Kondo Audio Note Japan M7 preamp

[denimhunter]

Would anyone have experiences with the Kondo Audio Note Japan M7 preamp (valve version 1) they can share?

[pulinap]

deep end eh........

[georgehifi]

As far as the circuit goes, nothing out of the ordinary, with tube rectification, and solid state rectification for the heaters.

 

Cheers George

Edited November 1, 2016 by georgehifi

[Guest Clarence]

Great pre-amp., visually simple lines while exuding high levels of class, no remote (so I keep mine close).  Fit and finish very good quality.

 

Connected to my Shinri this is one of my favourite rig engines.  Realising Audio Note and Kondo have dabbled with and released so many numerous versions and fidgets of the same bloody thing over so many years it is hard to know the definitive answer to this question.

 

Not wanting to sound like a fence sitter here, however, what I mean is when I bought the Shinri I bought a matching M7 for it.  I ended up taking an Audio Note (Kondo) M7 Tube "Silver Sound" in its stock form over a heavily modified M7 that was traded in, in tandem, with the Shinri by a person I have come to know regrets this particular trade-in to this day (rightly so, the Shinri is magic, inexplicable beauty *and* authority).  However even though Kondo later (personally) hand-modified this particular M7 to a "Silver" classification, caps, foils, a lot of silver, complete with "silver" plaque tagged to its backside and the x-owner was adamant I take it in preference to anything else, the "Silver Sound" version was clearly the winner with the Shinri on the day.  And I split the x-owner's duo, no tears.

 

So, if you know a trader like I do that will sit with you and would consider listening to your own power amp. in-shop, sit with your power amp., an M7 and the one next to it and the next if available and choose the best.  They are all hand built and vary.  I don't think they need to make excuses for that but in all the M7 pre. is an awesome experience, a good fun pre.  Highly recommended.

 

Cabling notes (I like and believe in cables as components in their own right and, personally, I've heard it often enough and have no reason to doubt it) :- I use Kimber Kable 1036 for their join (Shinri to M7).  The 1036 model keeps as much silver in my own transmission needs between these units, other models are copper.  Power; I am more than pleased to have these, my own two units, each with fixated power cable and they have used a favourite of mine for power cables, Gryphon, so that was just a personal, fortunate bonus to me, another pair of IEC plugged power cables to do without and an assured run of power straight inside the units to the initial stages, boom, like it.  Most M7's will now come and have come also in the past with IEC power connector on the back.  Components' attachments to the M7 are regularly through Kimber and Cardas as I like their work with RCA cables which you will require for connecting for this unit (also a big fan of the traditional RCA connectors too).  Any Kimber I buy I like to find with the Bullitt style RCA plugs as licenced from this endeavouring Queensland researcher by WBT in Germany.  Cardas and others still refuse to conform to the Bullitt eddying truth but Cardas and Siltech are great, great cables.

 

The only other question to ask yourself should you be spinning vinyl is there are M7's out there with phono built in (and others "purist").  I would say do not mind either way and you get a Kondo phono stage, no complaints material there, really.

 

Enjoy a few shots attached.  All the very best with this one, exciting times when I see someone going the M7 route.  Have a go.  "Version 1"?  Can't say I've heard them talked about like this before, mine is not of a Very early vintage, you may still not have your answer/help here ...

 

{ Lively, jazzy, assuredly footed, clear enough but with personality and rich.  The "Silver Sound" brought succinct clarity.  It is sensitive to cable changes so listen through what you are liking when you find it and stop there. }

 

[Guest Clarence]

On 31/10/2016 at 9:50 AM, denimhunter said:

Would anyone have experiences with the Kondo Audio Note Japan M7 preamp (valve version 1) they can share?

 

Sorry to see you never came back to your own question?

 

Find something else?

 

[denimhunter]

17 hours ago, Clarence said:

 

Sorry to see you never came back to your own question?

 

Find something else?

 

Thank you for your response.  I have been away (no hifi) and didn't check into SNA much at all.

I called it 'version 1' because as far as I know the earliest is solid state and later valve version have gone through a few changes over the years.  I understood the phono version of M7 is more rare?

I was tempted by the Kondo M7 but I haven't heard one before so staying with my  Shindo pre at this stage...

