@nonoise , would you please drop us an email? I will be able to assist you.
The module can be replaced very easily. We may sort it out quickly for you.
Guide:
Alvin @ Vinshine Audio
Kinki Studio EX-M1
I’ve always wanted something simple and not a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to my stereo. KISS (keep it simple, stupid) is something I use in my approach to most things in life. Why overcomplicate? The Kinki EX-M1 is just an integrated, and that’s not meant as a pejorative. There’s no DAC or streaming capabilities, or room correction algorithms built in, and it won’t fold you laundry. There are 4 inputs out back, three unbalanced (RCA) and one balanced (XLR) which I’ve read is a simple and not a true balanced. Either way, it adds another type of input which can come in handy. The binding post are copies of WBT versions and are a joy to work with.
It has a frequency response of 10-150kHz (+/- 3db) and outputs 215W into 8ohms. It retails for approx. $2,200. Here is a link to more specs:
https://www.vinshineaudio.com/product-page/kinki-studio-ex-m1
Because of it’s silvery finish it has an imposing appearance but compared to my black Marantz PM-15S2b, it’s about the same size. Personally, I love the look. When they say it’s built like a vault, this is the vault they refer to. The weight is imposing as well (55.12 lbs.) so take care when maneuvering it. You can turn it on with the remote or by pressing in the selector knob on the left. Turning it off is done by pressing and holding the same knob for 5 seconds, or by remote. The default volume setting when turned on is set at 10 so make sure to turn it down to 0 before playing anything unless your speakers are of low sensitivity. A well made manual is supplied but alas, it’s only in Chinese, but Alvin told me they’re making one in English.
Having 255 steps of attenuation gives one extraordinary range to get to exactly where you like to listen. You can go up 10 to 15 steps and not notice much of a change, at first, until something dynamic asserts itself or when you realize that in general, it’s now more impactful. Using the remote allows you to quickly go through the steps and adjust on the fly. I find this most handy and now use it to tailor the song or piece of music to my tastes.
As an integrated, it simply excels in it’s purpose. As verbose as I can tend to be, it leaves me speechless in describing it. It does nothing to detract. It does everything to commend. It’s incredibly fast and yet so utterly smooth. Musical presence is immediate but not etched, hyped or shrill. It’s light on it’s feet but can pounce and stomp when called for.
Liu, the amp’s designer, does not believe in exaggerated base and yet this amp goes lower, tighter and simply growls tone, details and ambience that I haven’t heard before. Lower registers of the piano left me slack jawed as I basked in the reverberations of the soundboard. The same goes for cello, guitar, percussion and massed strings. Imaging is the best I’ve heard in my system. Nothing wavers (unless done in post production) and separation is tops. With The Milk Carton Kids, the two of them finally are completely separated and at a greater distance apart than what I’ve been used to or thought they’d be. Small chamber music pieces have me scanning the soundstage as different pieces play distinctly in their own space. Back up vocals are distinct as well with no smearing. They may harmonize but they are clearly different.
Highs are fully extended, again, beyond what I’m accustomed to hearing. They can go on well into a piece and you can hear the decay even when some bigger play takes center stage. Bells and chimes can tickle like the real thing. And speaking of stage, it’s of one piece, the same no matter where you care to go. All the way left, right, up or down, even as far back as you care to look. The strength of the music lies everywhere you care to listen. The only limits are what was done in the recording.
It has no noise floor that I can detect. On Abdullah Ibrahim’s The Song Is My Story, he’s not up on stage, as usual, but I’m sitting next to him while he plays (I listen in the near field so that helps). The piano is the full width of the soundstage, steady as a rock, and the notes flow out around, up, and beneath me (great mike placement). Notes can and do come out of a completely black background unless the recording is done with less tricks and then you easily hear the venue, the room, the stage, the setting. And, I never thought I’d say this but FM now sounds pretty fantastic, considering it’s limits.
The sound is so pure that it’s reoriented the way I listen to music. I no longer listen analytically but for the sheer pleasure. It’s so rewarding and relaxing. Listening to favorites, I’ve noticed that some sound different enough for me to notice that there was some exaggeration or emphasis of certain parts of the frequency with my older set up. Whether it was the house sound that some say certain brands have or just the limits of the design I can’t rightly say. Maybe it’s all the extra circuitry added to accommodate all the extra features I have no use for. No matter. I’m content. Happy as a puppy with two pee pees.
