Robert Koda Takumi K160

[sickophant]

'Nother angle.

Enjoy.

 

[marmota]

@sickophant Robert Koda's gear is some of the most beautiful looking IMO
Can you please, upload a picture of the gunmetal grey K10 where it can be seen better? I didn't know he offered different chassis colors.

 

[howiebrou]

Lovely. How do you like those K70s?

 

[sickophant]

Very impressed with my amps., the Koda gear gripping and concise while delivering, really, some of the finest natural amplified playback I have experienced.

Actually that first photo I provided above, while this is all my current work-in-progress rigging here in BrizVegas, Oz, I have both my amps. strapped up at the mo'. And so the shot is quite a significant historical document of my dabbling with this bloke, Mr. Koch from RK.

You'll see my MAGNIFICENT Audio Note (Japan, Kondo) 8W stereo Shinri and badly obscured M7 Silver Sound nearer the foreground. That Kondo pairing was the trigger for my visiting the Kondo factory one year and is the reason I was fortunate enough to meet Rob.

Here is my Takumi photographed for Stereophile's manufacturers' gallery with one-off engraving, before it was delivered to me. Heh. Rob liked the name so much he engraved mine. Don't you all feel fortunate you amplifier is called a Takumi instead of this? :- https://www.stereophile.com/content/sn0001

The shot here is no. 1 and my K-10 visiting the giants (and I will say my friends) at AudioPunkt in Warsaw for a few afternoons of glorious high-end amplifier revelling. Very well received, a magazine sent a journalist and the impromptu event was written up. Great bunch of blokes, they LOVE their audio world.

You'll maybe note the fascia change for the Takumi, the first four or so units shipped with the older case work. I like the new face, my no. 12 has the new face. But no. 1 remains my Honey.

I am afraid the grey finish to the K-10 is not an option, I was just annoying one day and Rob submitted, but I am not here to trigger a rush on Rob for news on alternate finishes, champagne is RK's signature colour scheme, I think that is going well for him.

 

[sickophant]

OK, look, don't be going to Rob and telling him I sent you. Champagne is the colour. But here is something a little bit different.

 

[amadeus]

Very impressed with my amps., the Koda gear gripping and concise while delivering, really, some of the finest natural amplified playback I have experienced.

Actually that first photo I provided above, while this is all my current work-in-progress rigging here in BrizVegas, Oz, I have both my amps. strapped up at the mo'. And so the shot is quite a significant historical document of my dabbling with this bloke, Mr. Koch from RK.

You'll see my MAGNIFICENT Audio Note (Japan, Kondo) 8W stereo Shinri and badly obscured M7 Silver Sound nearer the foreground. That Kondo pairing was the trigger for my visiting the Kondo factory one year and is the reason I was fortunate enough to meet Rob.

Here is my Takumi photographed for Stereophile's manufacturers' gallery with one-off engraving, before it was delivered to me. Heh. Rob liked the name so much he engraved mine. Don't you all feel fortunate you amplifier is called a Takumi instead of this? :- https://www.stereophile.com/content/sn0001

The shot here is no. 1 and my K-10 visiting the giants (and I will say my friends) at AudioPunkt in Warsaw for a few afternoons of glorious high-end amplifier revelling. Very well received, a magazine sent a journalist and the impromptu event was written up. Great bunch of blokes, they LOVE their audio world.

You'll maybe note the fascia change for the Takumi, the first four or so units shipped with the older case work. I like the new face, my no. 12 has the new face. But no. 1 remains my Honey.

I am afraid the grey finish to the K-10 is not an option, I was just annoying one day and Rob submitted, but I am not here to trigger a rush on Rob for news on alternate finishes, champagne is RK's signature colour scheme, I think that is going well for him.

Koda K70 G2 that i owned and used for some years where from day one up to date my nr 1 amps i own(ed) many amps this are the most natural but also fast and silence amps that i have owned.

 

[sickophant]

Koda K70 G2 that i owned and used for some years where from day one up to date my nr 1 amps i own(ed) many amps this are the most natural but also fast and silence amps that i have owned.

Totally agree, Rob's an authentic man with very real talent with electronics. I have stated for years he will be a builder to watch. Big fan.

 

[sickophant]

@sickophant Robert Koda's gear is some of the most beautiful looking IMO
Can you please, upload a picture of the gunmetal grey K10 where it can be seen better? I didn't know he offered different chassis colors.

Absolutely have to agree, incredible machines, very unique. The Takumi K-70 with its three chassis layout, military power plugs for the 430V DC umbilical cords to separated left/right channels, I mean, who does that and neon lights power indicators?, the panel work, the anti-traditional use of R-core transformers countering other tran' types' touted strengths, the silk printing, the very real industrial massive feel of the design, the accuracy and fit. You had to see and hear the prototype of the Takumi K-70 to appreciate the moonleap taken to arrive at my no. 1 appearing on my doorstep in Warsaw and this champagne/black thing in my eyes, the aesthetics a drastic change. I WISH I took a photo of it.

 

[marmota]

Absolutely have to agree, incredible machines, very unique. The Takumi K-70 with its three chassis layout, military power plugs for the 430V DC umbilical cords to separated left/right channels, I mean, who does that and neon lights power indicators?, the panel work, the anti-traditional use of R-core transformers countering other tran' types' touted strengths, the silk printing, the very real industrial massive feel of the design, the accuracy and fit. You had to see and hear the prototype of the Takumi K-70 to appreciate the moonleap taken to arrive at my no. 1 appearing on my doorstep in Warsaw and this champagne/black thing in my eyes, the aesthetics a drastic change. I WISH I took a photo of it.

