Kinki studio EX-M1, EX-M1+ differences... vs Denafrips Hestia/ Hyperion combo?

@dkerr 

I have both the original M1 and the current M1+ with the new volume control that rectifies the high gain issue completely and appears from memory to be a slight bit warmer than the original but that could just be a perception from having more flexibility with the volume control. 

As to the issue of the M7 and tube preamps.  I didn't really think the match with the BHK was bad just didn't have the warmth and magic that the pairing with the two 6SN7 preamps have.  Though the BHK has some degree of the tube feel and more so with the 12 volt tubes it's not at all like what you get from a 6SN7 preamp. I do think the M7 is a great amp on it's own but it will not and does not sound like a tube amp.  It is neutral and honest. The closest thing to it that I have owned was the JOB 225. What you put in was what you got out.  My BHK 250 and AVA SET 400 are far "warmer".  So how the pairing of your preamp and the M7 would go would depend mostly on where on the warmth scale your preamp is.  

The Kinki EX-M1 is awesome. Great amplifier with loads of power, extremely black background and great imaging.  I’m very happy with mine!

@jackd 

As to the issue of the M7 and tube preamps. I didn't really think the match with the BHK was bad just didn't have the warmth and magic that the pairing with the two 6SN7 preamps have. Though the BHK has some degree of the tube feel and more so with the 12 volt tubes it's not at all like what you get from a 6SN7 preamp. I do think the M7 is a great amp on it's own but it will not and does not sound like a tube amp. It is neutral and honest. The closest thing to it that I have owned was the JOB 225. What you put in was what you got out. My BHK 250 and AVA SET 400 are far "warmer". So how the pairing of your preamp and the M7 would go would depend mostly on where on the warmth scale your preamp is.

Thanks Jack.

The Herron VTSP-3 (6 x 6922's) is pretty neutral and low noise for a valve pre. Probably less tubey sounding than 6SN7 based preamps. It is not at all syrupy, sweet, lush, soft etc but has excellent transparency, detail, body, dynamics and organicness. 
The Rogue Stereo 100 (4 x KT120's) is also pretty neutral for a tube amp with big dynamic but controlled bass, wonderful 3D imaging and dimensionality, the walls just disappear, so human and organic sounding. Cranked up Money For Nothing yesterday and the growling electric guitar and big opening drums were just awesome. Such natural tone and body. 

I (mostly) loved the original EX-M1 except for way too much gain, a slight unnatural stiffness or overdamped characteristic that I couldn't listen around, and a slight lack of body and organicness/humanity. But I did love the EX-M1's detail, dynamics, immediacy, resolution and liveliness, all presented in a smooth, refined manner. If it had a touch more organicness, humanity, body (and not the strange stiffness) then I would have sold the tube gear and reduced the number of boxes and cables in my system.

That's why I'm contemplating whether the blend of my tube preamp and the EX-M7 would get me my ideal tonal balance (what I have now but moved  just a touch more toward the fast/exciting end from the full-bodied/relaxed end of the spectrum). 

The other option would be to blend a sligthly sunnier preamp with the Rogue tube amp but then I can't explain to my wife that the new equipment is to get the power amp off the top of the cabinet and into a shelf so that she can put whatever photos, knick knacks and ornaments she likes on top of the cabinet :-)

Just another note as this thread and much of audiophile searching in the wilderness is about achieving the elusive ‘perfect voicing’ of ones system.

The critical focus put upon a preamp to mediate source to power.  
sns seems to have a Coincident 101D preamp.

Here r the mfg specs…

Specifications
Type: Vacuum tube stereo linestage
Frequency Response: 10 Hz to 30 kHz (+/- 0.2dB)
Gain: 20dB
Output Impedance: 500 Ohms
Output Voltage: Greater than 30V
Features: Dual Mono Transformer Coupled Volume Pots
Inputs: Balanced inputs via XLR and unbalanced via RCA
Outputs: Two pairs of RCA outputs for bi-amp'ing;
            One pair of balanced outputs on XLR
AC ground lift permits AC ground lift to eliminate hum caused by ground loops.
Dimensions: 203 x 260 x 390 (HxWxD in mm)
Weight: Power supply is 40.7 lbs. and linestage is 30.8 lbs.
AC Voltage: User selectable- 115v, 230V
Price: $4999

So a question.  What do you think, >than 30V sounds like, on an amp looking for 4V input?  Based on my limited messing around with voltage variance into the Hyperion, I would suggest you hear more of the flavor of what is input.  GIGO.  
Though voiced slightly to the organic side of neutral, there is no way Hyperion performs as described above.  The thing has balls and a ‘bit’ of colour.  My experience is that music has soul in a Denafrips system, one feels the heartbeat of the music, not as an intellectual exercise.  It’s liquid not clinical.  The voltage regulated preamps preamps pass what they r fed and even the BHK appears to output 4V through its balanced outs, which is perfect for the Hyperion.  
Audiophiles seems to attempt a lot of crappy system matching and then blame it on components.  The Denafrips are much more mainstream components with the advantages of ss and a beautiful midrange.  They are not veiled, overly dark, or slow.  They have authority and time like a 50k stack of Naim gear…

@regismc , based on specs Statement linestage should be fine match to Hyperion. Statement output impedance 500 ohms, Hestia 400 ohms, Hyperion input impedance 22k, both well matched based on amp input at least 10x higher than pre out. This is by far the most important spec for pre to amp matching.
Output to input sensitivity of Statement to Hyperion is also close to other amps I use with Statement, Coincident Turbo 1v, PL Dialogue Four 880mv, Hyperion 1.8v, Hestia does have much lower output voltage than Statement. Still, I didn't have to run Statement at extremely low range of volume selectors, yes, a bit lower than other amps, Also, the Statement doesn't use volume potentiometers, transformer based volume control doesn't have favored portion of range. Therefore, Hyperion was used within parameters that would allow it to perform at it's highest potential. I stated how I used Hyperion and how it performed in my system, I stand by my comments. As to how it will perform in other systems, I can't say.