Also, I have to give thanks to Alvin for his great customer service. He’s the most attentive distributor I’ve dealt with. His response to any question I had were immediate and thorough, as long as one is mindful of the time differences (just check your clock on your smartphone to coordinate appropriate time zones). 👍 He even followed up with shipping notices, delivery times, and any question I had with the unit’s operation or features, which reminds me, since it draws about 30-40 watts when on, make sure to leave it in standby when not is use. It can get very warm to kind of hot, but not hot enough for me to lay my hand on it for any length of time. If I had more space it wouldn’t be a concern (it cools off quickly). That leads me to believe that maybe since my JBL 4319 monitors are 92db, and that it doesn’t take much to make them sing, that the EX-M1, which is a Class A/B design, operates in Class A for the first several watts, which could account for the warmth of the unit along with the wonderful tonal density and texture. Someone with more know how can look into that.
All in all, it’s the best money I’ve spent and now I have no desire to upgrade to some PC based system. My CDs and SACDs sound fantastic, even the old ones along with the reissues. To think you’re getting a real taste of what the well heeled have been enjoying for a fraction of the price makes this a true bargain if there ever was one. Let me also add that I received no consideration from the manufacturer or distributor and these are my views and opinions.
All the best,
Nonoise
It has a frequency response of 10-150kHz (+/- 3db) and outputs 215W into 8ohms. It retails for approx. $2,200. Here is a link to more specs:
https://www.vinshineaudio.com/product-page/kinki-studio-ex-m1
Because of it’s silvery finish it has an imposing appearance but compared to my black Marantz PM-15S2b, it’s about the same size. Personally, I love the look. When they say it’s built like a vault, this is the vault they refer to. The weight is imposing as well (55.12 lbs.) so take care when maneuvering it. You can turn it on with the remote or by pressing in the selector knob on the left. Turning it off is done by pressing and holding the same knob for 5 seconds, or by remote. The default volume setting when turned on is set at 10 so make sure to turn it down to 0 before playing anything unless your speakers are of low sensitivity. A well made manual is supplied but alas, it’s only in Chinese, but Alvin told me they’re making one in English.
Having 255 steps of attenuation gives one extraordinary range to get to exactly where you like to listen. You can go up 10 to 15 steps and not notice much of a change, at first, until something dynamic asserts itself or when you realize that in general, it’s now more impactful. Using the remote allows you to quickly go through the steps and adjust on the fly. I find this most handy and now use it to tailor the song or piece of music to my tastes.
As an integrated, it simply excels in it’s purpose. As verbose as I can tend to be, it leaves me speechless in describing it. It does nothing to detract. It does everything to commend. It’s incredibly fast and yet so utterly smooth. Musical presence is immediate but not etched, hyped or shrill. It’s light on it’s feet but can pounce and stomp when called for.
Liu, the amp’s designer, does not believe in exaggerated base and yet this amp goes lower, tighter and simply growls tone, details and ambience that I haven’t heard before. Lower registers of the piano left me slack jawed as I basked in the reverberations of the soundboard. The same goes for cello, guitar, percussion and massed strings. Imaging is the best I’ve heard in my system. Nothing wavers (unless done in post production) and separation is tops. With The Milk Carton Kids, the two of them finally are completely separated and at a greater distance apart than what I’ve been used to or thought they’d be. Small chamber music pieces have me scanning the soundstage as different pieces play distinctly in their own space. Back up vocals are distinct as well with no smearing. They may harmonize but they are clearly different.
Highs are fully extended, again, beyond what I’m accustomed to hearing. They can go on well into a piece and you can hear the decay even when some bigger play takes center stage. Bells and chimes can tickle like the real thing. And speaking of stage, it’s of one piece, the same no matter where you care to go. All the way left, right, up or down, even as far back as you care to look. The strength of the music lies everywhere you care to listen. The only limits are what was done in the recording.
