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Questions About the K&K Phono Kit (Long)

Posted by Artar1 (A) on November 18, 2004 at 18:25:18

Because I cannot see or hear the K&K phono preamp kit before purchase, I have several questions about it. The kit I am referring to carries an MSRP of $1,500, and is shown on K&K Audio’s price list but no picture of the kit appears on the web site.

Here are my questions:

1. Is the complete phono kit identical to a fully built Art Audio Vinyl Reference phono stage? If these two units are not the same, how do they differ?

2. Will the kit handle low-output MC cartridges? If not, what else is required?

3. The Vinyl Reference has the following specifications: a) MM: 43 dB gain @ 47K ohms in parallel with 220 pF; b) MC: 63 dB gain @ 100 ohms, 300 ohms, and 47K ohms. c) Output impedance = 200 ohms.

Does the kit have the same specifications? If not, what are they?

Does the K&K phono kit have the same sound as the Art Audio Vinyl Reference? If so, would you say the following comments from Positive Feedback are valid and applicable to the K&K phono kit:

“…the Vinyl Reference will not rock the house. It simply will not win points on the slam-bang dynamics of rock-driven-thrash-music when compared against the competition…the Reference is a bit soft, and is lacking in extension at both ends of the spectrum…it just makes things sound less defined and full in the bass, and softer and less "sparkly" at the top…the bass simply could not offer the slam and control I am used to hearing…The bass lacks sufficient slam, definition, and texture. It goes deep alright, but it never really got my juices a’vibratin.” -- Dave Clark

“This phono stage is not neutral in tone—it has the warm, tubey, even syrupy voicing of classic tube gear—yet somehow it maintains that glass bottle glow without smearing all of the detail out of the music…The only thing I found dissatisfying about the Art Audio was its dynamics. To be clear, I am speaking about macrodynamics…the Art Audio always sounds pretty. It lacks some snap and growl when called upon…the leading transients of instruments such as drums and guitars seemed a tad soft…when called upon to get really big (think Wagner), the Art Audio sounded a little restricted…Interested buyers of the Art Audio phono preamplifier will be divided into three camps. One third will not be able to live with its dynamic limitations, a second will own associated equipment that is sufficiently lively in character to offset the Art Audio’s limitations, and the final third simply won't care about the dynamics, because the Art Audio does everything else just right.” – Bryan Gladstone

“…the ART [sounded] warmer and slightly more forward. Cymbals were…a tad brassier on the ART. The ART rendered the performance as if the instruments were in the room… The ART seemed to catch that illusive spark of reality and make the record sound less like a recording…The sonority and richness of the ART was terrific. It delivered very good, deep bass with beautiful overtones and warm hall acoustics…The ART rendered female voices faithfully…The piano and voice were present in the room, and distortion was nonexistent…The mids were nearly alive, and exquisitely airy. The orchestra was clearly in front of the chorus and the balance was right on target. The performance was more lifelike with the ART…Both preamps were dead quiet…The ART also seemed to slightly reduce surface noise…the ART is ear candy! Your record collection, particularly your treasured golden oldies, will be exalted on this gorgeous piece of audio legerdemain. Its flexibility will surely benefit any system, balanced or single-ended, solid state or tube. Its lack of idiosyncrasies was a joy, as was its sound. The ART is a piece of art.”
-- Robert H. Levi

These comments can be found at

http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue11/vinylreference.htm

and

http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue7/artaudio.htm

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

Regards.

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