Jfrech, I'm sorry you were unable to come over on Saturday.

I thought I was buying a used Koda K 10, but wondered when it took so long to break in. I think that it is now ready to go. I have noticed two things about it that might be of interest to you. One is that Robert says there is no reason to leave it on all the time, but I would say that it is beneficial to turn it off every night. On turn on, it is better each morning. It takes very little time to be back at its best.

Second it is very sensitive to how it is isolated. Until yesterday I had it on a StillPoints rack with their Grids and Ultra SSs. Then I put it on their rack but with an Accapella base on the Grids and a Star Sound Apprentice platform between the base and the Koda. Both the high and low ends were greatly improved by doing so. The decay of notes is now quite real.

tbg May 12, 2014 15:45

Lloyd, Just sitting here listening...and I missed some things that are better with the Opus MM2. First is the specific places it puts instruments on the stage and how it separates not only each instrument but each note that's being played. 2nd is the power/impact and better energy than the Ref MM and finally the quickness in which the cable allows the music to start and stop.

All of this combines for a more interesting listening session. It's more information like I said before...but it's also delivered in a better way. This 2nd element may be it's best traight...

jfrech May 11, 2014 12:51

Hey Lloyd, the Opus SC have incredibly relaxed, bass deepened, resolution improved...it's just a better cable pure and simple over the Ref MM.

So right now I have Opus MM2 from Phono to Pre. Ref MM MM2 Dac to pre and Pre to amp. Then the Opus MM2 SC...

My dealer also had a Opus MM2 interconnect I was able to try for a few days vs my Ref MM off my Dac. It was fully broken in and tuned for my dCS dac. So we listened to one song...put in the Opus MM2 interconnect and bamm. On the first guitar note...it's the same stuff with Transparent. Lower noise, deeper bass, more textures everywhere and much better resolution. Over the next few days I just enjoyed the Opus IC...then yesterday put the Ref MM IC back in...it definitely is a notch down down not take but a few moments to hear the diff.

I do think the more Opus MM2 I add it's more like 1+1=3...with it all working together it seems to improve more than just a single cable (even though you can clearly hear a single cable.)

jfrech May 11, 2014 12:29

Hey JFrech,

Just checking in on your Opus SC after about 10-14 days...how do they compare now with your old RefMM (MM2)? If you had to score XL, RefMM, Opus...on a scale of 1-100, how would you score? Thanks!!!

lloydelee21 May 10, 2014 19:34

Jfrech, this Saturday Ddraudt, David is driving over from Austin to hear my full HFC system and my Koda. I'm is College Station. You are welcome to come along. You can get to me at 979 plus 820 and 1314.

tbg May 06, 2014 13:48

If you ever get to the Austin area, let me know...happy to have you stop by and listen to my set up.

jfrech May 06, 2014 11:33

Jfrech, I just took your advice and set the volume at one click from maximum for digital, but vinyl is much lower.

tbg May 06, 2014 00:18

My Hovland HP200 has 37 steps. The K10's 22 was never going to be enough. At least I have a good reason to turn my back on it.

spiritofmusic May 03, 2014 22:49

JF and Tbg, the K10 is enough of an aspirational product w/out stumping up the extra $10k-$15k for the K15.
I'm sorry, but I just could never get the level right in my room. Shame, it's a sensational product, but to justify such an exalted price in my case I would really need the finer control of the K15.
I promise not to cry into my beer!

spiritofmusic May 03, 2014 22:09

I know the K 15 has 9 db more gain and at least 40 volume positions versus the 22 on the K 10.

I suspect you are right, Jfrech, that Robert is unwilling to do more than to cut gain.

I'm doing a very thorough test between my Exemplar XP-2 fully balanced tube line stage and the Koda K 10. The Exemplar just blossumed with two of the HFC URR pcs on it. The Koda was benefitted also but its turn is Monday.

tbg May 03, 2014 21:34

Good point...I think the Koda's volume control is all hand made and takes the better part of a day to build. Only so many settings in this arrangement...I don't have a issue and this is coming from a Nagra that was infinitely adjustable via a pot. Although I am sure this system matching and preference, so I can certainly understand how others may feel...

Here's a pic of the volume control if you scroll down some

http://www.inner-magazines.com/news/494/57/Koda-Takumi-K-10-pre-amp/

jfrech May 03, 2014 18:49

JF, as you know I had the K10 in recently, and got to really like it. But I had a couple of caveats, one being the settings on the volume which in my system were just too coarse in the 11 o'clock - 1 o'clock positions. I felt this was unacceptable for such a highly priced unit.
Why can some preamps have a 64 step volume, and others like the Koda well below half this number?

spiritofmusic May 03, 2014 13:51

I think our Koda K10's have only 6db, I agree the volume notches as the very top of the scale get more course...so can understand your point. I think the design factor that Koda considered was why cut back the gain from the source only to amplify it once again...therefore less volume attenuation, plus superior volume attenuation (have you seen a pic of our volume control -holy smokes is that a piece of work) equals better sound from his design.

As far as your PureDac, using the 3rd highest setting shouldn't matter...other than the coursness, each setting won't change the sound as in some preamp designs.