It has no noise floor that I can detect. On Abdullah Ibrahim’s The Song Is My Story, he’s not up on stage, as usual, but I’m sitting next to him while he plays (I listen in the near field so that helps). The piano is the full width of the soundstage, steady as a rock, and the notes flow out around, up, and beneath me (great mike placement). Notes can and do come out of a completely black background unless the recording is done with less tricks and then you easily hear the venue, the room, the stage, the setting. And, I never thought I’d say this but FM now sounds pretty fantastic, considering it’s limits.
The sound is so pure that it’s reoriented the way I listen to music. I no longer listen analytically but for the sheer pleasure. It’s so rewarding and relaxing. Listening to favorites, I’ve noticed that some sound different enough for me to notice that there was some exaggeration or emphasis of certain parts of the frequency with my older set up. Whether it was the house sound that some say certain brands have or just the limits of the design I can’t rightly say. Maybe it’s all the extra circuitry added to accommodate all the extra features I have no use for. No matter. I’m content. Happy as a puppy with two pee pees.
Also, I have to give thanks to Alvin for his great customer service. He’s the most attentive distributor I’ve dealt with. His response to any question I had were immediate and thorough, as long as one is mindful of the time differences (just check your clock on your smartphone to coordinate appropriate time zones). 👍 He even followed up with shipping notices, delivery times, and any question I had with the unit’s operation or features, which reminds me, since it draws about 30-40 watts when on, make sure to leave it in standby when not is use. It can get very warm to kind of hot, but not hot enough for me to lay my hand on it for any length of time. If I had more space it wouldn’t be a concern (it cools off quickly). That leads me to believe that maybe since my JBL 4319 monitors are 92db, and that it doesn’t take much to make them sing, that the EX-M1, which is a Class A/B design, operates in Class A for the first several watts, which could account for the warmth of the unit along with the wonderful tonal density and texture. Someone with more know how can look into that.
All in all, it’s the best money I’ve spent and now I have no desire to upgrade to some PC based system. My CDs and SACDs sound fantastic, even the old ones along with the reissues. To think you’re getting a real taste of what the well heeled have been enjoying for a fraction of the price makes this a true bargain if there ever was one. Let me also add that I received no consideration from the manufacturer or distributor and these are my views and opinions.
All the best,
Nonoise
558 responses Add your response
Yes, I still have it but it's wounded, so I don't use it anymore. You see, I used it in the same place as my Marantz SA-15S2b and it overheated when I forgot to turn if off one night. The Marantz was kept on 24/7 for years and not one complaint but the the Kinki needs lots more space to ventilate (it's why they reconfigured the output devices to the side of the heat sinks instead of directly on top and exposing the heat sinks entirely on top). It still sounds wonderful but when it begins to heat up (even now with nothing to block ventilation, the left channel goes out making some horribly scary noises. And before anyone asks, I've asked around and was told either that it'd be too difficult to fix [SMDs and all] and/or that they won't work on anything from China (this from a guy with a good rep for fixing things with name brands of all the gear he works on on his place of business and half of them are made in China). All the best, |
@nonoise Do you still have the Kinki integrated? I just placed an order recently, but wanted to see if you’ve kept on with it or found anything else more engaging to listen to.
