A Newbie looking for suggestions

[ljknewbie]

Hello,

I heard the Tundra with a MDSM/3 with Kan II speakers for the first time in August at a dear friends home and was floored with the musicality of the setup.

I had since been on a lookout to for a Lejonkou System and was lucky enough to have acquired the Tundra+Kikkin, Entity & Kalla most of which would arrive over the weekend/early next week.

The Tundra would arrive later in a few weeks as it has been sent to Mr. Lejonklou for upgrades.

I am currently using a Audio Research VSi75 with a Rega p6(Ania pro cart) with a Fono MK 4.

Would appreciate suggestions/advise about :

1. Would the Entity be an upgrade to the Font MK 4 and match up with the Rega P6 with Ania Pro MC cart?
2. Does the Audio Research Amplifier work well with the Kalla and Entity? I would be using this amplifier until the Tundra and returned with the upgrades.
3. What other brand of preamplifier is suggested for the Tundra as I want to have 2 sources (Rega TT and Streamer) and acquiring the Sagatun/SuperKikkin is not possible due to availability in India?
4. What are the suggested interconnects I should use?
5. What would be the best load setting on the Entity connected to the Rega P6 with Ania Pro MC?

I would be connecting either T+A Criterion 2100 Transmission Speakers or the vintage Linn Kan II which my friend was kind enough to sell to me.

Appreciate your suggestions and look forward to enjoying the Lejonklou equipment shortly..

Thanks

[Tendaberry]

Hi and welcome to the forum,

1. I'm convinced the Entity will easily be more musical than the Rega Fono.
2. I don't see any reason, why the AR wouldn't work well with Entity and Källa. In fact, I'm sure you'll be surprised by how good it sounds with those components connected.
3. If you cannot find a Sagatun or Superkikkin, I would look for the latest version of Linn Klimax Kontrol (with the power switch in front), they are usually available at good prices second hand.
4. I would recommend using Linn Silver interconnects.

Cheers, Björn

[ljknewbie]

Thanks for your reply Björn.
Will keep an eye out for the Klimax.

[ljknewbie]

Edited to add one more newbie question

What would be the best load setting on the Entity connected to the Rega P6 with Ania Pro MC?

[Defender]

my recommendation for you is: look forward to what you are going to have and enjoy it and dont worry soo much about what would be next.
When I look at your components I dont see a reason why you cant take time and enjoy it until a year or years later the opportunity will come to upgrade the preamp.

I am interested to hear your feedback about the T+A‘s versus the KAN‘s - I know the Tundra will drive the T+A’s to enjoyment which you never heard before.
I had T+A T160‘s and although a lot of fun sometimes also little on the cold/clinical/dry side but yours are generations newer.

[Defender]

to your other question - you will easily hear which setting is the best so I recommend to
try for yourself.

[ljknewbie]

Thank you.

Yes I do look forward to what I am getting. But eventually (sooner than later)will require a preamp which can support 2 sources.
If the Tundra drives as you have mentioned the T+A it gets matched with the majik dsm/3.

The Kan II have a really warm musical (some may say coloured) sound that I love.

And yes the T+A sound more clinical (precise?) than the Kan with the MDSM hence had earlier paired them with the valve amps for the warmth. The bass is surprisingly tight.

Let’s see how it goes once I get the equipment.

Cheers

[chefren]

What would be the best gain setting on the Entity connected to the Rega P6 with Ania Pro MC?

The Entity doesn't have gain settings, it's 71db. This should work fine with the Ania Pro's fairly low 0.35mV output. The three loading settings for the Entity are all in the same ballpark, just try them all and settle on the one that works best for you and your cart.

I never heard a Rega Fono, but I had an Aria which I ran with low output MC carts some years ago and the Entity is a clear step up from that.

[ljknewbie]

What would be the best gain setting on the Entity connected to the Rega P6 with Ania Pro MC?

The Entity doesn't have gain settings, it's 71db. This should work fine with the Ania Pro's fairly low 0.35mV output. The three loading settings for the Entity are all in the same ballpark, just try them all and settle on the one that works best for you and your cart.

