I understand this post is old, however, I am getting so tired of manufactured cliche descriptions of audio sound. Terms like "organic, neutral, warm, biased, tight, extended, rolled off, and relaxed." It's all a bunch of crap. You guys parrot what some "critic" made up before most of you were born. Here's an idea. Describe how your equipment makes you FEEL. If you are taken away by the presentation of the music, if you become lost in the "imaging" and forget the equipment, then you have a special piece of kit. The KWI-500 allows me to FEEL. And that is what it is all about.
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Part of the reason for going with dans integrated was a long conversation with him and I told him I had at least 2 other considerations...One of them I was very familiar with tone/signature...the other would have been a leap of faith...Dan assured me that his amp could hold its own w/the 2 others...I had never owned anything with that power ratting...I wanted something with some kick. Turns out...I end up reading a review about the kwi 200 and just happens to mention the very two others I considered. The modwright has more than delivered on this and easily walks on anything I have ever owned... |
I know this thread is old and no one has replied in a long time but I'll put in my two cents worth. I had a KWI 200 and it was the best-sounding piece of electronics I have ever owned. It had a great, clear, full, gutsy sound. I had it running Legacy Audio Focus SE speakers and those are also amazing. It was a killer combination and I wish I still had all of those pieces. |
I have received a Few emails asking if I think the modwright is the best out there ,my answer is for the $5k range it is. Solid investment,is it the best integrated amp, out there ? No it is not a reference unit It is. Great unit at it's price point. As far as th best out there Lindemann is excellent in the Next level of performance then Without a doubt the Vitus RI -100, would be a true reference. This should answer questions pertaining to integrated amps. |
I have owned and still own Dans products or several years , always very musical and dependable. I personally always look what's under the cover And I can tell you without hesitation parts quality is first rate.Nichicon Capacitors ,as well as Elna, 1 percent resistors, all close matched Mosfets on the outputs, and one of the best and very expensive1.5va Lundahl Transformer.many name brand companies use parts quality not even close to this standard,and is a -0 feedback design and direct coupled. This all ads up to very low noise,high resolution ,excellent detail and dynamics.this integrated is a absolute steal at the $5k mark .i know of no Seperates that can compete with this integrated even at $6k. Go look at any of the competitors products and look at the design and parts quality. This unit takes at least 400 hours to fully runin, and a Good quality power cord is a Mustiness was shocked even in one of the reviews they used the stock Beldon cord,that totally handicaps the unit.they expect the Audiophile consumer to do this with a cable of their brand name choice. for it is a high current design and a minimum of at least a $400 power cord IMO. My friend has tried a bunch from the cable companyAnd you are well rewarded for your efforts.i have read where one reader said it did not meet his standards? Whatdoes that mean ? He gave no logical answer or answers ,and what. Did he compare it against Apples to apples not something at $10 k . Against the Pass labs integrated, Sim Audio, or Lsa signature. And Mcintosh .I have heard them all. The Modwright is more refined and doubles down in power 200 wpc at 8 ohms ,and 400 wpc into a 4 ohm load. Not one of the competitors have this added Head room and abilities.the point I tried to convey here is look at everything from the inside out ,other reviews, and then go have a . Listen. If you do make a purchase ,buy a good powercord,not hook up to a cheap power strip either. Direct to quality wall socket if possible. I have spent over 35 years in this hobby and more then a nice home in purchases.i can say with some conviction this is. Solid investment that will serve you well for years I felt I had to say something for their are to many variables to just make a blank statement ,comparisons, and why,if not then why put doubt In other consumers mind . What is your setup and compared to what. Cables also need to be the same.i always bring my MIT Cables when considering a purchase .as Albert Einstein once said Not everything that counts can be counted ,and not everything that can be counted counts ! |
I now have had my KWI-200 since this past May, and I am still trilled with it, so far there have been no issues and it has performed very well. The amp was driving a pair of PMC FB1i's but I have since replaced them and the amp with either the PMC's or now my Selah's is still very clean, dynamic and enjoyable to listen too. I do believe this will be my last IA for some time to come, I may add a MW LS-100 for flexibility but as of now I am in no hurry to do so. I would guess the IA has about 100-150 hrs of use. |