thanks |
Hey Charan, It's great to hear of another who's found joy and pleasure in such a great sounding integrated. Sometimes it takes a bit of a leap of faith to go on a review from someone else but it's nice to have a friend who can share it with you, making the decision a bit easier. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do and just love the music it makes. All the best, Nonoise |
Hi all, Just wanted to add my two cents...Thanks to the various reviews of the Kinki Studio EX-M1 on this forum I took the plunge and bought the EX-M1 few months back directly from Alvin/Vinshine Audio - Singapore (I live in Singapore too). My experience in dealing with Alvin has been great and more importantly the amplifier itself has been FANTASTIC for my ears, my room and my system. I have had no issues with noise. So here goes a BIG THANK YOU to Alvin and to forum members like 'nonoise' and 'd2girls' and many others (sorry for not naming each one of you) but all your views on this wonderful amp and a kind soul who let me audition this amp in his house in Singapore gave me the courage to buy one. I am one happy bunny! Best, Charan |
The one issue i am having is noise. I run a Bada LB-5500 conditioner. I get noticeable noise at volumes greater than 30. Once music is playing it is not an issue, but no static/noise is better than any. Any ideas would be welcome? Hi @bbslos1 There are few ways to identify the root cause of the noise. I'd suggest: 1. Disconnect all cables from the EX-M1 2. Connect the power cord to the EX-M1 and speaker cable from the EX-M1 to the loudspeaker 3. Turn on the EX-M1, choose any input (any one of the CH1-4, it does not matter) 4. Put your ears 10cm away from the loudspeaker driver, do you hear noise? In step (2), you may try it with and without the power conditioner to check the differences. If the above tests did not produce any audible noise, you may connect the upstream source like the Ares DAC, input sources to the DAC to try again. The goal is to isolate the problem by elimination. Oh yes, the noise/hum may cause by ground-loop too. That's the fun part of this hobby :) Hope it helps! Best, Alvin Vinshine Audio |
Same here. My Kinki runs dead silent with no noise even with my ear next to the speaker (JBL 4319, 92db). It could be some faulty connection with your cable leads so if you can, try any other cable, if handy, just to see if the noise is eliminated by swapping them out. Next, take out the Bada LB-5500 conditioner and go straight into the wall and see how if the noise goes away. Other than that, I can't say, but it's a safe bet that it's not the Kinki. All the best, Nonoise |
Haven't noticed any noise on my ex-m1.. used it in two different rooms, one with a pi audio group mini buss and one with a cheap belkin power strip.. it's very quiet.. I've put my ears close to the tweeters of my kef q900 speakers and no hiss.. and the transformers in the amp are nice and silent as well. I use it in low gain mode usually not higher than 35 with movies, a lot lower with music |
Hi All Just found this thread on the EX-M1 and wanted to share my setup. It previously consisted of a quad 405 copy using an Onkyo TX-NR809 as a pre-amp. Speakers were Dali Concept 10 towers(91db) . I purchased some replacement BIC speakers late last year RTR-EV15 (95db), as i felt the Dali's were under-powered with the Quad copy. Fast forward to March 2019, i now have an EX-M1 that has replaced the Quad. A Denafrips R2R Ares DAC which replaced a SMSL sanskrit proB and UPOCC Copper Litz XLRs joining the two. The Onkyo is on movie duty only now. I have gone back to the Dali speakers too as this amp has the power to feed 4 10" drivers, and spades in reserve. Speaker cable are Van Damme Blue Series studio grade. Awaiting the final replacement to the system...one of three last sets made, VAF Research DC-X63 towers which should arrive some time next week. Review of the Kinki...as i purchased the amp and dac together the comparison to my previous gear is probably unfair, but what a change! Nothing i can say that has not already been said it seems. This is a fantastic amp, with power to waste. The loudest i have had it is 130/255 and i have to be out of the room (with the Dali's btw). The control this thing displays over the drivers is amazing. The staging, pinpoint accuracy. Depth etc etc...for its price it is an overachiever. After three months on a production waiting list i am really keen to hear the VAF's next week. The one issue i am having is noise. I run a Bada LB-5500 conditioner. I get noticeable noise at volumes greater than 30. Once music is playing it is not an issue, but no static/noise is better than any. Any ideas would be welcome? |
@uncola If there was a concern I had about the Kinki it would be the inability to play low level music at night as my dac puts out 3v and my speakers are 101db. But I just saw your post from back in Nov where one could request a preamp bypass option when ordering so that could be a good safety net for someone like me where I could use a passive preamp with the amp section of the Kinki if the gain of the integrated is too high for those situations at night. |
