Kismet monoblock owners unite!

Nicholas Bedworth · « **on:** 10 Mar 2010, 12:15 am »

Who else out there has Kismet monoblocks, either in the official Kismet custom cases, or in Stratos cases? I've got the latter, and am pretty much thrilled with the results. The amps have been running for about 18 days, with conditioning discs used whenever I'm out of the house.

The Kismet-in-Stratos is driven directly by a Lavry DA-11 DAC, which in turn uses a laptop for source (bit perfect via WASAPI).

hpc · « **Reply #1 on:** 10 Mar 2010, 02:05 am »

I've had my Kismet mono's for a few months and am taking delivery
of a third unit this week from Klaus. Traded in a set of Stratos Extreme SE's
for the Kismet's.

Am planning on a set of Kismet-Stratos for upstairs. I prefer the Stratos
case for its sealed tops which prevent the accumulation of cat hair - since
the little devil thinks the Stratos tops are for warming.

moyses · « **Reply #2 on:** 11 Mar 2010, 05:51 pm »

Hello Nicholas,
Could you please be a little bit more specific about your system, and which cable and connection you are using for the digital input with the Lavry? USB?
Have you been using high def files with this system?
I am curious about all of the movement towards the so called computer music but know very little. I notice that Linn, for example, seems to be going the Ethernet way. Wouldn´t that be more apropriate for digital data streaming?
ATB,
Moyses

Nicholas Bedworth · « **Reply #3 on:** 11 Mar 2010, 06:24 pm »

Sure, I'd be delighted.

The Lavry DA-11 has be driven in several ways:

1. Glass-fiber TOSLINK (Wireworld Starlight) directly from the computer, with rather good results.
2. USB, with so-so results compared to (1) and (3), although shorter cable seem to be better (with other USB audio devices, longer may be better)
3. SPDIF or AES, via a Firewire to SPDIF/AES converter (using M-Audio ProFire right now, other products soon) yields best results, in fact, excellent results.

In Windows Vista/7, ideally you'll set up a bit-perfect source, such as J River's Media Center (see computeraudiophile.com for all the details), and use the volume control in the DAC.

Many digital audio server devices use Ethernet, so they can stream to any device on the LAN. That's a kind of "global" scenario. To get the streams from a device to the DAC is the province of 1394/Firewire, SPDIF, USB, TOSLINK, etc.

Nicholas Bedworth · « **Reply #4 on:** 11 Mar 2010, 06:27 pm »

@hpc

Have you used the XLR inputs? Mine don't seem to be operating the same way they did on the Stratos Stereo Extreme. I've tried various combinations of pins being hot and all that, but there's a lot of hum. In one configuration, I'm getting equal amounts of hum and music; in others, hum only.

Going in to the RCA connectors, using a Neutrik XLR-RCA adapter, works perfectly.

Got any ideas? I understand that the grounding on the monoblocks is quite different than on the stereos, which is probably part of the problem.

Nicholas Bedworth · « **Reply #5 on:** 11 Mar 2010, 06:31 pm »

@moyse

And furthermore... My preference right now for digital coax interconnect are the Audioquest Eagle Eye (RCA, 75 Ohm for SPDIF) and Raven (XLR, 110 Ohm for AES). Audioquest also makes the 10% silver 1394c cable which seems to work very well.

Wireworld has great-looking (bright, repeat, bright fucshia) USB cables and also perform very well. http://wireworldcable.com/categories/Digital_audio_cables.html.

Eduardo AAVM · « **Reply #6 on:** 14 Mar 2010, 07:56 am »

I ordered a pair of mono Strakismetos, Kismet inside Stratos case, dual transformers each and special german caps upgrade.

Nicholas Bedworth · « **Reply #7 on:** 14 Mar 2010, 08:04 am »

You'll like them!

hpc · « **Reply #8 on:** 14 Mar 2010, 07:40 pm »

Nicholas,

I have NOT tried the XLR's yet; all interconnects (IC's) used were
single-ended and the balanced IC's are used in another system. Have you
identified the offending component causing the ground-loop?

I have a pair of Clayton M-100's which absolutely hate being fed anything
single-ended; feed them balanced and they go dead-quiet.

Eduardo, wished I knew of the Stratos-Kismet when I ordered my Kismet's -
I liked the Stratos cases (and so does the cat!). The next pair will be
in the Stratos cases.

Cheers and Happy St. Patrick's!

Lon

Eduardo AAVM · « **Reply #9 on:** 14 Mar 2010, 08:37 pm »

Maybe I will upgrade them later with Composite/Viablue/Audio selection feet and I already goy NextGen RCA jacks.

@hpc

well, Clayton's amplifiers are impressive you must be very happy.

machinehead · « **Reply #10 on:** 24 Mar 2010, 02:21 am »

Nicholas,

I could not get the XLR's to work in my Stratos either, I tried all different pin combos, same result, lots of hum.

Nicholas Bedworth · « **Reply #11 on:** 24 Mar 2010, 07:37 am »

The Lavry DAC allows complete control over which XLR pins are hot, ground, etc. So with the Stratos Stereo Extreme, they worked fine; with the Kismet monoblocks, either hum, or by manipulating the XLR pint configuration, hum with music, about equal.

No changes in wiring or equipment were made. Perhaps the different grounding architecture of the monoblocks is part of the answer.