[holliswhy]

I jumped into here just to see some Kondo porn. 

Thanks Gents!

[Guest Clarence]

1 hour ago, denimhunter said:

Thank you for your response.  I have been away (no hifi) and didn't check into SNA much at all.

I called it 'version 1' because as far as I know the earliest is solid state and later valve version have gone through a few changes over the years.  I understood the phono version of M7 is more rare?

I was tempted by the Kondo M7 but I haven't heard one before so staying with my  Shindo pre at this stage...

 

No worries DenimHunter, it was, of course, over the holiday period so I assumed this was the case.

 

You seem to have more inklings of the past of this M7 model and I certainly wouldn't be able to fill in any gaps you have, I haven't been a trainspotter for years. The M7 underwent many and varied changes without a doubt. I think I was trying to point that out when I mentioned the variability over the years and what I heard of two completely different performances from the two M7's I auditioned to get to what I had taken.

 

Not just that occasion but two 2nd handies in a single session I heard in Europe one time, two regular M7's, no silver and no mods. though differing ages, that further highlighted hand-built variances.

 

The with-phono are the rarer releases, yes. Not even knowing what the module looks like under the lid I couldn't even tell you whether mine has it! (If I get my turntable going again I'll plug through the Phono selection direct first and see whether I have the RIAA circuit included). I assume quite a few M7 buyers may have gone the separate M7 Phono for a 2-chassis M7 pre. for the purist phono route. Maybe for loading options? It was popular to talk of the sensitive phono signals when I began my own audio journey and separated components for phono as popular as the chat. You might look out for the M7 Phono as a separate to your Shindo? Then you have your Kondo.

 

All the best.

[Guest Clarence]

Indeed from my trainspotting days. The M7, an elusive appearance. Enjoy some shots from some places from some time ago, units on sale or owners cracking the lids for some guts action. Note this Shinri nor any of these M7 entries are my own. Just a small demonstration of the looks and names, no SS solids or vintage originals included. Well maybe that third shot is of some vintage.

 

 

[denimhunter]

Nice!!! Btw there is a Shinri on eBay at the moment if u want to turn dream into reality.

what speakers are u pairing the AN with?

[Guest Clarence]

37 minutes ago, denimhunter said:

Nice!!! Btw there is a Shinri on eBay at the moment if u want to turn dream into reality.

what speakers are u pairing the AN with?

 

Sorry Denim, I think I have lead this thread astray. I already own one of the Shinri's.

 

Found the eBay entry! Wow! There's only 6 or 8 of these ever made. If you can I would. You will never have heard ANYTHING like it. Damn that is awesome. He has his very fabulous WE 300B's in the shot too. Wonder if they go with the sale. I have someone I need to alert about this entry.

 

If you can find the absolutely-all-silver 8W stereo amp. of this same line, the Baransu, I think there were just 4 or so made.

 

In answer to your speaker question. Here was one of my setups a little while ago. Did I mention when I auditioned Kondo to replace my Krell gear I also partnered in a pair of Avalon Opus Ceramiques (at 5Ohm, 89db, I have never understood how my Shinri drives them with such utter beauty).

 

Right now, however, typing this, a pair of Sonus Faber Guarneri Homages are amply handling a barrage from Pig Destroyer's Book Burner album. While this type of severe hammer-and-tong punk metal deserves a more dedicated bass driver the Shinri has the Guarneris just pounding and just right and prepped for an ear bleeding. Go the mighty pigs.

 

Edited January 24, 2017 by Clarence
sentence correction, added Guarneris and Pigs

[denimhunter]

Wow!! Very fine!!

I am also running vintage 300B Japanese amp at the moment. 

My voxativ full range (100db) just whispered in my ear, "Kondo Shinri"! I said tough, u can pay for the divorce!....

[Guest Clarence]

53 minutes ago, denimhunter said:

Wow!! Very fine!!

I am also running vintage 300B Japanese amp at the moment. 

My voxativ full range (100db) just whispered in my ear, "Kondo Shinri"! I said tough, u can pay for the divorce!....

 

Absolutely, if you can, like I said, you Need that amp.

 

Everyone should have one as if an unalienable right.

 

[denimhunter]

@Clarence btw the WE300bs are included in the eBay Shinri