Dawid Grzyb of HiFi Knights used the EX-M1 with Boenicke W8's which are not easy to drive and it performed flawlessly. In fact in a lot of ways he preferred it to his $16,000 hybrid Triology integrated. So not really sure why all of the sudden concern about what it will and won't drive. It's not like the average buyer is going to pair it with Apogee's or the like. Bottom line is it's a great sounding $2200 bargain that will handle any speaker the average buyer can throw at it in an average sized room. For the select few that feel the need to own the "difficult to drive" speakers like Apogee or the few others, there are plenty of five figure products designed for your needs. Gryphon, Pass, T+A, Audia Flight and others are out there waiting for you. |
My dac has 2.5VRMS output and my speakers are 90db sensitive.. I usually listen to music around 10-15 during the day and 3-4 volume late at night.. For movies 15-25. low gain enabled. I agree there's no loss of detail or quality even at volume level 1 which is nice. If you have super duper sensitive horn speakers you might not have enough fineness of control at low levels.. if you have a small room or listen at low levels like at night.. |
It depends on the recording, most recordings do not have very high dynamic range so I rarely find myself turning my Kinki past 12-14. In fact, for 3/4 of my listening I have the Kinki turned to 3. I may crank it to 35 at most. I might add, at that level I will be getting 103db spl peaks! I only do this when I REALLY want to rock out!! at this point my JBL 4367 bass gets so strong it shakes my whole room. Hehe 🙃 Please note, I have my gain switched set to high. For some reason I assumed this is better. |
Mik Powell, who sells the Kinki stateside, covered that a few posts ago, or came very close to it. He runs Magnapans with it and has no problem but feels the Kinki is current limited. I'd ask him for his take on how they'd pair with your Martin Logans. Also, Alvin, who runs the business back in China, would by now, have customers who've tried the pairing. He responds quite quickly considering the time difference. All the best, Nonoise |
My Rogue Audio Mono Blocks with the KT120's is about 240 watts per speaker....it does the job on my SL3's. The Kinki is 400 watts at 4ohm which would do the trick I would think if it has the current. I was wondering if they could pair with the Kinki amp and if anyone has ever heard them with electrostatics. |
Based on my experience, Martin Logan speakers do qualify as “hard to drive” speakers except maybe the models with built-in subwoofers which are less hard to drive. Depending on the specific model, listening room size, type of music, and listening volume, a nominal 100wpc amplifier may struggle to squeeze everything out of those speakers. |
I can't answer as to how the Kinki will pair with your Martin Logans but as for the PADIS fuse, I ended up taking it out and replaced it with a Brimar fuse. At first, the PADIS sounded promising but after lengthy listening sessions, it never resolved itself to my liking. It was a bit too dark overall. That, and PADIS are not like the SR fuses in construction and treatment. By the way, you can't get Brimar fuses from overseas anymore. All the best, Nonoiise |
Hard to believe something like this goes on for so long with all this conjecture and guesswork when one call could save major time. No biggie if you guys dont care.. One of the guys contacted me tonight about this thread .. So heres my experience with the EX M1. By all means use it with high efficiency speakers. I tell people go above 90dB @8 ohm. The best part about this amp is its finesse and ability to play 100% of the full sonic spectrum at click number one of 255. With some classic Klipsch Forte 2, I never need to go beyond 20 clicks. With Magnepan .7i I can bury the volume at 255 with zero hint of distortion, so I always considered it gain limited, perhaps something was changed inside between the early models and now, besides the gain cut switch. I would not use this amp with hard to drive speakers because I dont think it has the current delivery. Lets just say Kinki 215W versus Jeff Rowland 200W couldnt have been more different. I cant imagine Jeffs amp at full clip, I would be afraid to explode the speaker into tiny bitsFrom my listening experience, Id say consider this amp as a 100WPC of take your pick, World Class SS. I think its great that it sounds so good at one click up.. so there ya have it.. Also as far as noise. there is zero.. dead nuts quiet. all the best ! Mike Powell |
Unity gain means that output voltage equals input voltage, which corresponds to a gain of 1 when expressed as a ratio, or to zero when expressed in db. Mike must have been referring to the gain of some stage within the amp, rather than to the gain of the amp’s entire signal path. Also, btw, the gain of an integrated amplifier (or preamp) is usually specified based on the volume control being set at max. The Six Moons review of the amp stated that it provides "26dB of voltage gain in just the line stage followed by another x 20 amplification factor in the power stage." "x20" is also a gain of 26 db, so the overall gain is indicated to be 52 db, which is very high. (26 db of power amp gain is fairly typical, but 26 db of line stage gain is very high although not unheard of). I suspect, btw, that the model they reviewed was an early version which (like the one Nonoise has) did not have a gain switch, and the 52 db overall gain corresponds to what is provided by recent models when the gain switch is set to its high sensitivity position. Also, those numbers seem consistent with reports from