I never heard a Rega Fono, but I had an Aria which I ran with low output MC carts some years ago and the Entity is a clear step up from that.

Thanks chef. That's another edit I did mean the load setting not "gain"

[anthony]

Hi and welcome to the forum,

1. I'm convinced the Entity will easily be more musical than the Rega Fono.
2. I don't see any reason, why the AR wouldn't work well with Entity and Källa. In fact, I'm sure you'll be surprised by how good it sounds with those components connected.
3. If you cannot find a Sagatun or Superkikkin, I would look for the latest version of Linn Klimax Kontrol (with the power switch in front), they are usually available at good prices second hand.
4. I would recommend using Linn Silver interconnects.

Cheers, Björn

+1

[ThomasOK]

Hi and welcome to the forum,

1. I'm convinced the Entity will easily be more musical than the Rega Fono.
2. I don't see any reason, why the AR wouldn't work well with Entity and Källa. In fact, I'm sure you'll be surprised by how good it sounds with those components connected.
3. If you cannot find a Sagatun or Superkikkin, I would look for the latest version of Linn Klimax Kontrol (with the power switch in front), they are usually available at good prices second hand.
4. I would recommend using Linn Silver interconnects.

Cheers, Björn

Welcome to the forum. You are making several very nice musical upgrades at the same time, enjoy!

Most of the advice you need is right above but I will amplify a thing or two. The Entity will bury the Rega FonoMC! I do have experience with both and it is not close. I would look for a used Sagatun stereo if you can't afford the new Superkikkin (although that is the more musical piece and priced quite low for the performance). The Sagatun has an auto-ranging power supply that can work anywhere in the world so all you would need is the right power cable. I would recommend sticking with the ones Lejonklou supply as they are the most musical. I'm sure you could get one directly from Lejonklou HiFi
and the pricing is quite reasonable. The US version sells for $40. I would definitely also recommend Linn Silver interconnects (which are actually copper inside) as the most musical choice I have found so far. Finally, the loading is quite audible and you can switch while playing music with no chance of damage to the rest of the system. I don't remember Rega's loading recommendation but I'd probably start at 120 and then try 180 and 90. I'm going to guess that 120 or 180 will be the most musical, but you never know.

[ljknewbie]

Hi and welcome to the forum,

1. I'm convinced the Entity will easily be more musical than the Rega Fono.
2. I don't see any reason, why the AR wouldn't work well with Entity and Källa. In fact, I'm sure you'll be surprised by how good it sounds with those components connected.
3. If you cannot find a Sagatun or Superkikkin, I would look for the latest version of Linn Klimax Kontrol (with the power switch in front), they are usually available at good prices second hand.
4. I would recommend using Linn Silver interconnects.

Cheers, Björn

Welcome to the forum. You are making several very nice musical upgrades at the same time, enjoy!

Most of the advice you need is right above but I will amplify a thing or two. The Entity will bury the Rega FonoMC! I do have experience with both and it is not close. I would look for a used Sagatun stereo if you can't afford the new Superkikkin (although that is the more musical piece and priced quite low for the performance). The Sagatun has an auto-ranging power supply that can work anywhere in the world so all you would need is the right power cable. I would recommend sticking with the ones Lejonklou supply as they are the most musical. I'm sure you could get one directly from Lejonklou HiFi
and the pricing is quite reasonable. The US version sells for $40. I would definitely also recommend Linn Silver interconnects (which are actually copper inside) as the most musical choice I have found so far. Finally, the loading is quite audible and you can switch while playing music with no chance of damage to the rest of the system. I don't remember Rega's loading recommendation but I'd probably start at 120 and then try 180 and 90. I'm going to guess that 120 or 180 will be the most musical, but you never know.

Thanks for the info Thomas.

It’s really difficult to source new/used/ex demo equipment for me as I am based in India and Lejonklou doesn’t have a dealer/distributor here.

Also imports aren’t cost effective. So most of my purchases are during my travels overseas.

