Lejonklou Boazu Integrated Amp

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Re: Lejonklou Boazu Integrated Amp

Post by mrco99 »

So last weekend I gave Boazy his first lengthy trial run, accompanied by a rather critic listener....my wife.

I must say that over the years, she´s become more and more accomodating whenever I make changes to our home system, and by today, she has mostly given up her muttering at me exchanging components, racks & cables...

So while she has learned to look away, her sharp ears have remained and are a good initial soundboard for any changes that I make. Previous home system has been Linn KRDS1, LP12, Sagatun Mono (now updated with Tarandus), Tundra Mono, Klangedang T1s. A great system only lacking .... some deep powerful bass.

As we both do like a good portion of that, we have tried Keltiks too, and though we were well served in the lower registers, clearly its mid and treble drivers were showing its age.

In come Boazu. Naturally I had to go back to the Klangedangs first, but on hearing the first notes, my wife started humming along while working on some clothes design. After 15 minutes she responded: ´what have you done to the system? It sounds great!´ Then I made a big mistake... I told her it was ONLY this single black box plus the KRDS1, delivering this great music... 10 seconds of silence in which I realised my failure!

´Oh. So this single amplifier does all the work now? And at less than 1/4th of the amount that we had playing at the beginning? That is just great.....as it means that all the rest can now go, and I get my living room back!!

Oh boy, didn´t see that coming... only salvation is that I am going to need Boazu for demos but Fredrik you have really outdone yourself this time!
I predict this will become a true classic, like Naim´s early NAIT amplifiers. This is a true fun and engaging amplifier. It is direct and involving, you´re simply in the midst of music.
Even the direct inputs were praised by my wife: ´Marvellous, so I don´t have to switch sources anymore! - why has nobody else thought of this any sooner?´

Having heard it only this weekend, I think an order for the very next Boazu is imminent - even only if it was to please my wife...

Thanks Fredrik!

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Re: Lejonklou Boazu Integrated Amp

Post by Music Lover »

mrco99 wrote: Previous home system has been Linn KRDS1, LP12, Sagatun Mono (now updated with Tarandus), Tundra Mono, Klangedang T1s. A great system only lacking .... some deep powerful bass.

As we both do like a good portion of that, we have tried Keltiks too, and though we were well served in the lower registers, clearly its mid and treble drivers were showing its age.

In come Boazu. Naturally I had to go back to the Klangedangs first
This is difficult to understand.

It seems you compared with KRDS1, Boazu, T1 - and changed both amps and speakers.
What system did you start with? Aktive Keltiks?

And why downgrade from Sagatun Mono Tarandus and Tundra Mono?
It's all about musical understanding!
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Re: Lejonklou Boazu Integrated Amp

Post by lejonklou »

Wow!

Thank you (and your wife) for the "review", Marco!

I suspect that when you put Sagatun Mono Tarandus and Tundra Mono Tarandus back into your current system, she will not "want her living room back" any more.
Music Lover wrote:And why downgrade from Sagatun Mono Tarandus and Tundra Mono?
Marco is my distributor for Germany and the Netherlands. He is not downgrading, he's testing my new product.
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Re: Lejonklou Boazu Integrated Amp

Post by mrco99 »

Hi ML,

This is not really a review but merely a first impression, and most of it consists of appraisal by my wife - who is frankly not interested in specific and extended setups at all, but without further knowledge finds herself drawn to the music that Boazu portraits so well.

No doubt about it, Sagatun and Tundra are much more engaging, musical and detailed - and Mono Tarandus series the culmination of Fredriks craftmanship so far - but it is the direct freshness and joyful playback of Boazu in this simple, one-box package that is a real ´ear-turner´.

I think just like my wife, many more music lovers formerly unknown to Lejonklou equipment will be thrilled by its performance.

Looking for an exemplary amplifier AND having a limited budget?
Boazu is the new benchmark.
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Re: Lejonklou Boazu Integrated Amp

Post by u252agz »

Boazu no 12 arrived the other day and has had a few hours with the Sneaky and Komponent 110s in the bedroom.

Wow - what a difference.