Mike, one of the technicians at Odyssey, late last night suggested using an MKS4 2.2 uF WIMA 5% tolerance capacitor to help to bleed off the hum.

Any suggestions?

Nick

golfugh · « **Reply #12 on:** 24 Mar 2010, 12:27 pm »

I also have the Kismet's in Stratos case with SL Cap upgrade. Using either RCAs or XLRs had a low level hum through the tweeter until I ran them through a PS Audio Quintet. The amps themselves are dead quiet, no transformer hum at all. Not what I want to do but it works!

I'm now running Reality XLRs amps to Wyred STP-SE.

I've tried them on the same dedicated 20A circuit and 2 different dedicated 20A circuits and still had the hum until the quintet. I'm looking at other power conditioning alternatives. Poor power here in the FL panhandle, a lot of variance in power from the wall (brownouts, lightning, etc.).

I do have a whole house surge protector at the incoming panel outside. Since installing that I haven't had any lightning problems (crossing fingers).

Maybe folks could try a PS Audio Duet for the amps; it's real cheap right now.

Eduardo AAVM · « **Reply #13 on:** 27 Mar 2010, 05:09 pm »

Regarding hums, check your DC component in your AC line.

I use two PS Quintessence, one for pre and CD the other for amplifiers, at one point when I had only one Quintessence it was Quintessence itself which had a noise, I guess it was a large charge to cope with.

Now I also got a PS product that tackles DC out of AC (my grounding line is removed now due certain works at home)

Nicholas Bedworth · « **Reply #14 on:** 27 Mar 2010, 06:00 pm »

What's a little odd is that when I use the XLR cables with the Stratos Stereo Extreme, zero problems. When putting the same cables into the Kismets, there's no signal at all, just the hum. Nothing else has changed.

Looking at the female XLR on the Kismet, pin 1 has the red wire (+), pin 2 is black (ground) and 3 is open. That would explain everything. Doesn't it seem like the connector is miswired? And mechanically, pin 3 is at the 12 o'clock position; usually it's at 6 o'clock.

Checking the DAC manual for the tenth time

it shows pin 2 audio +, and pin 3 can be audio - or ground. This is also what you'd expect from the Wiki on XLR.

Can you fellows check your gear at let me know what you find?

germay0653 · « **Reply #15 on:** 27 Mar 2010, 09:16 pm »

I don't believe the XLR connections on the Odessey amps are truely balanced circuits and that may be the source of the problem. Don't know why they worked on your Stratos but try asking Klaus or maybe the following link will help.

http://www.rane.com/note110.html

Nicholas Bedworth · « **Reply #16 on:** 28 Mar 2010, 02:26 am »

The Stratos and Kismets use unbalanced RCA or XLR.

I just spent an hour fixing the problem with the XLR connectors... firstly, they're put in upside down, namely pin 3 should be at the 6 o'clock position. Secondly, the red and black wires need to be swapped: red goes to 2, black goes to 1.

What does this do for sound quality?

A lot! My Audioquest Sky cables were running through a Neutrik to the RCA. Bypassing the Neutrik certainly freshened things up. I think that's the best way to describe it: one more interface layer removed, a new level of clarity and transient response results.

The Kismet is being driven directly by a Lavry Engineering DA-11 DAC, which is native XLR out...

golfugh · « **Reply #17 on:** 30 Mar 2010, 11:17 am »

Quote from: Eduardo AAVM on 27 Mar 2010, 05:09 pm

Regarding hums, check your DC component in your AC line.

I use two PS Quintessence, one for pre and CD the other for amplifiers, at one point when I had only one Quintessence it was Quintessence itself which had a noise, I guess it was a large charge to cope with.

Now I also got a PS product that tackles DC out of AC (my grounding line is removed now due certain works at home)

Eduardo

Couple of questions:

1. How do you check the DC component?
2. What are you using from PS Audio that tackles DC out of AC?

Thanks
Mark

talk2me · « **Reply #18 on:** 3 Apr 2010, 02:36 pm »

Anyone care to post some more pics of the Kizmets? Also, the Kizmet product drop-down does not work on the Odyssey site (for some time now). It is just too much of a mystery to find out info on these amps, other than what little info I have read here. Are they built to order? Power ratings? Price? Thanks

AnalogDog · « **Reply #19 on:** 19 Jun 2010, 03:13 am »

I just got mine....freakin' gorgeous! Only had a chance to listen briefly so far. Have to say, while the Kismets clearly have a bit more refinement, I was shocked at how close my Odyssey Stratos monoblocs were to them. Still, it's early days, and haven't had time to put the Kismets thru their paces yet. Edit:Delete last statement! Like a lot of really superior gear, these amps don't bowl you over right away. It takes time for the ear/brain to adjust sometimes to just how much MORE information is buried in there. They are some of the most disarmingly NATURAL sounding amps I've heard, managing to combine the best attributes of both tubes and SS, while totally avoiding the traditional weaknesses of either.
Don't think Klaus has ever published specs, but he's said that they're somewhere between the regular monos and the Extremes, power rating wise. Not much help, I know. I do believe they are built to order, so the price will reflect what you specify. Believe the base price to be $5900 for the pair. Bought mine used (they were over 7K new) for way less than half that.