I will try and get hold f the Linn interconnects from their dealer in Delhi.

Cheers

[Tendaberry]

You could always ask Mr. Lejonklou directly, if he could sell you a Sagatun or Superkikkin preamp...

[ljknewbie]

You could always ask Mr. Lejonklou directly, if he could sell you a Sagatun or Superkikkin preamp...

That's a fabulous idea when I have concrete plans to travel to Europe and I will follow up on that.

[lejonklou]

If you travel to Europe, ljknewbie, there are plenty of retailers from which you can order a Superkikkin.

Sagatun might be difficult to find in Europe, but it's still available in the US.

You wrote that it's difficult to import goods into India. Is that because of customs tariffs being excessive or is the delivery unreliable?

[Zee9]

Welcome to the forum. I’m curious to hear how the T+A work with the tundra amp as well.

I had no idea that the Sagatun can handle all voltages. I la there a reason why this functionality only works for the sagatun and not for the power amps?

[lejonklou]

Yes, the power amps sound better when hard wired.

In units that consume less power, like Sagatun and Källa, it makes no difference. So their power supplies are auto range.

[ljknewbie]

If you travel to Europe, ljknewbie, there are plenty of retailers from which you can order a Superkikkin.

Sagatun might be difficult to find in Europe, but it's still available in the US.

You wrote that it's difficult to import goods into India. Is that because of customs tariffs being excessive or is the delivery unreliable?

Hello Mr. Lejonklou,

First, let me thank you for your excellent products and bringing the focus back to listening to the music.

I will be on the lookout for the SK when I travel to Europe (which is sufficient for my needs today) though the Sagatun is probably more future proof with more source inputs. Will make up my mind over the next few weeks as I get the equipment tomorrow. Will enjoy what I have until then.

Regarding your question regarding import difficulty. I am not too well versed in the business of audio equipment imports so I might be off the mark for some issues. These are purely my observations/experiences as a consumer.

As a consumer we can have equipment couriered (DHL/Fedex) but the shipping cost, import duty, local taxes and value would add up and make things extremely expensive, specially if evaluated at the listed retail prices in Europe etc.

Comparatively, sometimes, it just might be cheaper to visit Europe/Singapore/HK and carry the equipment back and enjoy the sights as well. Also we have a duty free allowance (about US$800, I think) for things we buy on our travels.

It's easier for an import business to import any product as they are equipped to handle all to the compliance's required which adds to the cost.

To give you an example I got a quote of INR 21,00,000.00 (€23,200.00) for a Selekt DSM with Organik upgrade from the Linn dealer. The price did not include local taxes which is would be a further 18% bringing up the total cost to €27840.00.

I did not even attempt to negotiate. I think the retail price including VAT is € 15000 in Europe.

This is how costs add up I think. Shipping+Duties+Importer margin+Dealer Margin.

Worked out for me as I looked harder for a streamer and ended up with the Källa. 😃

With dealers for high end brands in India there is a matter of stocks too. They would either have the ref models which they use as demo and then sell and/or they have a few pcs of the popular models. So importing something specific depends on the dealers interest ($$$) and the wait time might not be suitable for a impatient customer like me.

I will dig in and get some more info and PM you the same if you like.

I look forward to listening to some music shortly on your equipment.

Regards.

[ljknewbie]

Welcome to the forum. I’m curious to hear how the T+A work with the tundra amp as well.

Hello,

So am I and will definitely update you when I get it set up.

[lejonklou]

Thank you for that report on buying European made HiFi in India, ljknewbie. It sounds completely unreasonable.

I’m looking forward to your impressions of your new HiFi system!

[ThomasOK]

I don't know what fees are like on electronics but I have been reading about negotiations between Tesla and India on Tesla cars. Tesla is considering the idea of putting a factory in India and also factories for supplies like batteries. But they need to see if there is enough of a market there for it to be worthwhile. Currently that is hard to gauge as the duty on any foreign car $40,000 and above is 100%! This makes a $45,000 car $90,000! If it is below $40,000 the fees are only 70%. That would make my Model 3, which sells for about $39,000 right now, a $66,000 plus car.