I was expecting a real boost but this has superceded anything I could have hoped for.

It's not just the sound - (although clearly this is massively improved) - but also so much more music and understanding.

So much more enjoyable - just loving these Komponents and how they respond to a better input.

The overall change is more a transformation as opposed to an upgrade - even surpassing that achieved by the AK/1 when it replaced my Kolektor preamp ( KRDS/0 as source and LK140 amps and ninkas).

Another landmark product from Fredrik which at its price point, is nothing short of truly remarkable.
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Re: Lejonklou Boazu Integrated Amp

Post by ThomasOK »

I fully agree, the Boazu is indeed a remarkable piece. Congratulations Fredrik! Before I go further I want to apologize for my near absence from the forum. I've been even more absent from the Linn forum. It has been quite busy at the store with five LP12s, a few needing considerable work, a pair of Isobariks and various other turntables to work on at the store in just the last two weeks along with regular sales duties. At home my time has also been taken up with putting together NOKTables (now that I am a manufacturer I have even more work), reconfiguring my system, getting in and shipping out Boazus, upgrading Sagatuns and Tundras and fighting both my computer (which summarily killed my email files after an OS upgrade) and my dying iPhone (What do you mean you expect to be able to use your phone for more than two years! Buy a new one you slacker.).

There is much I have wanted to write up here including a contribution to the Exakt battle that has overtaken the JBL 3677 thread and a major writeup about all the changes in my own system since last I updated it. But I just don't have time now so I will be trying to do shorter posts will some little updates while they are still timely.

I have my demo Boazu and have shipped a couple to customers. I brought mine into the store for some listening last week and had an interesting opportunity. We had been comparing a loaned European tube integrated amp that was in the high 4 digit range with a North American transistor unit that was even closer to $10,000US. We had found the North American transistor unit to be more musical although the other one was pretty good too. Then one day a customer of mine who owns a pretty fully loaded LP12 but who still has a weakness for tubes came in and I offered to do the same comparison for him. He also found the North American transistor unit to be more musical. Then I asked if he would be interested to hear something new which he was. So I opened up the Boazu which I had just brought in that morning, set it on top of the transistor amp and fired it up. Immediately, even cold, it was obvious to both of us that this was superior musically to either of the other units. A half hour later he commented that with the warmup it was just getting better and better and I might just get him away from tubes yet. (Note, I am being somewhat circumspect in not revealing the names of the competitors here so as not to cause problems for the store where I work.)

A couple of days later I did the same comparison for another customer and he felt the same way - the Boazu was easily more musically enjoyable. Then I moved the Boazu into our biggest studio with a pair of relatively inefficient Dynaudio stand mount speakers that are quite good sounding and did a little different comparison for a different customer (which I again had not done for myself before). This time it was against the Sagatun 1.1 and Tundra 1.2 (not yet upgraded to 2 version). Once again the Boazu was definitely more fun and also more informative. Fredrik had mentioned that the Boazu was this good and I heard how well it played music at the show, but it was surprising to hear just how good it was in familiar surroundings with different equipment (both an LP12 and digital sources were used).

So the Boazu is outperforming other well-respected components costing twice as much or more and producing a very lifelike musical performance I have never heard at this price. Well done indeed!
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Re: Lejonklou Boazu Integrated Amp

Post by tokenbrit »

u252agz wrote:Boazu no 12 arrived the other day and has had a few hours with the Sneaky and Komponent 110s in the bedroom.

Wow - what a difference...
What was it before: Sneaky driving the Komponents; now with Sneaky as source only, and Boazu integrated as pre- & power amp? That you're so impressed with the musicality of your second system, especially given your first system as a reference point, is very impressive. Congrats to you on the addition, and to Fredrik on the achievement.
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Re: Lejonklou Boazu Integrated Amp

Post by u252agz »

Yes - it was sneaky and komponents before, and of course I am comparing only with this and not the main downstairs system!

It's so much better than it was- hugely more enjoyable both in terms of sound and musicality.

I have always thought the sneaky had a half way decent DAC ( having used it in the main system during the KDS/2 upgrade) , but clearly it is not in the same league as KDS/2.

