REVIEW: Purity Audio K.I.C.A.S. Caliente home headphone amp - updated with comments on regular KICAS

[iGig]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbulack /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've found the Caliente to drive the HD 650's to more of their fullness than the following amps: PPA with Discrete Buffer and STEPS, M^3 with Black Gate power caps and STEPS, Mapletree Ear+ Purist HD with a variety of 5751 tubes and NOS 12B4A tubes. The areas in which the Caliente excels over the other amps are: wider dynamic range, lower background/floor, greater ease and transparency, more credible presentation of spatial aspects of the sound, more natural acoustic spectral balance, tonal/timbral accuracy - overall a more credibly lifelike sound.

wow that's quite an endorsement there! I have a question maybe you (or anyone) can help: are there any areas where the M^3 sounds better than the Caliente?
TIA.

I was wondering who is #1 on the group buy? is it hoodlum?

any amps shipping yet? what's the status? are we there yet?
Is anyone else anxiously waiting?

 

[Taikero]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iGig /img/forum/go_quote.gif wow that's quite an endorsement there! I have a question maybe you (or anyone) can help: are there any areas where the M^3 sounds better than the Caliente? TIA. I was wondering who is #1 on the group buy? is it hoodlum? any amps shipping yet? what's the status? are we there yet? Is anyone else anxiously waiting?

iGig, you're third in the group buy.

Purity Audio

From what I can tell, it should be 14 days (from the start of the group buy) pretty soon, after which production should start. You'll probably have your black Caliente in two-three weeks from now, I imagine.

 

[iGig]

^ woohoo, thanks Taikero, we're almost there.

 

[Greymoor]

I believe the Group Buy closes today, (14 days). I am also waiting as I am 6th in line

By tomorrow morning all the other components will have arrived for my headphone set-up. Just the wait for the amp remains.

 

[bobpensik]

I'm 15th, guess I'll be waiting a while eh!!

 

[sbulack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iGig /img/forum/go_quote.gif ... I have a question maybe you (or anyone) can help: are there any areas where the M^3 sounds better than the Caliente? TIA. ...

One particular sonic area in which the M^3 outperformed the Caliente is texture. When I was using the M^3, I often used tactile words like "palpable" or "velvety" to describe what I was hearing. Overall, I prefer listening to music using the Caliente. There are those passages for which added texture in particular musical voices brings them to life. I DO believe that the M^3 gave even more of that texture than the Caliente does. Don't get me wrong here ... the Caliente displays the textures of sounds beautifullly. The M^3 did so even more vividly and palpably. This was true when I was using OPA627's in the M^3. With AD843 or AD8010 opamps in the M^3, this was not as true. In a variety of amps I have owned which have permitted me to roll opamps, the OPA627 opamp has displayed the most lively and vivid textures in them. So, I'm not sure it's quite fair to say that the "M^3" outperformed the "Caliente" in texture display, but that the OPA627 opamp possesses, as one of its notable sonic strengths, the vivid and palpable portrayal of sonic texture.

 

[CompressionalFlagellation]

I've got a burnin' question here; has anyone directly compared the Denon D5000s with HD650s over this here Caliente amp? I'm #20 in line.

 

[Taikero]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CompressionalFlagellation /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've got a burnin' question here; has anyone directly compared the Denon D5000s with HD650s over this here Caliente amp? I'm #20 in line.

Well, the rub is that the D5000s are purported to sound best with the K.I.C.A.S., whereas the HD650s are supposed to sound best with the Caliente.

In essence, comparing the two with the same amp would give one a more favorable position, whereas if you were to compare the two using the amp which matches them the best, it would be a much more interesting comparison.

Of course, the real rub here is finding someone with an HD650, D5000, and at least one of the two amps, THEN getting them the one they don't have somehow.

As much as I'd like to see the comparison, it's unlikely.

 

[iGig]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbulack /img/forum/go_quote.gif One particular sonic area in which the M^3 outperformed the Caliente is texture. When I was using the M^3, I often used tactile words like "palpable" or "velvety" to describe what I was hearing. Overall, I prefer listening to music using the Caliente. There are those passages for which added texture in particular musical voices brings them to life. I DO believe that the M^3 gave even more of that texture than the Caliente does. Don't get me wrong here ... the Caliente displays the textures of sounds beautifullly. The M^3 did so even more vividly and palpably. This was true when I was using OPA627's in the M^3. With AD843 or AD8010 opamps in the M^3, this was not as true. In a variety of amps I have owned which have permitted me to roll opamps, the OPA627 opamp has displayed the most lively and vivid textures in them. So, I'm not sure it's quite fair to say that the "M^3" outperformed the "Caliente" in texture display, but that the OPA627 opamp possesses, as one of its notable sonic strengths, the vivid and palpable portrayal of sonic texture.

Thank you very much Sbulack for your answer. I’ve been wanting a Rockhopper M^3 with OPA627 specifically, but all they had were AD8010 since november. I bet you now that I ordered the Caliente, they’ll offer OPA627 next weekend.

The Caliente is still first choice for me, I think overall it has more attributes that I’ll enjoy and it’s a good fit for my taste. I’d like to own both for a few months, let my ears decide and sell one of them, although it's possible the Caliente is all I need and my search ends there, that's really what I'm hoping for and will soon find out.


Quote:

Originally Posted by Greymoor /img/forum/go_quote.gif I believe the Group Buy closes today, (14 days). I am also waiting as I am 6th in line By tomorrow morning all the other components will have arrived for my headphone set-up. Just the wait for the amp remains.

zomg Greymoor look at your beard! You have been waiting for a long time.

So what other items you have on order?

 

[Greymoor]

hehe iGig, I am putting together my first home headphone rig which will comprise of this . . .

Denon UD-M31 > BJC Optical cable > DacMagic > Vampire Wire SPC IC > Caliente > HD650

So the amp is the last piece of the puzzle so to speak. I am told that patience is a virtue and waiting builds character.

I am quite the character by now . . .

 

[Got Mi|k?]

I'm number 1 in the group buy and willing be using it with my Ah-D5000's and HD555 I will try and borrow a pair of HD-650 to compare with my D5000's can't wait to pick it up

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Got Mi|k? /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm number 1 in the group buy and willing be using it with my Ah-D5000's and HD555 I will try and borrow a pair of HD-650 to compare with my D5000's can't wait to pick it up

I think I know where you might be able to borrow an HD650 after the Colorado meet on 2/14... PM me.

 

[CompressionalFlagellation]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Got Mi|k? /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm number 1 in the group buy and willing be using it with my Ah-D5000's and HD555 I will try and borrow a pair of HD-650 to compare with my D5000's can't wait to pick it up

As you probably know already, Skylab had good results with his Caliente and D5000s. Good luck acquiring some HD650s -- I look forward to your impressions.

 

[iGig]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greymoor /img/forum/go_quote.gif hehe iGig, I am putting together my first home headphone rig which will comprise of this . . . Denon UD-M31 > BJC Optical cable > DacMagic > Vampire Wire SPC IC > Caliente > HD650 So the amp is the last piece of the puzzle so to speak. I am told that patience is a virtue and waiting builds character. I am quite the character by now . . .

Nice setup! you've picked the best within a reasonable price range, and your DacMagic is making me jealous

Got Milk: the best part of being first in line is that you'll have to write an extensive review with lots of pictures.
What do you think about that?

 

[Got Mi|k?]

Lol i will post pic's and compare both headphones i'll try and get a pair of HD-650 From my girlfriends dad or i'll just go buy a pair as i always wanted them but cheaped out and got the 555 instead but i use them for gaming now better start my hunt for a pair of 650's