several users of having to set the volume control at very low settings. The sensitivity specs for the amp are not consistent with such high gain, though. It can be calculated from the specified 215 watt/8 ohm power capability of the amp and the specified high and low sensitivities of 2.25 and 3.6 volts (which differ by 4 db, btw, not by 6 db) that those numbers correspond to gains of only 25 db and 21 db, respectively, which would be **very** low for the overall gain of an integrated amp. Given the Six Moons review and the several user reports I referred to, it seems clear that either those numbers are very inaccurate or else they are defined very differently than how sensitivity specs are usually defined, which in turn is the input voltage required to drive an amp to full power when the volume control (if present) is set at max. Personally, if I were to consider pairing that amp with 101 db speakers I would count on having to put a Rothwell attenuator between my source components and the amp, especially if any of the sources are digitally-based (as opposed to vinyl). And I would also have some concern that hiss or other noise generated either within the amp or as a result of ground loop issues between the amp and the source components might be boosted by the high gain to the point that it becomes excessive. Regards, -- Al |
Thanks again nonoise. I did message Mike after my last post and he has promptly responded on this Sunday afternoon. Basically the Kinki doubles down in 4 ohms to 400 watts. He also told me that when the gain switch is flipped on it’s a -6db cut otherwise it’s unity gain. I’ll be honest I’m not sure what unity gain means so I’ll have to read up on it or if anyone would like to try and explain it that would be great too. |
t_ramey, I have the first issue/version of the EX-M1 which doesn't have the attenuation switch on the back so someone else needs to chime in on that one. Somewhere, in this thread or another, I think I remember someone stating what that value is. The same goes for the power rating into 4ohms. On the 6moons review the guess is somewhere in the neighborhood of 350-400 watts. Checking in with Mike Powell of Mike Powell Audio should be of avail since he is the distributor for Kinki here, stateside. I think you're really going to like it once you hear it. All the best, Nonoise |
Hey t_ramey, I think you'll love the EX-M1 as much as I did, and still do. My speakers aren't as efficient as yours (mine are 94db) so yours will sing at the lowest setting of 1. Take advantage of the attenuation switch on the back lest you are startled by the first notes. 😄 As for the ability to use something like Burson's op amps, I was very tempted to try them out myself as it would be a very straightforward proposal/thing to do. But I'm getting such great sound out of it already which leads me to believe (momentarily) that it sounds that way by design and that fiddling with it would change things. I've read that it has a Nagra like tube quality element to it's sound so it could be that the standard IC op amps are partially responsible for that. If you do opt for the Bursons, please let me and anyone else who's curious know. All the best, Nonoise |
Been reading up on the ex-m1 and am thinking of giving it a try here in the next month or so. I have klipsch ki 396 speakers which are a two way with a 3“ horn and 15” driver and are 101db efficient so I’m wondering if anybody else has highly efficient speakers that are using the Kinki and how they fare. I’m currently using a Melody AN845 integrated and like that the Kinki is much cooler to run especially in the summer time. Also, I read somewhere that the op amps in the ex-m1 are plug in so was curious if anybody has changed the stock out for anything from burson or the like. Not sure if it’s worth doing but thought maybe somebody has givin it a try. |
@almarg if I were a single man I could probably get away with that process but with a family using the system, likely a no go. Side question would I be committing war crimes by using an Anthem MRX as a pre for any $1-3k stereo amp or would I be downgrading high end amp performance? From what I've read Anthem has clean pre outs |
@boschpants, you can do what Imhififan suggested even though the Kinki is an integrated amp. You just have to determine a setting of the Kinki's volume control which allows you to use the volume control of the AVR or pre-pro in a reasonable part of its range, and return to that setting of the Kinki's volume control whenever you are using the system for HT purposes. And of course the signal levels provided to whatever speakers are not being powered by the Kinki would have to be set up appropriately, as they would have to be even if the Kinki provided HT bypass. And, no, like Imhififan I don't own a Kinki either. Regards, -- Al |
@boschpants You can connect the AVR/prepro front R/L preout to Kinki EX-M1 one of the line level input and set the Kinki EX-M1 volume control to unity gain position during HT playback. |
Hey! For all who were holding out on the Kinki EX-M1 because you preferred it in black, well, you now have that option. https://www.vinshineaudio.com/product-page/kinki-studio-ex-m1 Just click on your color option and you’re off to the races. It’s a pre-order and it’ll take longer but once production runs are up, you can have that matching component for the rest of your gear. All the best, Nonoise |
