Sonically the Kleos is a downgrade but you won't notice it because you spent more money and your brain expect a better performance. Kleos is a good choice for a very analytic, thin, harsh sounding analog rig or for average Phonostages which can't show big differences. It is smooth and has a very soft high frequency area. It is also silent in the grooves. Great for noisy Reissues. Delos is better for someone who is looking for real Performance with a very good analog System. Normally it should be sold for 6k and the Kleos for 1.5k. That's high End. But don't be confused, you will get a lot of confirmations from happy Kleos owners who think it is a great cartridge :-). Lyra has some outstanding ones (or had), but not each one is among them. Lyra Kleos in action . |
Dear Tom:
Both the Delos and Kleos are "New Angle" cartridges, in which the signal coils are accurately aligned to the magnetic system when vertical tracking force is applied, and this technology is the basis for why they sound and perform better than competing cartridges at similar price points.
Compared to the Kleos, the Delos has a somewhat higher output signal which may help some phono stages, but that is the extent of its advantages over the Kleos.
The Kleos has less wire in the coils (and therefore lighter and more responsive coils), more intimate bonding of the stylus to the cantilever (which conveys the vibrations of the LP groove more faithfully to the signal coils), a stiffer body which is also less resonant, and tighter bonding between the cartridge and tonearm headshell.
Both are good-sounding cartridges, but IME (and according to most users, dealers and reviewers that I have heard from), the Kleos sounds considerably better. In some areas, in fact, I prefer the sound of the Kleos over the Titan i (a more natural top end, and less background noise).
OTOH, every listener is free to choose the sound that he likes best - when it comes to subjective tastes, there is no right or wrong.
kind regards, jonathan |
Having upgraded from a Delos, I am one of those "happy Kleos owners who think it is a great cartridge."
Syntax's system is beyond belief, so perhaps it, and his ears, reveal things few other systems would. Note that he has a Lyra Olympos. |
Thanks for the help. I will try get my hands on the Kleos and compare it to the delos and then both with my XV-1s in my system.
Like the Delos quite a bit. |
I too started with a Delos but my dealer allowed me to upgrade to the Kleos and after about 4 weeks with the Delos it was a superb performer but the Kleos is better. I feel that extracts more information to the extent that I have been amazed at how much information is contained in those grooves. But once it is extracted with archeilogical precison it then converts it to music in the most natural tonality I could hope for. The differnce between the two is quite large in that they both are wonderful cartridges and the Delos is a destination in it's self, the Kleos is just a much more musical and enjoyable journey. I look back as I spent money I really couldn't or shouldn't have invested at the time for economic reasons, but now about 8 months later, I can only say it was worth it. |
Thanks Theo and Lloydc,
Have you found the high freq. soft, or the cartridge overly warm and forgiving?
Thanks again. |
I have yet to audition/try the Kleos but I can enthusiastically recommend the Delos. It is a very smooth sound cartridge that extacts the vinyl ripples with the most precise nature to get the groove going. Prior to this cartridge I had a Dynavector DV20XH. |
Thanks Miner42, I'm using the Delos right now, and agree with you. |
I wouldn't say the high freq. of the Kleos is "warm and forgiving", certainly not compared to my low output Grado Statement Reference, which is. The Kleos seems a little smoother and more relaxed than the Delos, overall. I would have a hard time imagining anything to complain about, with the Kleos. |
Thom, I notice you have the xv-1s.
Compared to this cartridge, yes the Kleos is less extended in the upper frequencies. The xv-1 has more upper frequency air, and bass impact. Most other aspects of the Kleos is sota, especially in the midrange and quietness.
Whether or not you or anyone will see this aspect of the Kleos and advantage or disadvantage will depend on the tonal qualities of your sysem I would suspect. |
Syntax, (or anyone else with direct experience) how would you describe the midrange qualities of the Delos vs. the Kleos? Is one tonally different from the other? thanks |
Tom, I would not define the highs as neither soft or bright but as natural as I would expect them to be. I really feel this cartridge has a knack for presenting a true and accurate timbre from top to bottom. To say soft, bright, warm or cool is applying margins where none exist. In my opinion of course. I have had catridges that are bright or harsh and some that are bland or mushy. To me the Lyra house sound is true to voice, as I imagine it to be, since I was not in the studio. I just think the Kleos exemplifies the best qualities of that Lyra sound at a price that could easily be 1000.00 more. |
Really enjoying the Delos. Something special going on with this cartridge in my system. have not even put the XV-1s back on and will probably sell it and put some money into my table. I will try the Kleos down the road, but right now I dont feel the need to change out the Delos. |
Tom_hankins, nice to hear that the Delos is working so well for you. I also have found an excellent cart for my system, in the Emt Tsd-15 . I have been in search of other fine cartridges in the $1500-2K range. Was hoping if you could answer a basic question about going from D-V to the Delos. I have no experience with the Lyra's, but haven't considered them, because they are said to have a dead nuts neutral type sound. Do you consider the Delos to have a bit more body, than your D-V in general. The Tsd-15 was basically a wake up call for me. It showed me that a 2K cartridge, when properly matched, can be quite good. |
I think the Dynavector has an overall slightly warmer sound than the lyra. maybe a little more body through the midrange. but the lyra does not sound sterile or thin at all. Just a very nice and very balanced from top to bottom cartridge. i used the Dyna XX2 MKII for two years and was very happy with it. I think this Delos is a step above it. |
Tom, If you are getting great sound and synergy from your Delos - don't change, enjoy it. |
In a way it doesn't matter. Most components in a System need compensation among each other. And most users want to spend money, the ability to understand what is going on has absolutely no connection to that. MP3 became a huge success and it is only logical that it will be available in a cartridge design sooner or later. There is a System out there somewhere that's the ideal match for any cartridge. |
Syntax, thanks for your thoughts on the Delos and Kleos.
Life is full of compromise. Only you can decide which compromise is right for you. |
Thanks again every one for the help. One last question. Would the Skala be closer sonicly to the Delos than the Kleos? |
In many ways the these two cartridges are very good. The Kleos may sound more refined than the Delos many systems. However in the right system, the Delos may be very hard to beat by any cartridge. It's a great one for sure. |
Having heard both of these cartridges and now owning a Kleos, one thing is certain, that is both require a very very precise set-up. Even the slightest error and you simply won't hear what these cartridges are capable of. IME, the Kleos is a lot more accurate sounding and more resolved at both ends of the spectrum to the Delos. The Delos may work in more set ups, as i suspect it is a tad more forgiving, and it seems to work with a wider range of loading. Nonetheless, the Kleos reminds me a lot more of the top of the line Atlas, as it probably should as the design shares a number of similarities. |
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I've had the Delos since 2016, for the most part I have never looked back nor do I feel the need to. I have thought many, many times about the Kleos and I still do especially with the trade in Lyra program. But still a lot of money....and that is the only reason why I probably will not get a Kleos.
The Delos is a beast.......My point is not about the money, my point is about the sound of the Delos. If I really wanted the Kleos sound I would buy it.
The Kleos has a particular sound as does the Delos, both are excellent performers and extractors of sound. I've heard the Kleos and it keeps me interested but the Delos has pretty much everything I need.
I'm very confident my Nova II phono stage can handle the Kleos, but I am not interested in buying a $3K+ phono stage to pull 100% of everything the Kleos might do. |