Hmmm I had the 150 SE for a short while.....modified, a one off. not impressed although I was hoping to be. Thought volume for that amp was not comparable to other amps of equal lesser value, and sound quality fairly flat. But I like loud, I like boost, and natural tone is boring to me. So maybe it will be great for you to sure. |
It's been some time since my last post but I now have about 100 hours on the Modwright KWI200. I believe it has more time to burn in but I thought I would post now. I am very pleased with it's overall sound, in fact at about 100 hours it sounds better than the first unit did with 300 hours. Dan did increase the operating bias so it does sound better and also gets warmer than the first unit. Compared to the MAC & Bryston, which are similarly priced, it has superior dynamics, soundstage is wider & images are more precise with voices sounding like they are more THERE! Very musical presentation for solid state. The Bryston is a little smoother (which I like) but the Modwright is more balanced thru out the frequencies; extended bass & highs. Of course, the Modwright has twice the power than the others and it easily powers my 87db bookshelves so relatively inefficient floorstanders shouldn't be an issue. I highly recommend an audition with the KWI200 or just take a chance and purchase it if you can afford it. Modwright's customer service (Dan himself) is second to none and handled my problem in a fashion where he had to be totally satisfied with the repair before shipping it back to me. Quality control! |
Hi Routeman21, yes I follow this thread and also all your posts and was aware of the incident that you had with Modwright. I sure looking forward to your review and comparison between the other amps that you also like to try. I think it will be of a high value for people who are deciding for some better integrated. Looking forward to that. I also searched the internet (British, French, New Zealand forums) but there is not so much users of Moodwright KWI 200. When an amp was launched there were some inputs but latter on opinions and quite limited. wish you best, d. |
D, You may have read my posts from 8/13 & 8/14 where I mentioned returning my KWI-200 to Modwright for repair. I received a new unit 10/19 and it is now burning in. Sounds great new from the box. During it's 2 month absence I was alternating between a McIntosh MA6300 and Bryston B-100 SST integrated amp. My journey is not finished but I will be focusing on the Modwright for the time being. I still want to try out a used Accuphase and a higher priced Luxman (L-507U or higher). |
Hello, as there is already some time passed since the first users bought this marvel here I wonder how do you feel Modwright KWI 200 after some months of listening? Did the amp with its character succeed to go under your skin and settle good in your systems? Or opposite you start to flirt with other amplifiers that you think will bring some different presentation of music? I'm aware that in audio good assessment can be made after some time living with your component. Thanks for your answers, best, D. |
Hello, I just surfed a net today a little bit in a search for more ModWright KWI 200 opinions and experiences and found this cool review from New Zealand. Click for Review. best, d. |
Totally agree...Dan at modwright(as well as everyone)goes out of his way bigtime to make sure that your happy with your modwright gear.I have had experiences where they could give a rats #%*.Plus they dont scratch the crap out your gear.Cant say that for a couple of very well respected manufactures.Dan has earned my respect as a designer and as a very diplomatic (manager,boss).Thank god i can still talk to the boss.Still loving my kwi200.I am glad i went with them! |
I will throw out my experience with Modwright just as are reference point. I bought a used and quite old Modwright Pre-amp that had some issues with grounding. It was years out of warranty but Modwright not only repaired it but they paid for the shipping round trip twice (yes it took them two tries but in the end it worked out, and yes I was frustrated to be without a Pre for that long also). If you value honest service, integrity, and support of quality American products then you can't lose with Modwright. Just my $.02. |
Hey there, I will answer my own question. I found a manual of ModWright KWI-200 on the official website and went through it. Unfortunately HT bypass/Pre-input is not selectable with remote control. In order to trigger that mode you need to stand up from your comfort zone and press a button on the front panel of the amplifier :). I did not heard ModWright KWI-200 but what you wrote till now triggered my interest as you described the sound on a way that is compatible what I like and I search in the music presentation. I like a sound a little bit on the warm side, meaty sound and voices from singers that are really singing with the full capacities of their lounges, good natural timbre of the instruments so that I can almost grab them in my room. Good control in the