Congrats on your purchase! I've used a SimAudio Celeste W-4070s (or was that an i or an e?), also a pair of Shanling monoblocks and now a pair of Audio Space Nova M34 monoblocks with my SK-5A. They all sounded great. The preamp was limited by the amps, not the other way around. IMHO you can pretty much buy the best amp you can afford. Any of the SS powerhouses that get recommended for Maggies ought to do it. |
I'm using my Klyne series 7 line stage with an Eagle 4 and LOVING IT! the sound to me has never been better... cables are all Cardas Golden Cross and Ensemble. power conditioners are highly modded Tice Solo and solo HC..
I am traditionally a passive pre guy but I love what this Klyne does... even if not totally completely neutral and transparent like the passive.. it's just magical to me.
Does anyone else feel this way about their Klyne??? |
Have the Klyne in and I'm running it right now with a Rawson amp... I may just stick with this for some time to come! |
I am using Klyne System 7 with a 50W tube amp (Lectron) and Pro Ac Response 3.8 speakers. Recently, Stan Klyne upgraded my pre-amp to V4 which increased dimensionality and detail and added quite a bit of warmth. Now, musicality and believability of the presentation of my system are better than ever before.
Stan was very helpful in the process and I can say all the best about his service and the way he treated me. He keeps a low profile and does not participate in any discussions here or at AA, but his equipment sounds great.
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My experience is with Klyne 7 series
When I owned Maggies I linked the Klyne with Jeff Rowland Monos. later I used different speakers and amps (Pass aleph, Atma-Sphere etc.), never had any matching problems with that Preamp. One of the very best Transistor units out there. |
I agree wholely with all above comments as I had 6lx3p pre amp mated to vtl 225 monoblocks; Cary Slam 100 monoblocks and Manlay Reference monoblocks with no problems at all.
This was a basically a piece of wire with gain.
Another praise I can give is his phono board that was installed in my preamplifier was of the highest performance with many different loading selections for resistive and capitance loading for high/low moving coil cartridges of all types. |
Any "Klyne-ophiles" out there that have a good understanding of how the normal and inverting outputs on the SK-5A work in relation to the normal/invert switch on the front panel? When the switch is in the "normal" position are both outputs in phase with each other, or does the switch control both outputs, swapping the phase of each at the same time, effectively keeping them out of phase with each other all the time? The manual is a little sketchy on this... |
Dogmcd-If you don't get a reply I would call Stan Klyne directly and ask him this question;He is a very nice guy to talk audio;reminds me of Ralph from Atmasphere and Klaus from Odyssey. |
Thanks Rleff, I may just do that... |
I have a Klyne 5A to and find the phono section to be one of the most revealing for detail I have ever known. The CD with my modified Adcom was a bit harsh leading me to the conclusion that this pre would sound awesome with tube power amps. In any event it has a fantastic phono stage and can be used just for that and route it into a pre that doesn't have a phono stage. When i first heard this with my analog rig I was blown away,in fact I can even remember the first album i played on it,MOFI American Beauty by the Grateful Dead. |
I've been happy with my Klyne 6 series with CJ Premier 11A, I have used other tube preamps since I prefer the musical sound more than the frequency extension, however Klyne is best among them, very quiet, neutral and reliable to give the center stage to amp and source. |
Thanks for the replies folks, appreciate them all. I did call and get a chance to talk directly to Stan Klyne and he was very helpful; nice guy! |
Dogmcd-Pretty awesome a end user can talk directly with the engineer/owner;one of the benefits of a dealing with a small company. |
I can say only positive things about Stan Klyne. I have had problem with my preamp about 1 year ago (some static charge block the preamp). Because I live in Poland and there is no any supplier o Klyne products it has been serious problem for me. I have got immediate answer for my email with ask for help from Stan Klyne with necessary drawings an information how to fix it. Thanks god at the end it has not been need to do it, preamp unblocked on his own after about 24 hours.
But being in subject of topic, I use Klyne 7LX 3.5/B with Simauido W5 and Simaudio Supernova with polish speaker it is 3 way Enigma Duo Excelence produced by small manufacture from Kracov, Sound&Line. I have compare my Klyne with McIntosh C46 with Mc501 monos and Dynadio Contour 3.0 and Simaudio P 5.3 with W5.3 power amp and Magnepan 3.6.
I would say it is a little better than Sim (smoother, more body, more powerful bass) and a little different than C46. Klyne is warmer then both of them, has more powerful bass and play with first plan closer to listener. From Sim it is much smoother, no grain, more musical.
The best musicality I have got from it was with Magnepan 3.6 + Simaudio Supernova + Simaudio W5.3 (but old W5 is better, new W5.3 seems to me a step back in comparison to W5) and all cables from MIT Magnum MA series (power cables MIT Oracle ). Than listen to this audio system we have just spoke only about differences in interpretations of music by different players (Beethoven sonates, Appasionata by Sviatoslav Richter, JVC XRCD and Emil Gilels, Deutshe Grammophon), no one has analyzed sound because there have not been sound, there have been only music. This system has given us very neutral, natural, clear and detailed but smooth sound. I have heard the most natural sounding piano I have ever heard from audio system (of course I have not heard so many audio system as press reviewers but any way have been looking for system for myself, have some audiophile friends, from time to time go for audio show and so on).
Very nice preamp my own has about 10 or 11 years and still in very good condition. |
I'm auditioning a series 7 right now. Incredible piece, a huge step up in every aspect from my BAT VK5i. I have very neutral speakers, Tidal Audio's Piano, and have tried the series 7 with Brystons 7BST (500wt SS) and Argento wiring. The sound is fantastic, but a bit strident at times. I also have tried it with Canary 339 (50wt/300B Tube) and the sound was magical to me. I think, with the Klyne being SS, it really is at it's best with a tubed amp imo. The Klyne really uses the 50 watts so much more efficiently; the dynamics were pretty impressive for only 50wts and a 88db sensitivty speaker. Good Luck! |
Brdsmith, having just come off a high from trying what I am about to relate, in a friend's system, I am keen to share. That stridency you mention with the SS Bryston may be curable at least in part, with the Ayre Acoustics tuning disc, "Irrational but Efficacious".
The business part of this disc is simply a 5-minute tone that sweeps from below to above audibility. You may well have tried it before and if so, I didn't say anything. If not, well, you just play it occasionally, at moderate volume ( because it can exercise your woofers fairly strenuously ).
The result in a friend's system with a Benchmark DAC feeding a GamuT power amp directly ( no preamp ) and Gradient speakers was a very noticeable reduction in hardness and glassiness. This was the first time I had heard the disc used on a SS amp and it really worked well. It might work for you if you haven't tried it. |
No I haven't treid that disc Tobias. But I do play every now an then, white noise at a loud volume. This also 'cleans' up the image. Wonder if the Ayre is the same? I'll check it out though for sure. Thx Tobias |
Thanks for all of the feddabck and discussion folks! I am still enjoying my SK5A immensely. If I ever decide to go to another line-stage, I'd probably keep the Klyne for its phono stage, which is just incredible. I've settled in on a pair of Rawson Aleph 5 mono block clones that Tim built for me and the match seems to be working very well. Happy Listening! |
