[seeteeyou]

.

 

[rudi0504]

We better compare Alex's DIY and Crystal Cable Dreamline next. There must be something special with either one?

Besides, is there a way to get 3-wire Dreamline terminated with connectors that are even better than the ViaBlue T6s?

I saw those Wireworld ones in Hong Kong last year.

Then there are really nice ones from China / Taiwan as well

http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=36767063475

http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=36767175220

http://www.atl-newcablestudio.com/PH-3506RH03.html

I like The DESIGN from New cablestudiio
He use via Blue because Crystal cable dream line is solid Wire and very thick
For 3 wires via Blue is The best Choice , In term SQ every brand has their own sound character
And The material like Gold or Rhodium has different SQ

Normally We like to use oyaide and second Place use furutech

 

[Skooter]

 

Hi Rudi0504 - 
 
Thanks for taking the time for your unorthodox product information and opinions. They provided enough technical information to help me find some excellent products that are not broadly marketed or sold to the general public. 
 
Over the past years I have had the opportunity to check out dozens of headphone amps. Several were decent but were challenged at higher frequencies. Some had some obvious deficiencies in design or execution. A handful were quite good. All struggled with increasingly complex classical music.
 
Based on your comments I made a special trip to Nakano (Tokyo) to check out the "Kojo Technology KM01 Brass" and the "Wagnus Epsilon S." I tried a few IEMs and headphones for both. 
 
Both amps were superb. Both were different. This trip was well worth the time and effort. A brief comparison follows: 
 
* The Wagnus is quite large but very lightweight physically. Clearly handbuilt but fit and finish was good. Wagnus had a bit more range in treble and bass; it had just the slightest amount of shrill that made it a bit more fatiguing. The demo Wagnus was really beat up and I think the volume pot was a bit scratchy; that could have been a/the contributing factor to the shrill. These are typical results of a cheap/defective/dirty/worn volume pot; but that might just be a characteristic of the unit. The volume pot is not cheap FYI. On hindsight, I should have asked to demo a new unit. I think I will follow up again on the Wagnus. Listening impressions - without going into detail, in challenging classical & some more modern popular music played at "red book" CD resolution, I found the Wagnus to reproduce music in a very agile manner with impressive clarity and extension both at the top and bottom end. It was not super-powerful. Very enjoyable.
 
* The Kojo is very small but heavy. The brass finish is not coated so looks stunning now but gets oxidized over time as the demo unit was not shiny. Fit and finish is superb. So smooth sounding. I think the highs and lows are just ever so slightly rolled off; maybe. Maybe not. For me, the Kojo combines the best characteristics of a tube amp and a solid-state amp. Almost no fatigue. I found the Kojo to be quite powerful. Very enjoyable and most musical portable amp I have found. Handles everything I send it with ease. 
 
I purchased the Kojo and have been using it every day for a few hours. It takes one AA type battery which seems to last forever; well over a dozen hours.
 
Special mention of the "ALO The Continential v3" and "Carot One Nik58tube," which made the shortlist and were worth checking out in my view. FYI Carot One makes a class D tube hybrid desktop amp which I found less than stellar.
 

 

[rudi0504]

Hi Rudi0504 - 

Thanks for taking the time for your unorthodox product information and opinions. They provided enough technical information to help me find some excellent products that are not broadly marketed or sold to the general public. 

Over the past years I have had the opportunity to check out dozens of headphone amps. Several were decent but were challenged at higher frequencies. Some had some obvious deficiencies in design or execution. A handful were quite good. All struggled with increasingly complex classical music.

Based on your comments I made a special trip to Nakano (Tokyo) to check out the "Kojo Technology KM01 Brass" and the "Wagnus Epsilon S." I tried a few IEMs and headphones for both. 

Both amps were superb. Both were different. This trip was well worth the time and effort. A brief comparison follows: 

* The Wagnus is quite large but very lightweight physically. Clearly handbuilt but fit and finish was good. Wagnus had a bit more range in treble and bass; it had just the slightest amount of shrill that made it a bit more fatiguing. The demo Wagnus was really beat up and I think the volume pot was a bit scratchy; that could have been a/the contributing factor to the shrill. These are typical results of a cheap/defective/dirty/worn volume pot; but that might just be a characteristic of the unit. The volume pot is not cheap FYI. On hindsight, I should have asked to demo a new unit. I think I will follow up again on the Wagnus. Listening impressions - without going into detail, in challenging classical & some more modern popular music played at "red book" CD resolution, I found the Wagnus to reproduce music in a very agile manner with impressive clarity and extension both at the top and bottom end. It was not super-powerful. Very enjoyable.

* The Kojo is very small but heavy. The brass finish is not coated so looks stunning now but gets oxidized over time as the demo unit was not shiny. Fit and finish is superb. So smooth sounding. I think the highs and lows are just ever so slightly rolled off; maybe. Maybe not. For me, the Kojo combines the best characteristics of a tube amp and a solid-state amp. Almost no fatigue. I found the Kojo to be quite powerful. Very enjoyable and most musical portable amp I have found. Handles everything I send it with ease. 

I purchased the Kojo and have been using it every day for a few hours. It takes one AA type battery which seems to last forever; well over a dozen hours.

