So what ever happened to Kinki Studio???

@b_limo 

The pairing of the Carrera Be and the Kinki is great.  Actually Fritz had the same pairing and admitted to me that he sold his Kinki Integrated too soon without giving it enough time to break-in properly. He realized it when he went to a customers house and heard the pairing with an amp that had many hundreds more hours than his did.  Since the Carrera's have been rotated through three different systems during the space of almost a year they have been fronted by the  PS Audio BHK 250, Van Alstine Vision SET 400 and the Kinki EX-M7 all combined with the Supratek Chardonnay preamp.  Also tried them with the newest 2020 version of the EX-M1+ and the Audia Flight FL Three S.  Any if the three integrateds would be a good choice.  The two Kinki's just have a slightly different look and a different volume control module which with the Carrera's lower sensitivity doesn't matter.  They are more on the neutral side than the warmer voiced Audia Flight which from Fritz's description to me would be closer to the Belles Aria.  So it kind of comes down to what direction you want the Carrera's to go in.  They will let you know what amp is on the other end.

Hi Jackd—can you give your sonic impressions of the M7 vs the M1+?  I guess to to compare directly you’d need to use the M1+ as the pre for the M7.  I have a Schiit Ragnarok2 and Merlin VSMs, thinking about replacing with the M1+ or using as the pre for the M7 (and therefore keeping the Ragnarok’s headphone amp in the system).  Thanks!!

@thrasherbear 

The M1+ and the M7 are set up in two different systems in two different room so no can't try M1+ as a preamp for M7.  The two amps have the same basic sonic signature the M7 just has more reserve current which I don't think would really be needed with your speakers unless your room is huge. The M1+ is in my Family Room which is 22'x26'x10' driving the Nola KO's and it does so effortlessly.  If you will read Srajen's review he goes into his view of the differences between the integrated and the power amp.  Were I in your shoes I would get the new version of the M1+ and be done.

@jackd 

Thanks for the very helpful feedback.  I just wish the M1+ had a headphone output.

@jackd  Thanks for sharing your impressions, it was very helpful. 

I am thinking about pulling the trigger on the Kinki m7 but I have 3 concerns about it and I hope you help me with those. 1) is it too soft as some others reported? 2) is it lean or thin in the mids (low mids)? 3) is the bass light and not hefty/full like the older Kinki m1?