I've read some very nice things about your phono stage.

jfrech May 03, 2014 11:38

Jfrech, presently I'm using the BMC Arcadia speaker, a LSA Statement Plus amp, the Koda line stage, the Exemplar XP-2 balanced line stage,all HFC Ultra Reference cables and speaker wires, four HFC Ultimate Reference Rhodium pcs and their Magnetic Waveguide power filter, the BMC MCCI phono stage, the Nantais Lenco with the Ikeda 407 long tone arm and their 9TT cartridge, Star Sound Apprentic platforms, two StillPoints ESS Racks, the BMC PureDac, and the Exemplar eXpo T 105 (Oppo 105 moded) universal player. I also have a pro music server from Empirical Audio Legacy. And I have a set of Zilplex room treatments.

While I prefer the PureDac for digital output, it does not have the gain of the Exemplar. This causes me to use the third highest setting on the Koda. Every digital recording does cause me to vary from the third highest to three settings below that. Life is a lot easier with the Exemplar XP-2 which has 32 db of gain versus the seven or eight on the Koda. The Koda K 15 has 9 db more gain but is beyond my reach, especially after buying all the HFC cabling.

I also have BMC M2 monoblocks but one has been broken since early February. Hopefully I will get it back from repair some time in May.

tbg May 02, 2014 13:32

Hi Albert, you know me, I am always willing to try anything. However, I do think the phono stage is the thing I need to figure out next....with kids in college the funds are a bit thin now!

jfrech May 02, 2014 11:47

Tbg, awesome ! I really love my K10. It's one of those products that I am not sure I can ever ever sell. It's just pure music. The course volume doesn't seem to bother me much...it's a set and forget.

I don't have gain issues at all. Could be how it matches to my amps and sources. My Digital plays about 1 o'clock on the scale...vinyl about 2 o'clock...

What's the rest of your system?

jfrech May 02, 2014 11:45

John,

If you want to hear Ricks cable I have them here.

albertporter May 02, 2014 05:00

Jfrech, there is another Koda K 10 in Texas. I've had one for nearly a month. I dearly wish it had more volume positions, a bit more gain, and of course a remote, but it sure is a real sound. I've never heard anything like it. You should get Rick Schultz to bring over some of his cables and pcs to hear on the K 10. He's in Plano.

tbg May 02, 2014 01:05

Great stuff JFrech!!! Congrats!

lloydelee21 May 01, 2014 20:47

System edited: updated pics with Opus MM2 speaker cable

jfrech April 27, 2014 21:27

Hello, I have a mix of Ref MM MM2 interconnect and Opus MM2. Opus from the phono stage and Ref MM MM2 from dac to pre and pre to amp...

I know :-) your familiar with the Transparent break in process, 1st few hours sounded ok...yesterday was hard to listen to, this am seems much better...I am sure I have 2-3 weeks here before it quits moving around. Already it's more resolved, more dynamic and more spatial...

Loading is different on phono stages...My Nagra is part transformer step up and part active gain vs your all active gain ARC. That said, I have my loading at 840 ohm. Doesn't surprise me what you say on different cartridges. I've loved my 5 lyre's over the years..you can find some thing that is better in a area here or there...but the Lyra's seem always hold a edge in some important areas...

jfrech April 27, 2014 10:27

I missed the 20/3...just looked for it ! I really want to get a phono stage next...then a 2nd table down the road. Pretty sure I'd like a SME again...yours sounds fantastic ! and I've always said I missed my 20/2

The speaker cables were fixing a issue...the left was a bit short with the Rockports vs the Wilsons (The left Rockport liked being in a diff spot about 2-3 feet further from the center...my room is a little asymmetrical). So I got the length I really needed and a upgrade in performance.

My phono stage list has been narrowed to the Robert Koda (if it get's released), the Allnic H5000 (Arnie and Albert just love theirs), the Tron 7GT and the Lamm...

I heard a all Lamm system recently and was VERY impressed.

Since, I now have a solid state pre and amp...really want a tube phono...anyway I am tapped out for bit money wise...so we all know how that is !

jfrech April 26, 2014 22:45

Wow, you guys are playing in the stratosphere. Perhaps you should contact Project X space flight or Virgin Atlantic spacecraft and make the trip to across the pond in an hour or so.

Congratulations John. Now all you need is an SME. Have you seen that sweet 20/3 with the Titan i for sale? There is also a 30/12 belonging to Rgurney available. (You know you are thinking about it, and Lloyd is from that part of the world where such masterpieces are conceived)

peterayer April 26, 2014 18:29

Congratulations with your Opus speaker cables! I am sure a similar degree of improvement or perhaps even more from mm to xl line. Did you also change the interconnectors with Opus?

Yes, Ref Phono 10 is almost excellent right out of the box, it is improving still, now 70 hours, looking to hear it when it completes 500-600 hours.

Btw, a good friend of mine gave me his Lyra Atlas for burning in as he still waits his t/t to be delivered. I see that you also have Atlas, which loading do you prefer? I tried 500 ohms and it sounds fantastic. Compared to Ikeda 407 tonearm and Kai combo, Graham and Atlas has a different flavor, Atlas is more dynamic, detailed and honest without being too analytical while Kai holding its edge in soundstage and liquidity. Both excellent cartridges.

number_95 April 26, 2014 16:38

Or I could save on the ticket...and just buy the cable and have it right here at home! ;) I am working on that!

lloydelee21 April 26, 2014 14:29