bass. Instruments and musicians were with me in the room. I stopped to think about the equipment and only what stayed was music and nothing else. I was lost in that space of music. Till now I experienced these feelings I'm describing now only with good old Gryphon Tabu that I had on my trial. But unfortunately I did not have many high class amplifiers on trial. Still I would like to hear this new ModWright KWI-200 and see and hear how it would act with my Anthony Gallo Reference 3.5 speakers that I have. Two Americans, compatible? Hmm, maybe, I'm a little bit intrigued?! To throw a small bone into the fire I would like to ask if maybe anybody had a chance to hear it or has any theory or experiences how it would act with Antony Gallo speakers? I know this question is like searching needle in the hay and answer might be more theoretical, but still maybe we can extract some useful information. Other amps that still grabs my close attention are the following: two a little bit older: Gryphon Callisto 2200, Gryphon Tabu; again from Gryphon camp: Gryphon Atilla, Gryphon Diablo; Karan KA-I180; Leben CS600; McIntosh MA7000 and finally now also this new ModWright KWI-200 integrated. best, d. |
Hiya there, I have one technical question in regards to HT bypass on this integrated. I see that it has a button on the front of the chassis. Are users also able to select HT bypass mode also by pressing a button on a remote control? Thanks for answer. p.s. reading this thread with great interest and looking to hear more revisited thoughts. |
I apologize for the uissues that the poster has experienced. The first unit that arrived DOA had an undersized fuse. Some early units did experience a need for readjustment of DC bias, but this has been resolved and we are happy to address issues with any such early units. We stand behind every product that we produce 100% in order to insure customer satisfaction. Sincerely, Dan Wright President, ModWright Instruments Inc |
Taylor514, Thank you for letting me know about your issues. It is a concern. Fortunately, I have my MAC integrated which will keep me happy until the Modwright returns. Unfortunately, Dan's in Washington state and I'm in Pennsylvania so, needless to say, a lot of time will pass until the Modwright returns. I haven't spoken to the dealer about my situation but I will hold out until a later date. I'm not technically skilled enough to know why this condition occurs. I wish you good luck with your amp in the future and I hope Dan can figure out the DC issue. |
Routeman21 I had been reluctant to post my experience with the KWI-200, thinking that perhaps I was the only one having issues with the amp. Firstly, Dan has been very supportive during my on-going saga with the amp. My first KWI-200 I brought home, fresh out of the box, was DOA. It was shipped backed to Modwright, and a replacement built and sent out to me a few weeks later. In the few months that I have owned the replacement amp, the 4 rail fuses have blown once, and I have blown the main fuse 3 times. Similar to your problem, this past weekend the amp kept shutting down with a display error that indicated the DC bias issue. It has since been working, but now with a noticeable pop noise in my right channel during start-up. Dan thinks the DC bias might need to be adjusted, so it will soon be shipped back to Modwright. To worsen matters, I asked the dealer if I could get a refund should I decide to return the amp, and his answer was no, and that he could offer me a store credit, which is not the answer I had expected. So in my case, the only option is to deal with the amp issues not one of my best audio experiences. That said, the amp has been very enjoyable when working, and Dan has been very helpful. |
Wyred, I haven't decided yet. I just recently auditioned the Luxman SQ-N10 tube integrated amp. Only 10W per channel at 8 ohms but has plenty of power thru my 87db, 8 ohm speakers. A very nice amp for the price but didn't WOW me enough to settle on it. Strangely enough on Saturday night my Modwright KWI-200 shut down and couldn't be started up so I have to return it to Dan at Modwright. I believe it's the very sensitive DC output protection built in to the unit. I was really starting to enjoy it. I'm still experimenting with different interconnects, power cords & speaker cable on my Modwright as well as my McIntosh MA-6300 so it will probably be some time until I settle on the integrated I want to keep. I still haven't heard the Luxman 507U but want to sometime although I may have a tough time getting my hands on one. I have the MAC hooked up right now and it sounds great at normal listening levels. Perhaps I will audition an amp out of the blue that will knock me out but for the moment the Modwright IS providing some great listening moments. I wish I could give you a more definitive answer. Keep up with the contact. Thanks! |
Wyred, I don't know. I haven't looked at the footers. Also, by the way, I haven't made a decision on which integrated to keep. Still auditioning. The Class A Luxman 550AX is a fine sounding amp and my second ever experience with a Class A amp in my own listening environment. I want to hear the Luxman 507U and compare to the 550AX. |
