used a Wally Tools Skater (V2.1 or V2.1 Pro) to check for any unwanted inherent horizontal forces the tonearm is producing ie. from this tonearm wire for instance ?

FYI; I have a Wally Skater Pro and found out from using it (with the great help from Wally Tools / J.R.) that my Kuzma 4Point 11" was producing such unwanted inherent horizontal forces (with anti-skating turned off) from its very thin tonearm wire which were quite high and were being added to the anti-skating value (when anti-skating was on).
Once I had untwisted it 360 degrees a few times I was able to reduce such unwanted horizontal forces (without anti-skate) to close to zero !

Therefore if you haven't used a Wally Skater V2.1 or V2.1 Pro I would suggest you do for your new TT set-up.

I would also strongly recommend all of the other Wally Tools as well for setting up your TT, Tonearm and cartridge.

 

[cuntigh]

+1 for the Wallytools. For such a system it is mandatory in my opinion. And JR is always willing to help if needed.

 

[redandgold]

Dear Bonesy Jonesy,

I have a lot of respect for the work Mr. Boisclair is doing for the legacy of Wally Tools. I have seen his videos and explanations and the way he tried to find mechanical theories of his work.

If your Kuzma tonearm cable causes so much unwanted horizontal force, then unbending the cable is a way. But a risky one, the way this cables are thin and breakable. And what would you do if the cable is inside the tube. No way of turning it.
I can't confirm that I have unwanted and too high forces horizontally. In my case it is in a balance to the inherent skating forces and the system sounds fantastic. What matters the most for me. Yes, there is an effect of this cable, but not a problem. IMO there are some other factors like SRA, VTF or Azimuth which are much more important.