I also really like the komponents 110s and have again tried it in my main system know just what a decent input can do to these little marvels.

One thing which surprises me with these Lejonklou amplifiers ( both preamp and amps, and now integrated) is that they improve musicality much more than one would expect at this end of the so called HIFI chain.

Sagatun monos in particular but the Tundra mono 2 upgrade was no slouch in this regard; and Boazu seems like it is cut from the same cloth.

When I send the monos for Tarandus upgrades I will put Boazu in their place and report back.

I will also try the KDS/2 upstairs - just for curiosity's sake.
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Re: Lejonklou Boazu Integrated Amp

Post by u252agz »

After a four day absence due to family commitments - i returned and switched on Boazu.

Great - surprises me every time, how enjoyable and unexpected this is.
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Re: Lejonklou Boazu Integrated Amp

Post by lejonklou »

Thank you u252agz!

I am so very grateful for all the positive feedback I receive about Boazu.
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Re: Lejonklou Boazu Integrated Amp

Post by u252agz »

Today with the low winter sun streaming through the bedroom window, and a rare free afternoon, I thought I would switch my sneaky with the KDS/2 and really see what Boazu is made of.

Absolutely fantastic - what a great system - KDS/2, Boazu / Komponent 110s. Even with linn black interconnects and cheap speaker cables - I could not stop listening to Ed Shearans X. Even my wife came in and joined me saying this was really good.

What have I learned from this .

1. Source first - always. KDS is a magnificent streamer.

2. Komponent 110s are really good musical speakers - in many ways just as enjoyable as my 242s.

3. Boazu is a remarkable product - truly remarkable that a single box can extract this level of music from KDS.


For now I am going to keep the KDS upstairs and am going to really enjoy this system.
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Re: Lejonklou Boazu Integrated Amp

Post by Ozzzy189 »

Imagine how good it'll be when a new streamer comes along......
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Re: Lejonklou Boazu Integrated Amp

Post by jonteman »

Well... finally my Majik LP 12 arrived after a few months of not knowing if the seller would ship it.
I bought the Boazu round christmas (No 10) and have fed it with Tidal Hifi through a Auralic Mini streamer.
Really good with a digital source but very often i missed something. The sound was a bit flat in a way.
Now I'm sitting here with a stupid smile in my face. I had forgotten how good music can sound. I used to own a Linn Basic, Ikemi, Kairn Pro, 3xLk100 active, Espek but sold it all maybe 7-8 yrs ago. After that I bought AVA Maestro 50p (digital amp) and Majik 109. I still have my 109:s and a Slipsik 6.

The whole system came alive now and is really filling the whole room. Fantastic!
Except from the bass, which is great but not that deep, this system sounds at least as good as my friends that costs four times as much.

My budget is down the sink but I don´t regret for a second buying the Boazu, Slipsik and LP12.

Great work Fredrik!

Records this evening:
Däggdjur - Säkert!
Toy - Yello
Silkidrangar - Samaris
Exciter - Depeche mode
Closer to the truth - Tony Joe White
Tookah - Emiliana Torrini
Introducing - Hello Saferide
Last edited by jonteman on 2017-02-13 21:53, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Lejonklou Boazu Integrated Amp

Post by u252agz »

Congratulations on a great system.

Majik LP12 is a fantastic source and Boazu is a magnificent integrated amp.

With the musical 109s and top of the range MM phonostage - I suspect you will be smiling for a very long time.
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Re: Lejonklou Boazu Integrated Amp

Post by lejonklou »

Thank you jonteman!

Great to hear that you finally found an LP12.
Sounds like an excellent system!
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Re: Lejonklou Boazu Integrated Amp

Post by jonteman »

Just to sort one thing out.
The "flat" sound with my streamer has nothing to do with the Boazu.
Tidal Hifi sounds great but over all Vinyl sounds better.
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Re: Lejonklou Boazu Integrated Amp

Post by ThomasOK »

I have a customer who is big into tubes (and the somewhat lush sound of a Koetsu cartridge.) He has a mostly top LP12 with Radikal, Keel, Ekos SE and Movingui plinth but with a Koetsu Urushi Vermillion cartridge, and an Audio Research $13,000 tube phono stage, an ADS and an $8000 ARC tube integrated amp. I was at his house Friday setting up some new Spendor speakers he had recently bought.

