[Hubb]

Monday the UPS person brought a seventeen pound Prairie Chicken to my front door step.  This quite possibly is part of the final stage of my long hi fi journey.  In 1967, while stationed at a Naval electronic spy station in Japan, I bought my first stereo system.  Jump ahead about nine years and I'm doing my first Audio sales gig.  One of my cohorts invites me over to his place to hear his set up - Dynaco mark III's and Janzen electrostatic speakers.  It sounded very good, but being young and full of piss and vinegar, I thought it wasn't for me.  Heck it couldn't "rock" and who still used tube electronics - too high maintenance.  Another leap forward of fifteen years and I'm at my second more upscale selling of audio/video gear gig.  My music at home is coming at me from Magnapans driven by a CJ preamp and a modified Dyna ST70 (how we eat our words/opinions).  The retailer I'm working for decides to become a Martin Logan dealer.  Martin Logan organizes a field trip to their factory in Lawrence Kansas for all the GM's and Sales Managers of the company I'm with.  While there they lead small groups of us into their "listening room".  This is like a "safe room".  It's a room within a room with double doors with an air lock between.  In the room is a pair of CLS full range electrostats driven by a big Audio Research Reference amp and a Sutherland preamp. They put on Muddy Waters' "Folk Singer" and  he and Buddy Guy are literally in the room.  You can even tell they're sitting down playing their guitars.  Like a fool I bought the cd and spent the next several years chasing that experience.   In 2012 I retired.  Off and on over the next few years I start to plan what I'm going to do for music play back when we down size and I lose the nice large room I have.  I knew I wanted the equipment to be simple, pure and not destructive to the information it was trying to reproduce.  I settled on single driver speakers and a wonderful fellow in Connecticut and I put together some very nice speakers, my six foot tall Martin Logans were gone.  Now I needed to replace the 65 pound tube amp from Binghamton New York.  I will not be able to afford a quad of NOS TungSol 6550's every couple of years.  Wolf Ear Audio shows up on the circle of Audio Circle for my speakers.  An interior shot shows that Andrew has lavished quite a bit of attention on the power supply of the Kitoki, the heart of any amp.  The amp goes on tour and one of the participants remarks on how quite the Kitoki is.  A major plus with high sensitivity speakers. I pulled the trigger with Andrew.  So a week ago today I received my new speakers and as I said this Monday I received the Kitoki.  Tuesday evening I put Muddy Waters' "Folk Singer" in the cd player and dam, I was back in that sound room in Lawrence Kansas.  Muddy and Buddy were sitting in my room playing and singing just for me. Journey complete.   Michael

[Hubb]

I'm not sure I did this correctly.  Michael

[StevenZ]

Nice write-up.  Thanks for sharing!

[Hubb]

Thank you Steven.  I'm not much into audiophile speak.  I'd much rather try to communicate my impressions with an attempt at story telling.  However as the amp and it's tubes and capacitors etc continues to burn in I may have more to share.  Also I am a tube rolling Addict!!!  Although, as I was telling Andrew, I'm bummin a bit cause so far I haven't felt compelled to call my "supplier" in search of rare NOS EZ81's, EL84's or 6922's.  We'll see how long that lasts before withdrawal symptoms set in.

[Hubb]

While there is still some interest in this thread I'd like to say thank you to some folk.  First Canada Rob for introducing Wolf Ear Audio, Andrew and the Kitoki to the Omega circle.  Then to Andrew for setting up the Kitoki tour.  Then the participants in the tour for taking their time to share their impressions of the Kitoki.  Without all this I wouldn't have this wonderful music making Prairie Chicken in my house.  When an amp gets out of the way and lets Ben Webster play his sax, Kenny Dorham play his trumpet and Lianne LaHavas sing in my room what more can you ask for.  Thank you

Michael

[OzarkTom]

If my Zellatons were about 6db more efficient, one of these amps would be at my house.

A great and accurate review

[OzarkTom]

Also, buy one of their power cords for your Kitoki amp if you haven't, or sign up for the power cord tour.

[HiFiJeff]

Hubb,

Thank you for the write up.  Your story and set up is VERY inspiring. I myself have always loved the sound and speed of Martin Logan electrostatic speakers. But unfortunately never owned a pair. Anyway, I too stumbled on to that guy from Connecticut myself about 3.5 years ago and have been building my "Perfect" system ever since. Thank God he is so patient because he has put up with my questions this entire time. So about a year ago I finally pulled the trigger on some Omega Supercharged 3XRS's and was absolutely blown away by what I heard. Of course my purchase of these single driver high efficiency speakers took me in the direction of low powered SET amps and my journey took me to Decware.  And man, when I got that and hooked it up to my Omega's,  I was in pure audio bliss. But I have been talking to Louis for awhile now about the dual RS5'S and the end of my speaker journey. I told hI'm that I want him to build me the last speaker I will EVER purchase. And he said without a doubt the dual RS5'S like yours will be the final Frontier.  I told him that I love what I hear now that I just want a little more of it all. So I pulled the trigger today and he should be starting on them soon. Will let you know when I have them. And I know this is a Wolf Earth Audio thread and after seeing your set up, went right to their website.  I have to say, I am VERY intrigued.  But am also VERY happy with my Decware SE84UFO and they seem to be very similar in build. So I am staying put with them, but I am going to order a power cord from them. So thanks for letting us all know about them! Anyway take care and I am sure I will talk more with you.