The negotiations going on currently are for India to radically lower those fees in return for Tesla building there within some period of time if the demand is solid. The timing would be good as Tesla is working on a 3rd generation car to be sold for around $25,000 which should have broad appeal in most markets. The plan is to build it in Austin, TX, China, Germany and a new Gigafactory that should start construction soon in Mexico, with introduction sometime in the next year and a half. Additional Gigafactories will follow in other countries. India is well placed to build a low priced car and to be an export hub to other countries as China is now.

I can certainly imagine the problems if electronics are anything like this.

[ljknewbie]

Thank you for that report on buying European made HiFi in India, ljknewbie. It sounds completely unreasonable.

I’m looking forward to your impressions of your new HiFi system!

Hello,

Did a quick install of the Källa & the Entity to Rega P6. Setup was quick and did not take any time at all. Updated my signature with the associated equipment.

The Källa was a revelation. Simply superb. Don’t know what I could say which hasn’t been said before. Total analogue music with no digital signature to my ears. I listened to both Spotify and Qobuz. I don’t consider myself an audiophile and my ears aren’t trained enough to comment on the technical qualities of the equipment or streaming service at all.

This was a blind buy and I was grinning like a Cheshire Cat when I heard the music stream. My wife could not stop laughing about the look on my face in reaction to the sound. I mostly listen to Blues and “Classic” Rock (a term that makes me feel old) and the acoustic quality just made me sit back and listen to my music. There were new details I heard in songs I must have heard 1000s of times. Was even late for work because of this.

The Källa has put serious doubts in my mind about ever needing a CD player to listen to my CDs. The wait for the Tundra just feels longer now :-)

The Entity was a definate step up from the Fono MK4 and worked wonderfully with the Ania cart. Used the Linn Black interconnects that came with it. I did not spend too much time listening to LPs. Heard 1-2 LPS just to make sure everything was working on the default load setting of 180.

My home network has the service providers router connected to a Netgear switch (not the suggested model as I require more ports) which provides separate direct wired connections to the Källa on a fixed IP from the main router.

The main Netgear switch (attached with the main router) also, through an independent cable, gets wired to a wifi router in the room for my wifi needs (phone/tablet/laptops etc).

The Källa power cable is independently connected to the wall socket without no intermediate devices like power strip etc.

Now to some questions which I hope haven’t been answered already. Tried the search feature but could not find a relevant thread/comment.

1. Should I get a separate switch as suggested? This will make the connection to the Källa through 2 switches. (Router to Home Netgear to Källa Netgear)

2. The IP config is on Automatic mode but the IP will remain static irrespective of any internet/power failures (which strangely got tested yesterday due to an internet outage by service provider for a few hours). Should I still create the static IP as suggested through the interface. I would like to avoid this.

[springwood64]

Congratulations on your Källa and other new components.

I have one arriving this week so I am encouraged by your impressions,

Using a Hakai, I have heard worthwhile musical benefits by following as closely as possible the guidance given for both network and power set up, so I suggest you would also hear benefits. Of course, Källa already sounds great to you so you don't *need* to make any changes.

[ljknewbie]

Congratulations on your Källa and other new components.

I have one arriving this week so I am encouraged by your impressions,

Using a Hakai, I have heard worthwhile musical benefits by following as closely as possible the guidance given for both network and power set up, so I suggest you would also hear benefits. Of course, Källa already sounds great to you so you don't *need* to make any changes.

Thank you, springwood64.

A Hakai is not needed for now. Might be a plan for sometime later. As suggested by Defender, going to enjoy what I have now.

[Defender]

Good to hear you are happy ... but that was expected.
The Hakai springwood 64 is referring to is also used as a source instead of the Källa - some would maybe even say that the Hakai development was the first step/approach in later developing the Källa.

Please make a picture of yourself when you first connect the Tundra and the T+A´s and share it with us here - I am smiling already. The Tundra might even make you question the source first concept ... its that good.