Special mention of the "ALO The Continential v3" and "Carot One Nik58tube," which made the shortlist and were worth checking out in my view. FYI Carot One makes a class D tube hybrid desktop amp which I found less than stellar.


 

Very nice impression Skooter
You are welcome
Audio is my heavy hobby , sometimes is to much
I am very happy that you like Ko Jo KM 01
I have so many portable Amps collection , Ko Jo is the sweetest portable amp ever made , it is very good fir jazz and audiophile recording ,
You you Here audiophile and jazz music with others amps is very good too , but something missing the SQ from Ko Jo KM 01.
IMO

 

[Skooter]

Rudi0504 - 
 
I did a quick summary of the Kojo in the products section. It is mostly copy-and-paste of my comments above.
 
However, I noticed the Kojo sounds much better if it is placed on a hard surface without any feet, wrapping, isolation, etc. The isolation seems to take the life out of the sound. Give this a try and let us know if you notice the same. 
 
Disadvantage - faster oxidation of finish
Advantage - superior sound quality

 

[rudi0504]

Rudi0504 - 

I did a quick summary of the Kojo in the products section. It is mostly copy-and-paste of my comments above.

However, I noticed the Kojo sounds much better if it is placed on a hard surface without any feet, wrapping, isolation, etc. The isolation seems to take the life out of the sound. Give this a try and let us know if you notice the same. 

Disadvantage - faster oxidation of finish
Advantage - superior sound quality

Hi Skooter

I believe in your summary
Every Amps sound to their best sound quality if without wrapping anything like your experience , this is true

Sometime need wrap to protect scratch and oxidize process from Mass Ko. Bo KM 01 Brass Edition.
Please try it with many cloth , you will hear different SQ
I have bought blanket from Emirate Air ways sound quality is very good

Many don't believe like what we done

 

[rudi0504]

Ko Jo KM 01 Brass Edition and Tsugaru Edition one of the best synergy with Sony ZX Dap

Source : Sony Walkman ZX 1
Amps : Ko Jo KM 01 Brass Edition
Ko Jo Tsugaru Edition
Iem : Earsonic. SM 64 v1 and v2
Cable : mini to mini DIY with Sony LOD

High : crisp clear and very detail and extended high and clean
Mid : the best part from. Ko Jo is the midrange , so sweet and natural and intimate like from tube sounding Amp
Bass : very clean , detail and fast sounding bass
Separation : very good that I can very easy detect the instrument placement
Soundstage : wide and very good depth too
Hiss : no hiss
Background : black background

Overall :
Ko Jo KM 01 has best synergy with Sony ZX 1, has better clarity and the midrange sweet and intimate with better clarity
Bass sound so detail clean and fast with very good impact .
If you like Audiophile music and jazz , you should try with Ko Jo KM 01 , than you can hear more intimate
From Your Audiophile recording .

Ko Jo Tsugaru has refinement SQ from Ko Jo KM 01 Brass Edition , more presence more weight and has fuller sound

IMO

 

[productred]

Just curious, anyone opened up one of these babies and hv a peep at the innards?

 

[rudi0504]

I have recently bought a second hand KM01 amp... the price is very good, I got it only for USD $270

I am very happy with the sound quality. by comparing it with ALO Nation Amp, KM01 present more soundstage wideness, and smooth output.
ALO Nation is more like a powerful output, but it is a bit too much for my taste...

KOJO KM01 is a good amp for sure... here comes my photo of setup, I just hook up with my cell phone.. I am happy with it.

Congrats For Your New Ko Jo KM01
Wow you Bought very cheap
And look Your Brass Finishing is different from mine

 

[singleended58]

Have anyone tried Sanyo eneloop AAA rechargeable battery with Kojo KM01 brass yet? IMO and to my ears it sounds with more musical in midrange and more detail in treble than Duracell one.

 

[eregyu]

Have anyone tried Sanyo eneloop AAA rechargeable battery with Kojo KM01 brass yet? IMO and to my ears it sounds with more musical in midrange and more detail in treble than Duracell one.

WOW.. I think I have to try the Sanyo out... Great news to hear..

 

[eregyu]

Congrats For Your New Ko Jo KM01
Wow you Bought very cheap
And look Your Brass Finishing is different from mine

 
When I got the second hand KOJO, the exterior appearance is in very bad condition.
It had 3 deep scratch on top, so I went to a store to put on a pattern film to cover it up... It looks nice lo... haha

 

[crayonz]

Have anyone tried Sanyo eneloop AAA rechargeable battery with Kojo KM01 brass yet? IMO and to my ears it sounds with more musical in midrange and more detail in treble than Duracell one.

Agree with you.So far, eneloop rechargeable is my recommended battery

 

[singleended58]

Agree with you.So far, eneloop rechargeable is my recommended battery

If you are located in US buy them from Costco. $25 with tax you got 4xAAA and 6xAA with rechargeable unit. The Eneloop is made in Japan except the rechargeable unit.

 

[rudi0504]

If you are located in US buy them from Costco. $25 with tax you got 4xAAA and 6xAA with rechargeable unit. The Eneloop is made in Japan except the rechargeable unit.

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