Thanks for uploading the pics!
I don't have the fortune of seeing one in person, but even in pictures you can tell there's something charming and special about it, that's something that can't be said about 99% of things out there IMO.

 

[howiebrou]

Koda K70 G2 that i owned and used for some years where from day one up to date my nr 1 amps i own(ed) many amps this are the most natural but also fast and silence amps that i have owned.

Did you ever compare them to your Kaguras? Mind telling us how they compared?

 

[amadeus]

Did you ever compare them to your Kaguras? Mind telling us how they compared?

Yes i had the Kaguras and the Robert Koda K70 s for almost two years side by side and i know them both very well in the mean time i think they are both masterworks but where the K70 is perfect for the price the Kagura is as good as K70 but 3 more expensief...

 

[marmota]

Yes i had the Kaguras and the Robert Koda K70 s for almost two years side by side and i know them both very well in the mean time i think they are both masterworks but where the K70 is perfect for the price the Kagura is as good as K70 but 3 more expensief...

Could you be a little more specific, please? Both amps are top notch stuff, that's for sure, but in your system, what do you like or dislike about them and why?

 

[Marcus]

As they are true hand build art works i am still waiting on mine my pair will be probably delivered before Christmas this year.

You posted this in November. What is going on with your pair?

 

[amadeus]

Could you be a little more specific, please? Both amps are top notch stuff, that's for sure, but in your system, what do you like or dislike about them and why?

To be honest its all about fine tuning cables, tubes,rack,feets.... if you done all this right for your room and in harmony whit the rest of your system both amps will sing and have dozens of Magic.
I like almost everything about both amps the only important difference will be the price the Koda K70 is at least same level for 40% of the price of Kagura...

 

[amadeus]

You posted this in November. What is going on with your pair?

Time is a healer one day we will meet.

 

[Addicted to hifi]

New power amp from Robert Koda with interesting technical solutions.

https://audioexotics.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/13089/robert-koda-s-ground-breaking-amplifier-??-takumi-k160-mono-amplifier

150W / 8 ohm @ less than 1% THD (any mode)
230W / 4 ohm @ less than 1% THD (high power mode)
120W / 2 ohm @ less than 1% THD (high power mode)
Signal to Noise
105.5dB (A weight) @ 1W into 8 ohms. 125.5dB at 100W into 8 ohms
Distortion
0.0009% at 5 watts into 8 ohm, 1KHz.
0.005% at 50 watts into 8 ohm, 1KHz.
Power consumption
550W at all times (high power mode)
400W at all times (normal mode)
Output impedance
0.05 ohms at 1KHz (damping factor is 160)
Input impedance
Greater than 10K ohms (SE, balanced or floating)
Voltage gain (SE, balanced or floating)
26dB
Weight: 45Kg per unit after unpacking
Dimension: 540mm deep 396 wide and 280 highView attachment 59658

Looks stunning.

 

[Amir]

A few clarifications and corrections.

I do believe there were some important points “lost in translation” and therefore would like to offer some clarification and corrections without rewriting the entire piece. In the New Year the Robert Koda website will be updated so that full K-160 product background is delivered in an understandable and structured way. Until then may I make this post -

We registered the company in Tokyo, 2008. Just after the Lehman Bros. crash I believe. Both these events had no relation to Kondo sans death two years earlier of course. It was simply a case of reaching a point where we felt I had something both genuine and exceptional to offer to fellow audiophiles and music listeners.

Nothing to do with being a brand of “national significance” or not, either now or in the past, our name was a natural merger between my wife and co-founders maiden name “Toyoda” with my name “Koch”. But there was more – Koda too is the maidens name of my wife’s mother. The Koda family from the city of Sendai - The creators of finest Japanese fabrics. So fine they were as to become national treasures of Japan. This was a true inspiration to me and is an ingrained part of the “Takumi” make-up.

Indeed K-160 is a pure solid state power amplifier. As our vision of “Amplifications Ultimate Form” it was purely about using technologies I could harness best for this purpose.

The concept of “retaining the unique analog sound of tube” was simply not on the agenda. The agenda was to surpass prior “state of the art” and surpass it by an immutable and substantial margin – Weather they be tube, solid state or hybrid.

It was a simple fact, in order to achieve this, K-160 needed a better gain stage than K-70 had. It needed a better output stage too. That ultimately required the “reinvention” of the output stage and a replacement of the vacuum tube gain stage with a carefully crafted silicon counterpart embracing all I have learned to date. But these are just two basic elements of this amplifier and there is so much more. It is a multitude of concepts all wrapped into one, woven together to form a perfect synergy...


With kind thanks and warm New Years greetings to the “What’s best forum” readers,

Robert

PS – For those who would like to read about the wonderful Japanese fabrics that so inspired us - https://sendaihira.jp/english.html

Thank you for information

 

[Elliot G.]

Ten: A Collection of Artisanal Products Announces Exclusive US Partnership with Bending Wave USA for Robert Koda Audio - The Absolute Sound

Ten: A Collection of Artisanal Products Announces Exclusive US Partnership with Bending Wave USA for Robert Koda Audio - Ten, a division of Absolute Sounds founded by Ricardo Franassovici, is proud to announce that Bending Wave USA, based in Davie, Florida, has become the exclusive...

www.theabsolutesound.com

 

[LL21]

Great news! Congratulations. As Robert and Ricardo know, I have been a big proponent of a US presence for RK as well as for Absolute Sounds given their extensive international clientele who may have a base in London but often come from all over the world. This makes a lot of sense, and this is a powerful platform for Robert Koda. Look forward to reading more.

 

[Amir]

Great news! Congratulations.