New Kronos review!

[rockitman]

ok that sound intresting. you think the active herzan never has a down side? works well with everything... will look into it thanks.

I will only comment on my own experiences and that of another forum member MikeL. He is the one that got me thinking about active isolation. I believed him, investigated for myself and am very pleased I went with a Table Stable TS-140 for my system. I will not make blanket statements about other people's systems and whether isolation will improve their system or not. I will say in general if I were to guess...more will benefit than those who would not.

 

[MadFloyd]

I'll see if I can get my hands on a Herzan (TS-140 is the one to go?) and test the Kronos on it then.
We have ours on a regular Solid Steel rack.

I look forward to the results. I asked Louis specifically about a vibraplane and he said it would degrade the sound. He followed up with a detailed explanation but for the life of me I can't remember. I do recall him mentioning a well known industry professional who tried it anyway only to find it was better without. I wish I could shine more light on the topic...

 

[steve williams]

Herzan is in Laguna Hills all of a 10 minute drive from me.

I must admit that I have been tempted but for now have been content with my CMS Black Diamond rack. Like Mike Lavigne I too have my TT close to my speakers so isolation was a concern of mine. The downside for me was having to buy an HRS shelf for the AFO to sit on and then the Herzan which would elevate the height of my turntable way too high for me. Hence for now the CMS rack

 

[rockitman]

Herzan is in Laguna Hills all of a 10 minute drive from me.

I must admit that I have been tempted but for now have been content with my CMS Black Diamond rack. Like Mike Lavigne I too have my TT close to my speakers so isolation was a concern of mine. The downside for me was having to buy an HRS shelf for the AFO to sit on and then the Herzan which would elevate the height of my turntable way too high for me. Hence for now the CMS rack

That's an easy demo Steve. Talk to Reid Whitney. He has posted on the Herzan thread. The AFo will not fit on the TS-140 by itself. It is too long. Unless you have it on the HRS TechDas platform with recessed feet, like I do, the footers on the table will extend beyond the TS-140's platform. You will need to use the 300 series...which may be better any way since you will have significant weight headroom. The AFO and HRS make an heavy load on the TS-140...90% of it's capacity.

apologies to the OP as this discussion is veering off the Kronos review track. None the less, a good discussion for all of these hi end turntables.

 

[asiufy]

I've been eyeing these isolation devices for a while now, not only for TTs, but for other gear as well, so now seems a good time as ever. I'll get in touch with them, and see if I can arrange to have one for an audition, as soon as I'm back in the US!

Maybe I can also stop by at Steve's, and check the effect on the Herzan on the AF1, and Steve can come by the store to check the effect on the Kronos? That sounds like a neat plan...

cheers,
alex

 

[steve williams]

I used to live in Laguna Hills a few blocks from them.

 

[FrantzM]

I have a Vibraplane table in storage . Maybe time to take it out and dust it off. I would like to see an honest comparison between Herzan products and Vibraplane's. Thing is: One can find Vibraplane models fairly easily on the used market at very sane prices. Sometimes Bargain basement prices.
I am a convert I am yet to hear a TT that doesn't benefice from an isolation platform especially an active such the Herzan discussed inthis thread or the equivalent Vibraplane models. Not to get in a overheated discussion. a few years ago, I tried Vibraplane under DAC and/or Transport and the differences were quasi- inexistent i-e much imagination was needed to find the differences , if any. Under the TT? It was clear and immediate. resulting in having to vary subwoofer output and even position.

 

[NorthStar]

http://www.monoandstereo.com/2015/12/kronos-pro-limited-production-turntable.html

Pretty interesting, maybe the first time an AF1 and a Kronos were put side-by-side, along with a Clearaudio Statement.

Some choice quotes:

"In term of sonics, the Kronos Pro Ltd is not only in the league of the very best turntables available today, but in actual comparison, it is a few notches above the TechDas Air Force One and the Clearaudio Statement."

"As for its price of admission, I would say that purchasing a Kronos Pro Ltd, is really a "No Brainer", even if you have more money to spend. I own some of its competitors. They cost several times more but they do not provide a higher performance level."

Nice

Cool review...the price of admission into the fantastic world of analog turntables has just been lowered. ...Good read.

