Kinki Studio EX-M1 200wpc Integrated Amplifier
It states over at vinshineaudio.com that Mike now handles No. American sales and servicing of equipment and to please buy from him as of 8/29/2018. It's about $89 more than if you bought it from Alex but you're getting the service from someone close by. That, and he has to stock the units as well so it's worth it, if that was part of your question. Sorry if it wasn't. All the best, Nonoise |
Thanks for the clarification, Al. I was under the impression that some watts were wasted if one had to crank up the volume before hearing something. And, mrdecibel, the designer of my now, sadly gone, Tonian Labs TL-D1 speaker was of the same mind as you. He felt that the best amps had just one pair of output transistors (one per channel) as they had the speed necessary for sounding real. As one doubled up or went further, it slowed and muddled things too much for his tastes. All the best, Nonoise |
No, mine doesn't have the high/low gain switch as it was the first version. After living with my Marantz, which I had to turn up at least a quarter of the way before I could hear it, it's nice to have it come on with great resolution at around that first watt. Wasn't it some tube amp designer (Decware?) who said something like, if you can't hear/use the first watt, what good are the remaining ones? Or something like that? With a proper set up, you can get most of what you need with that first watt, and this amp does that, so why curtail it? I can see if one has a super efficient speakers (98db or higher) since you don't want to blow something out, but I like having it come on early. I find it very refreshing. 👍 All the best, Nonoise |
Just took a look at some screen shots of a Norma and I don't see the resemblance but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The Norma looks more like a cross between a Schiit product and something from Musical Fidelity to me. As for it's having a true balanced input, one reviewer stated that it's only a "simple" XLR input, meaning it's not. I can't say for sure. If it is, then it's there to add in another type of input, widening it's appeal. All the best, Nonoise |
Hello Al, From a review I read (can't find it now) there is someone who noticed the same thing you have and asked to have the gain reduced so as to not come on so much at lower settings and they adjusted it for future models. Maybe they could do something similar for you. Alvin is very responsive and since they make them as they're ordered, maybe some accommodation can be at hand. All the best, Nonoise |
Hi Al, Boy oh boy, I am enjoying this. 😄 The only thing I can say is that it takes just one click (about .5db) for me to start to hear something coming out of my speakers. What used to take to get to satisfying levels with my Marantz (-43db), I’m now getting at -20db, or thereabouts, if I’m thinking correctly. My Marantz has 200 steps with each at .5db (from 100 to 0, or max) and the Kinki has 256 steps, each at .5db (?)(from 0 to 255). The readout is at 20 and I’m hearing everything. I was perfectly content at 20 and it was only after trying out some jazz that I realized the SPLs were much lower than what I’m accustomed to. Turning up to 30 just made it all the more realistic sounding, along with the SPLs that I’m used to listening at. Going through my CD collection I’ll make sure to try out some piano and let you know if it sounds good. All the best, Nonoise |
Took delivery of the Kinki EX M1 an hour ago. It's staying put in my rack. Everything Sarjan said about it is true, and then some. If every exhibitor in every room in every audio show used this to demonstrate their speakers, cables, sources, whatever, it would all sound great, and all because of this integrated. Best money I've ever spent. Alvin will probably increase lead times for delivery as demand should go up after more people hear this. I'm going to stop now and go back to listening (enjoying) and report back later next week. 👍👍👍 All the best, Nonoise |
@dht4me, You've just whetted my appetite even more. That's rare company to be associated with. 5 days after ordering the EX M1, it shipped and the next day it's in L.A., in customs. I'll get it on Monday (god willing and the creek don't rise....). And I have to mention the customer service even before I even get it. Alvin emailed me to make sure I knew it was stateside (with a link to DHL) and is eager to hear what I think about it. Who does that nowadays? All the best, Nonoise |
I can't seem to find that extra $18K I had lying around so I guess I'll have to contend with the Kinki EX-M1 that I ordered. 👍 Thanks, @teajay for the update. I eagerly await your review when it comes out. Hopefully it will be out before my unit arrives. I'm pretty sure it will be a step up from my Marantz PM15S2b. All the best, Nonoise |
@stereo5 , Here's a link to the warranty aspect of Vinshine Audio: https://www.vinshineaudio.com/warranty Note that at the end of the description, there is now a stateside audio repair facility. It may be Mike Powell Audio who does the repair work for Denafrips DACs which Alvin of Vinshine Audio also imports. I'm not entirely sure but it's nice to know it can be done stateside. All the best, Nonoise |
So far as I can tell and from what Alvin told me, there should be no duty pending, stateside. Srajan noted in his review that in Ireland and most parts of the EU, it could be as much as 20%. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I'm also a bit intrigued by their DAC as well. Liu prefers to have density in his sound to achieve realism and he's using the AKM 4495 with it's "velvet sound" to get there. Liu believes in an artistic approach to interior design along with keeping circuits as short as possible and having all circuit traces gold plated (2 microns). He's not so much into numbers or the latest craze but what sounds good to his ears. His asking price for the DAC is very reasonable, like his integrated. Alvin is very responsive to emails and would gladly answer any questions. Right now it's 4:39 AM in China but when he's up, he answers quickly. All the best, Nonoise |
I just ordered the Kinki EX-M1 through PayPal and the exchange rate works out to $2,200.51. Even at that price, I think it's going to be a steal if it performs as good as the reviews say. Terry London of hometheaterhifi.com should be out with his review soon and from what he wrote Srajan on his take (in Srajan's review) speaks very highly of the Kinki as well. All the best, Nonoise |
You guys beat me to it. I'm putting in my order for it later today. Alvin is an absolute pleasure to deal with. Check out the page on the 6moons review with the specs. It looks to be flat from 8Hz-26Khz. That's a straight wire with gain if there ever was one. The amp designer, Liu, seems to really like the Swiss approach to sound. If it had a Swiss nameplate on it, it would go for 10X the price. What Srajan had to put together to approximate the sound of the Kinki was with a Nagra pre amp and a pair of LinnenberG mono amps. By the way, it's S$2898 delivered to your door. That's Singapore dollars. It works out to about $2135.751 at the current exchange rate. All the best, Nonoise |