[Hubb]

Rosanne Cash is a musician, a poet, an author and the daughter of Johnny Cash.  There's a story that in 1996 or so she handed her husband producer and musician John Leventhal a tape of some songs she had been working on.  Apparently she wanted his opinion and impressions.  The story goes he took the tape to the studio and pressed it straight to CD. The CD is titled "10 Song Demo". This am I went upstairs armed with my industrial tape measure and a bigass cup of coffee thinking I was going to further separate my speakers.  Wanting some music that would give me good "scale" I put on this CD.  I did not touch the speakers.  I sat mesmerized listening to Rosanne. I listened to this CD a billion times.  I used to even use it as a demo when I sold hi-fi.  They say when you have an extremely unexpected experience you will get goosebumps on the back of your arms.  I had full body freakin goosebumps!!!!  I can only speak from my own experience, but if you own or are thinking of acquiring Omega speakers, Buy A Kitoki!!!!!     

[Hubb]

It's been a bit over two months now that I've been basking in the musical glory of a Kitoki.  Last month I began tube rolling and I thought I should share those experiences.  I started with the input/driver tubes. My Kitoki came with some 80's Voskhods.  There is a fellow locally that will let me take home several options to try after a deposit.  I came home with some 6dj8's, 6922's and 7308's. (Context here - I have Omega speakers, Rogue pre amp and a Martin Logan sub.). It was a mix of Mullard and made in the USA Amperex.  In my set up the 6dj8's lacked detail, depth and refinement. The worst of the 6dj8's was a pair of Tele's. The 7308's had all those attributes in spades but had no bass or body or presence.  There were three pair of 6922's. A pair of Mullard, a pair labeled RCA made in Great Britain and the pair that were magic - a pair of White Label Amperex made in their New York factory and labeled RCA.  Overall the 6922's gave the most convincing illusion of a three dimensional, flesh and blood musician/vocalist in my room.  Next up I mucked about with four EZ81/6ca4's. I was surprised how much difference the various rectifiers made.  I had a Mullard, a GE, a Japanese Raytheon and a Sylvania gray plate.  The Raytheon was too bright/glaring.  The GE was the quietest of the bunch with very good bottom but a little too much top and a recessed midrange.  The Mullard just plain made music.  But in the end the Sylvania won out with better grunt and a very easy to listen to presentation especially when listening to some of my old albums.  In a while I may do some output tube rolling but the 70's 6p15p-ev's Andrew included with my Kitoki are getting along quite well with their new friends. They are quite fast and do amazingly well with percussion and the striking of the hammers on piano strings.  They actually have a bit of a cult following of their own.  Well enough blah, blah, blah and back to the music.

Michael

[AvsFan]

It's been a bit over two months now that I've been basking in the musical glory of a Kitoki.  Last month I began tube rolling and I thought I should share those experiences.  I started with the input/driver tubes. My Kitoki came with some 80's Voskhods.  There is a fellow locally that will let me take home several options to try after a deposit.  I came home with some 6dj8's, 6922's and 7308's. (Context here - I have Omega speakers, Rogue pre amp and a Martin Logan sub.). It was a mix of Mullard and made in the USA Amperex.  In my set up the 6dj8's lacked detail, depth and refinement. The worst of the 6dj8's was a pair of Tele's. The 7308's had all those attributes in spades but had no bass or body or presence.  There were three pair of 6922's. A pair of Mullard, a pair labeled RCA made in Great Britain and the pair that were magic - a pair of White Label Amperex made in their New York factory and labeled RCA.  Overall the 6922's gave the most convincing illusion of a three dimensional, flesh and blood musician/vocalist in my room.  Next up I mucked about with four EZ81/6ca4's. I was surprised how much difference the various rectifiers made.  I had a Mullard, a GE, a Japanese Raytheon and a Sylvania gray plate.  The Raytheon was too bright/glaring.  The GE was the quietest of the bunch with very good bottom but a little too much top and a recessed midrange.  The Mullard just plain made music.  But in the end the Sylvania won out with better grunt and a very easy to listen to presentation especially when listening to some of my old albums.  In a while I may do some output tube rolling but the 70's 6p15p-ev's Andrew included with my Kitoki are getting along quite well with their new friends. They are quite fast and do amazingly well with percussion and the striking of the hammers on piano strings.  They actually have a bit of a cult following of their own.  Well enough blah, blah, blah and back to the music.

Michael

How about now after almost 2 years????

[AvsFan]

Anything??? Anyone?????