 

[DaveyF]

At last years Newport show, I asked a question of the HRS rack engineer as to why, in my case, the addition of more isolation to my TT was found to be detrimental.
I own a spring suspended TT with a base that was designed to isolate a specific range of frequencies. The answer, according to the engineer, made sense to me. Basically, he stated that depending on the isolation system used by the turntable designer, the addition of an isolation base could interfere with the frequency that the designer of the TT had allowed for. This interference, which to some may seem as a benefit, was therefore a cause of a imbalance to the suspension... actually leading to a diminishing of the SQ. That is exactly the result that I noticed when I placed my table on a isolation base after I had upgraded the support system for the plinth. Prior to the upgrade, the isolation base was actually beneficial.
The engineer did emphatically state that in his opinion, the turntable designer usually knew best as to what his table would work best with.
Therefore, I suggest that depending on the turntable design, an isolation base may or may not be of benefit. Probably best to listen first at home before plunking down the doe. IMHO.

 

[CKKeung]

It is interesting that the new Audio Union Dohmann turntable actually licensed technology from minus K to build active isolation into the plinth itself. I guess the question is whether the implementation where it is full integrated and part of the design process yields better isolation performance than putting your TT onto a 3rd party device.

Yes, the Dohmann turntable has a Minus K anti-vibration mechanism built inside it, but Minus K is a spring-based passive anti-vibration mechanism, not an active one.

 

[Audiophile Bill]

Yes, the Dohmann turntable has a Minus K anti-vibration mechanism built inside it, but Minus K is a spring-based passive anti-vibration mechanism, not an active one.

Ah - my apologies. I assumed they had used an active one! Seems strange that they could have gone that route but didn't.

 

[microstrip]

(...) Thing is: One can find Vibraplane models fairly easily on the used market at very sane prices. Sometimes Bargain basement prices. (...)

We must very careful when buying used Vibraplane tables. They have been manufactured for a long time keeping the same model code, but the pneumatic systems have been changed. Kinetics do not have spare diaphragms for the older tables and they will probably be leaky. The solution in this case is buying new isolators from them, at a cost of more than 50% of the list price of the table ...

 

[FrantzM]

We must very careful when buying used Vibraplane tables. They have been manufactured for a long time keeping the same model code, but the pneumatic systems have been changed. Kinetics do not have spare diaphragms for the older tables and they will probably be leaky. The solution in this case is buying new isolators from them, at a cost of more than 50% of the list price of the table ...

I remembered you mentioning this. The spare parts also come on the used market. The isolators on all 3 vibraplane I have purchased weren't leaky .. the model I current have isn't. I have always bought Vibraplanes used. Worth the risk IMHO .. YMMV. a bit OT... back to the OP.

 

[spiritofmusic]

There is a modern day equivalent, maybe even superior, to Vibraplane. Spiers And Robertson air rolling table - lab grade passive shelf good to 3Hz. I believe Keith of Purite a'b.d it versus the 3x pricier Accurion i4 (direct equivalent to Herzan in Europe) and it measured better in all respects, and sounded better to boot (or should I say, allowed his GP Monaco tt to sound better).

 

[JVS]

I've had a Kronos Pro (004/250) for three years. It's been a joy to own.

It was supplied with a Phantom Supreme 12". Initially with a Lyra Tina i, but upgraded fairly soon afterwards to an Io Gold.

As well as sounding absolutely sublime, this TT is ultra reliable.

I've never used any type of isolation under it - the bare metal bases of the four feet (which are also the base of the rods which form the central columns) rest directly on the metal frame of the wall mounted shelf.

 

[steve williams]

I've had a Kronos Pro (004/250) for three years. It's been a joy to own.

It was supplied with a Phantom Supreme 12". Initially with a Lyra Tina i, but upgraded fairly soon afterwards to an Io Gold.

As well as sounding absolutely sublime, this TT is ultra reliable.

I've never used any type of isolation under it - the bare metal bases of the four feet (which are also the base of the rods which form the central columns) rest directly on the metal frame of the wall mounted shelf.

That speaks volumes as to how well it's built. Being 004/250 how did you first learn about it. Did you hear it at a show

 

[JVS]

That speaks volumes as to how well it's built. Being 004/250 how did you first learn about it. Did you hear it at a show

A London HiFi dealer, who'd supplied me with quite a few items over the years, became the Uk importer for Kronos and naturally, he called me to let me know. Once I'd heard it, bye bye Delphi V, hello Kronos Pro

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

A London HiFi dealer, who'd supplied me with quite a few items over the years, became the Uk importer for Kronos and naturally, he called me to let me know. Once I'd heard it, bye bye Delphi V, hello Kronos Pro

Love that TT,but I can appreciate the upgrade to the Kronos Pro.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Gosh, good call JVS. I would love to hear it, based in Hackney, maybe I should get down to KJ - do they have good demo facilities for the tt?

 

[JVS]

Love that TT,

Me too. I had a MkII for two years and the Mk V for ten.