DK Design Group vs. Boulder

High end audio is not about prices, it is about having the best possible audio reproduction. However, I do want to take into account the law of dimishing returns. If the Boulder set-up will sound only 5% better then its not worth a 10 times increase in cost, but if its like 20% better then I would go for it. The thing is, I have already heard equipment several times the price then the DK and have yet to hear something better.

Believe me, I am not hooking up high end equipment with wiring from Best Buy. Such a presumption is just silly. And accusing me of being a "shill" is ridiculous. I am looking to upgrade and want some meaningful comments and information from fellow audiophiles. I think anyone who has heard the DK integrated can appreciate where I am comming from.

Does an amplifier really have to cost as much as a new BMW or a Lexus to be trully great? And is it then impossible for one that does not, to also be great? Think about this for a second, the DK Signature is a $5000 integrated. Thats already extremely expensive. So why is my comment that it is better then more expensive gear elicit shill comments?

So please do not post here unless your comments are relevant. I want to hear from people who have actually compared the DK with Boulder.

You are not making sense. Everything could obviously be auditioned at the local showroom. Then I guess there would be no reason to have this forum? Why do people post anything on here? Might just tell everyone - just go and audition it.

Whats wrong with wanting some opinions?

Onhwy61, wow, thats really something

Matty,

Obviously you must see that I was being sarcastic in that thread. Would I be on Audiogon if I only owned an iPod? I really didn't think it required explanation.

Ok, you got me, I am Larry Staples. I am the new owner of DK. The DK Design Group Signature is a piece of crap. I have been manufacturing this piece as a "get rich quick scheme". It costs $10 to make in China and I sit here all day promoting it so that people will buy it. The truth is, even a JVC receiver is better.

Audiofankj, your memory is either very clouded or you have never heard the DK. First of all, the DK Mk. 2 is not $5K, it is $3K. The DK Signature is $5K.

Second of all, the Mk. 2 never had a feature that allows you to bypass the preamp section. So there is no way you could have heard it with the Aesthetix preamp.

Finally, don't forget that the Mk. 2 is long discontinued and has been replaced with the Mk. 3.

Actually, Audiofankj, your memory is in fact so clouded that it wasn't even a DK Design Group amplifier you were listening to. You must have mistaken a Musical Fidelity amplifier for the DK, thats probably why you didn't think it souded very good. There is no model of the DK, whether its the Mk. 2, the Mk. 3, or the Signature that allows you to bypass the pre-amp section and not a single one of them has pre-amp inputs.

Ok, so one thing is already clear. You were listening to a DK VS-1 Reference Mk. 2 that sold for $2995, it is the only model that had the digital meter on the front. All future models do not have a meter.

If you had the Aesthetix going into one of the inputs, this could have resulted in a sonic degradation as you are adding more components then necessary in the signal path.

So, Audiofankj, I take it that you think Boulder equipment is better?

I guess then I should get a new pre-amp? Maybe running three pre-amps in series is even better?