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Thread: The Khozmo Mkii Stepped attenuator

  1. #11
    Join Date: Sep 2009

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    Quote Originally Posted by Stratmangler View Post
    Are all those bare looking wires from the selector switch insulated by being lacquered?
    It would bother me hugely if not
    They are lacquered... Regardless they are always checked so they are not too close to anything or any other of the wires. They are stiff too so they don't droop.
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  2. #12
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK

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    Quote Originally Posted by The Black Adder View Post
    They are stiff too so they don't droop.
    I guess you wouldn't have it any other way, big boy!

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  3. #13
    Join Date: Jun 2016

    Location: London

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    I'm Paul.

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    Hi,
    2 - 1/2 years later...... I'm thinking of following in your footsteps; I also have a Black Beauty (bb) installed in a Croft preamp. I understand I would gain more transparency, separation and space with a stepped attenuator (SA) instead of the bb. Is the Khozmo still holding up ? Does anyone have a sense of how differently the DACT or even TKD device would present music relative to the Khozmo ? Using a fast and open Decca cartridge on a good tonearm, silver bypasses on the phono stage's Duelund copper caps and fast single driver horns that give air and space aplenty, its hard to imagine just how much more transparency would come through with an SA. Perhaps I'd appreciate the difference on larger scale notionally more congested orchestral material. Concerned that the SA would thin out the sound too much, on the lean tending horns, though they're great now with the BB. Any thoughts much appreciated. Thank you.
    Last edited by Paul4972; 05-11-2016 at 21:55.

  4. #14
    RothwellAudio Guest

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    I checked out the Khozmo website and that stepped attenuator certainly looks well-made and not terribly expensive. However, can someone explain exactly what a "shunt" attenuator is? I think I already know but I'd like it spelled out for me if possible.

  5. #15
    Join Date: Oct 2012

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    I'm Alan.

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    Andrew, a shunt attenuator is one with a fixed series resistor followed by a variable resistance to ground, either by a variable pot, or in the case of a stepped attenuator a selected single resistor to ground.


  6. #16
    Join Date: Oct 2016

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    I'm David.

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    I use a Khozmo shunt in the prototype of my latest pre design. I've also tried TKD and Tocos pots shunted or otherwise. The Khozmo is the best sounding of all of these and very well made

  7. #17
    RothwellAudio Guest

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    The very idea of a "shunt" attenuator seems deeply flawed to me. It's a shame the Khozmo doesn't come as a more conventional design because it does look nicely made.

  8. #18
    Join Date: Mar 2008

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    It can sound very good though, and make a cheap pot sound much better too.
    “Music has always been a matter of energy to me, a question of fuel. Sentimental people call it inspiration, but what they really mean is fuel. I have always needed fuel. I am a serious consumer. On some nights I still believe that a car with the gas needle on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio”

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  9. #19
    Join Date: Mar 2012

    Location: Gloucestershire

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    I'm Paul.

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    Quote Originally Posted by RothwellAudio View Post
    The very idea of a "shunt" attenuator seems deeply flawed to me. It's a shame the Khozmo doesn't come as a more conventional design because it does look nicely made.
    Quite. It's probably not an issue though if using low output impedance sources and has some cost benefits in such cases. The issue with shunt type stepped attenuators is that there's always going to be a conflict between keeping the input to output series resistance as high as possible to maintain a sensible load impedance, especially for higher output impedance sources, with the requirement to pass most if not all of the signal for higher volume settings. Ladder-types or series types would make more sense for valve sources.

    You're right though, they do look well made and Arek Kallas, the chap that makes them, is a really nice guy too.

  10. #20
    Join Date: Mar 2008

    Location: Galashiels

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    “Music has always been a matter of energy to me, a question of fuel. Sentimental people call it inspiration, but what they really mean is fuel. I have always needed fuel. I am a serious consumer. On some nights I still believe that a car with the gas needle on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio”

    Hunter S Thompson

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