Kondo and B&W?

[Reffc]

The misnomer with SE amps is that the more powerful they are, the more grip on speakers they have which is a false belief. Unless they use a modicum of negative feedback and low output impedance, most SE designs cannot remain stable into a varying speaker load, particularly one with a high phase angle or one with an impedance curve that looks like the Alps (Tannoys anyone?) as their damping factor is too low to control the loads involved. Lots of power without low output impedance is pretty much a waste of time with highly variable or low loudspeaker impedance loads or where large drivers like this are concerned. Not such an issue into very high loudspeaker impedances which are pretty rarely seen these days. Of course, that ignores the fairy dust magic distortion warmth of a Kondo...you can almost smell the pixie flames licking at your ears...

[Macca]

200k! Is that really what they cost? You could hire diana krall and her band to do a gig for yo personall and still have 190 k left over. Lunacy. If you want a tailored sound buy a graphic equaliset you can get a good one for 200 notes or less.

[istari_knight]

200k! Is that really what they cost? You could hire diana krall and her band to do a gig for yo personall and still have 190 k left over. Lunacy. If you want a tailored sound buy a graphic equaliset you can get a good one for 200 notes or less.

Shhh with that common sense

One can make any decent SS amplifier behave more like a valve amp [and maybe sound more like one] by adding series output resistors to increase the amplifiers output impedance. Common values to try vary from 1R > 4.7R... FWIW Bob Carver prefers 1.5R in his amplifiers

Just ensure you use high wattage resistors [like 3x20w in series or similar.]

[pure sound]

Good luck with that. I'd still like to hear a SS amp with some series R applied that sounds like an Ongaku or Gaku-Oh.

[istari_knight]

Me too ! I cant see an EQ doing it either somehow... But they aren't your average valve amp are they ?

[Macca]

Hello kondo? Yes, I have some b&w 801 speakers that I bought because they were specifically designed as a full range ultra low distortion studio monitor and I would like to partner them with some amps tha exhibit 5% thd best case and that cost 200 grand. Yes if you google ' more money than sense - images' you will see a picture of me. Yes, of course i' ll hold...

[User211]

Here's a couple of Gaku-On system pics I took from Hong Kong 2008.





Now I can tell you it is perfectly possible to walk into a room like this, and be COMPLETELY underwhelmed. Because I was just that. The problem wasn't the amps but the Kharma speakers which I have never liked. Zzzz always send me to sleep. They are tonally pleasant, I suppose, but really f*^*ing boring. Another questionable speaker choice? For me, yes, but hey...

These did have some NOS GE tubes in though. Better...

[Reffc]

Hello kondo? Yes, I have some b&w 801 speakers that I bought because they were specifically designed as a full range ultra low distortion studio monitor and I would like to partner them with some amps tha exhibit 5% thd best case and that cost 200 grand. Yes if you google ' more money than sense - images' you will see a picture of me. Yes, of course i' ll hold...

[User211]

Hello kondo? Yes, I have some b&w 801 speakers that I bought because they were specifically designed as a full range ultra low distortion studio monitor and I would like to partner them with some amps tha exhibit 5% thd best case and that cost 200 grand. Yes if you google ' more money than sense - images' you will see a picture of me. Yes, of course i' ll hold...

Well 5% at full power - but yes, point taken Within their no-strain output range with these speakers (if there really is one), though, the accurate studio monitor should reveal the charming sonic qualities of the design.

Maybe.

I must admit to being really impressed with an Ongaku driving Snell type Ks many years ago though. Really did sound lovely, despite the price mismatch.

The question is, what are the best speakers for these designs? I'd love to hear some old huge WE horns with them... I wonder

[Macca]

Well I am not one to comment on kit I have not heard and I figured thesr amps were not cheap but it really is so silly I could not resist.