I too purchased this AI after an in-home demo, the amp is neutral and slightly on the warm side, clean sounding and dynamic. It is especially good at low listening levels and my PMC's sound great . . to me at least. I have gone thur several iterations of IA's and amps before I was able to get this amp, they include the Bryston B-100, 4BSST2 and MF 500i, the last being the biggest disappointment after I bought it. None the less the Modwright KWI-200, for me, is working out very well and It has me enjoying my CD collection again. Much thanks to Dan for granting the home demo in the first place. |
I auditioned the Modwright KWI-200 on two separate occasions and in the finish did not opt to purchase it. My sonic findings were posted earlier. It is not a bad integrated but it certainly is no class leader IMHO. Mechanically the build quality could be improved with Modwright opting to use a chassis which is larger than it really needs to be and sheet metal thickness is thin making the overall until prone to vibrations. I am a fan of Modwright products owning an LS36.5 pre-amp and wish the KWI-200 had the same attention to detail in mechanical design as the LS36.5 |
Wyred, I still own the Modwright but am listening to a used McIntosh MA6300 Integrated at the moment. Also, I will be auditioning a Luxman 550AX next week. I have not settled on the Integrated I want to keep. I hope to make a decision soon but I want to make sure I've given each one the proper amount of listening time. That said, The Modwright & McIntosh are both wonderful sounding amps. The Modwright is very neutral sounding and maintains it's composure when the volume is turned up high whereas the McIntosh starts to sound grainy. I listen to a lot of rock. At average listening levels (1-2watts RMS; 4-5watts peak) both sound great and I actually like the somewhat smoother texture of the McIntosh. I'm looking forward to hooking up the Luxman next week. Included in future auditions will be a new, more expensive interconnect. As for the Modwright, I will be listening to it again with the new interconnect so I can't give you anythting definitive at the moment. |
I did the same missing that trusted sim sound,after 300 hrs+ on the modwright i am absolutly on board with this thing.I just have to wait for my talos to burn in (old hydra 8 preceded it).I know too many changes too soon can bring about that what have i done feeling.I did get to hear the changes that the amp incured in burn in,so it is an absolute upgrade (for my system),in the right direction. |
I received my Kwi-200 (brand new) about a week ago and it has close to 100 hours of burn-in. Initial thoughts were similar to Teajay: Grainless texture and warmth, tube like. More thoughts to come, but first... The Kwi-200 is being compared to my current amp, the Resolution Audio Opus 21 s80 Class D integrated amp which is part of the complete Opus 21 system that I own. After considering other int. amps around the same price range of $5000.00, I chose the Modwright to compare the Class D to A/B amp and to see how much difference in refinement there would be between a $2500.00 & $5000.00 int amp. The Kwi-200 is the second most expensive single piece of equipment I've purchased. The first most expensive single piece is the Ayre C-5xemp cd player (almost new) that I just received & hooked up last night. Previously, I was using the Opus 21 CD player with the Kwi-200. So, this price range is new to me. So far, I miss my Resolution Audio system. I know, give the Ayre & Modwright some time. I like the Opus 21 system because it requires one power cord and no IC's. It has a separate power supply which powers the CD player & amp thru umbilicals. Now with the new set up I'm posed with the addition of another power cord (Audience powerchord e or Zu Cable Event connected to Ayre & Voodoo Cable super tesla se connected to Modwright) and interconnects from Ayre to Modwright (Harmonic Tech Magic Link One). Speaker Cable is Cardas Neutral Reference. Speakers are Fritz Speaker Carbon 7 monitors. I'm very conscious about synergy with power cords because IMO too much silver + all solid state components = emphasis on sibilants & too much copper = less detail in overall sound. All the responses have been fun to read. More of your thoughts are welcomed! |
Hi Taylor514, I can totally accept that the KWI-200 in Kiwi's system with ESL speakers might not be a good match up. However, the KWI-200 is not a fat euphonic sounding intergrated amp lacking dynamics at all. So far in my reviewing process I have teamed it up with Aerial Acoustics 5B speakers, Omega single driver speakers, and Reference 3A MM Decapo-i speakers and it made each of these speakers "sing" with excellent punch/dynamics, natural timbres, great precise layered soundstage and an image density and warmth that is tube like in its tone. I like it much better then the Pass Labs INT-150 and still believe it's much closer in its performence to the Pass Labs XA-30.5 intergrated amp. |