I’ve had an ongoing bit of ribbing I’ve given him that I had to get him away from these tubes one of these days. What he didn’t know was that I had brought along a Boazu! So after the setup I hooked up the Boazu and played the same piece of music we had just heard on the $8000 ARC. He was immediately thrilled by the Boazu and asked if he could borrow it for a week – I agreed. He listened to it a lot over the weekend and came in Tuesday telling me once again how much he likes it and that he wants one. He said he had never heard piano sound as real as it does through the Boazu. He also asked me to give Fredrik a message. He said “Tell Fredrik he has made an old man really happy by bringing more music into my house.”

Now I still haven’t gotten him off tubes completely as he really likes the sound of the ARC phono stage in this system. And I have to admit that, despite my surprise at this, I had to agree that it did indeed sound really good – even compared to a Linto. Of course the ARC sold for $11,000 more than the Linto but I still wasn’t expecting them to be that close. Possibly the ARC matches the Koetsu better. But I’m sure a Urika would rule the day here so maybe sometime in the future I will be successful with the removal of tubes altogether.

Regardless, another great showing for the Boazu - completely creaming the $8000 tube integrated even to the ears of a confirmed tube lover. The improvement was nowhere near subtle, as he immediately noticed.
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Re: Lejonklou Boazu Integrated Amp

Post by sunbeamgls »

jonteman wrote:Well... finally my Majik LP 12 arrived after a few months of not knowing if the seller would ship it.
I bought the Boazu round christmas (No 10) and have fed it with Tidal Hifi through a Auralic Mini streamer.
Really good with a digital source but very often i missed something. The sound was a bit flat in a way.
Now I'm sitting here with a stupid smile in my face. I had forgotten how good music can sound. I used to own a Linn Basic, Ikemi, Kairn Pro, 3xLk100 active, Espek but sold it all maybe 7-8 yrs ago. After that I bought AVA Maestro 50p (digital amp) and Majik 109. I still have my 109:s and a Slipsik 6.

The whole system came alive now and is really filling the whole room. Fantastic!
Except from the bass, which is great but not that deep, this system sounds at least as good as my friends that costs four times as much.

My budget is down the sink but I don´t regret for a second buying the Boazu, Slipsik and LP12.

Great work Fredrik!

Records this evening:
Däggdjur - Säkert!
Toy - Yello
Silkidrangar - Samaris
Exciter - Depeche mode
Closer to the truth - Tony Joe White
Tookah - Emiliana Torrini
Introducing - Hello Saferide
Great stuff. Go see Yello live later in the year if you're in the right part of the World. I'm not sure how much of it is live beyond the vocals and band on stage (perhaps Boris plays a melody line live?), but its a fantastic show.

Just a comment on the streaming side - Tidal Hifi isn't representative of what a streamer can do, its distinctly inferior to a CD ripped full fat to a local NAS. Its a great online service, but its not of the same quality, even though its supposedly CD quality. Possibly to do with the horrors of watermarking, but that might only be part of the story.
KSH/0; KEBox/2; 3x Tundra Stereo 2.5; PMC fact.12. Blogger. Exakt Design. SO measuring.
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Re: Lejonklou Boazu Integrated Amp

Post by u252agz »

One major advantage of a NAS Drive is that one can put good digital recordings on the system and enjoy them for ever more.

Every now and again, as with vinyl, you will come across unbelievably good recordings where the musicians and recording studios produce an absolute masterpiece.

The ability to put these recordings s on your own NAS drive is simply priceless.

The better the streamer (and the connections from the NAS to the streamer) the more you will enjoy your recordings .

Enjoy
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Re: Lejonklou Boazu Integrated Amp

Post by matthias »

ThomasOK wrote:Boazu accepts four line-level sources with a unique design that removes the input switching for better sound and simpler construction – you simply turn on whatever source you want to listen to and you are immediately ready to go.
A question:
Should the removing of the input switching be applied also to the Sagatuns for better sound ?
Thanks.

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Re: Lejonklou Boazu Integrated Amp

Post by lejonklou »

matthias wrote:A question:
Should the removing of the input switching be applied also to the Sagatuns for better sound ?
Thanks.

Matt
It already has, on one input. Here's how it is:

Boazu has four inputs that are always "on". What ever you play, you will also hear through the speakers. And if you play on several sources (that are connected to these inputs), they will all sound at once. The inputs are like a mixer, just summing everything that enters.

I chose this solution mainly because:
* If you connect one source to Boazu, it sounds clearly better than if you route the signal through an input switch.
* If you connect two sources to Boazu, it sounds just a little better than if your route both signals through input switches (and then listen to one of them).
* If you connect three or four sources to Boazu, it sounds a little worse than routing all signals through input switches.

When I asked around, it seemed that most enthusiasts today use only one or two sources. That means the "mixer solution" would be beneficial. Apart from also saving space on the circuit board - something that affects performance a bit in itself, because I can pack everything more densely.

Sagatun and Sagatun Mono have one input called 'Single Source Input' that is connected exactly like the four inputs on Boazu. It goes straight in and is always "on". Therefore it's the best sounding input.

The other four inputs on Sagatun and Sagatun Mono go through switches. They can be selected with the front buttons or the remote and when one is "on", the other three are "off". Then there is a rear switch, in the right corner, that when flipped down sets all four inputs to "off". Only the Single Source Input remains active - and it now sounds best, as it's not disturbed by the other four.

So to summarise, there are pro's and con's with both of these arrangements. If you only have one source in your system, the Boazu and Sagatun arrangements are the same. If you have more sources, Boazu will perform a tiny bit worse with each one you add. Sagatun will remain as good on its Single Source Input, while source 2, 3, 4 and 5 performs on a slightly lower level. But it doesn't matter how many you add, Single Source will always perform optimally when you flip the rear switch.
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Re: Lejonklou Boazu Integrated Amp

Post by matthias »

Thank you, Fredrik,
very clever execution with great attention to detail.
I see one drawback with Boazu when you have both a line level input and a MC phono stage connected. The line level is dead silent and the phonostage has a quite high level of hiss. Both is mixed and you have some hiss in the line level input.
But I like this concept to get rid of the input switch, either Sagatun or Boazu:-)

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Re: Lejonklou Boazu Integrated Amp

Post by lejonklou »

In the latest issue of HiFi Critic (Volume 11/Number 1), Chris Frankland reviews Boazu and Gaio.

I haven't read it yet. *nervous*

On the cover page, which can be seen on the website, it says "Chris Frankland tries an ultra-simple integrated amplifier and phono stage from Sweden's Lejonklou".
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Re: Lejonklou Boazu Integrated Amp

Post by tokenbrit »

lejonklou wrote:In the latest issue of HiFi Critic (Volume 11/Number 1), Chris Frankland reviews Boazu and Gaio.

I haven't read it yet. *nervous*

On the cover page, which can be seen on the website, it says "Chris Frankland tries an ultra-simple integrated amplifier and phono stage from Sweden's Lejonklou".
I am interested to know what they wrote. I did look at buying a copy, hoping it was a download but the only option was gbp22 to have a hardcopy mailed to the US - I guess they want to make it difficult to (re)post a pdf, which might limit sales or subscriptions. Anyway, have you overcome your nervousness, Fredrik, or can someone spill the beans?
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Re: Lejonklou Boazu Integrated Amp

Post by matthias »

lejonklou wrote:In the latest issue of HiFi Critic (Volume 11/Number 1), Chris Frankland reviews Boazu and Gaio.
I haven't read it yet. *nervous*
On the cover page, which can be seen on the website, it says "Chris Frankland tries an ultra-simple integrated amplifier and phono stage from Sweden's Lejonklou".
I think it should be a normal procedure that the manufacturer of a reviewed product gets a copy of the review before publishing and the opportunity to write a comment.

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