General Discussion about Källa

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macrotech2
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by macrotech2 »

matthias wrote: 2021-10-24 16:54 A question to all the lucky ones who were able to listen to Källa:

How big is the impact of the rack on Källa?

Thank you

Matt
I’ve just had a couple of pints so I apologise if my response is a little blasé, but as I have to use Källa in my Quadraspire rack, it’s not something of great interest at the moment. It sounds fantastic and I have no need to do comparisons.

However, I can say that the Vitus RD-101 benefitted from placing three Stillpoint Ultra 2s under it (I know, a bit dark side!). The Stillpoints don’t help Källa and make it sound worse. Not too surprising given Fredrik’s attention to all details.
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by jajo »

matthias wrote: 2021-10-24 16:54 A question to all the lucky ones who were able to listen to Källa:

How big is the impact of the rack on Källa?

Thank you

Matt
Källa is very sensitive to everything related to the installation. This makes it quite easy to do comparisons and tune the setup.

I would advise buyers to take great care of the installation and place Källa on a top performing shelf and use the supplied power cord and the best ethernet cables.
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by matthias »

jajo wrote: 2021-10-24 17:28 I would advise buyers to take great care of the installation and place Källa on a top performing shelf and use the supplied power cord and the best ethernet cables.
I have a Naim Fraim rack, do you have any recommendations for ethernet cables? BJC, Meicord?
Thanks

Matt
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by jajo »

matthias wrote: 2021-10-24 17:34
jajo wrote: 2021-10-24 17:28 I would advise buyers to take great care of the installation and place Källa on a top performing shelf and use the supplied power cord and the best ethernet cables.
I have a Naim Fraim rack, do you have any recommendations for ethernet cables? BJC, Meicord?
Thanks

Matt
I use BJC with great results. It has never been easier to compare erhernet cables so just compare the ones you have
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by lejonklou »

jajo wrote: 2021-10-24 17:28 Källa is very sensitive to everything related to the installation. This makes it quite easy to do comparisons and tune the setup.

I would advise buyers to take great care of the installation and place Källa on a top performing shelf and use the supplied power cord and the best ethernet cables.
True. It's very easy to tune everything when listening to Källa. Things become obvious.

At the same time, it sounds fabulous no matter what you do. Right now I'm listening to number 013 connected with a no-name cable and standing on a carton.
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by Spannko »

matthias wrote: 2021-10-24 17:34
jajo wrote: 2021-10-24 17:28 I would advise buyers to take great care of the installation and place Källa on a top performing shelf and use the supplied power cord and the best ethernet cables.
I have a Naim Fraim rack, do you have any recommendations for ethernet cables? BJC, Meicord?
Thanks

Matt
When I heard David Neel’s system with the Källa, it was wired with bjc and sounded fantastic. There was absolutely no sense that the bjc were holding the performance back.
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by matthias »

Thank you jajo and Spannko.
Last edited by matthias on 2021-10-25 09:25, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by u252agz »

lejonklou wrote: 2021-10-24 19:17
jajo wrote: 2021-10-24 17:28 Källa is very sensitive to everything related to the installation. This makes it quite easy to do comparisons and tune the setup.

I would advise buyers to take great care of the installation and place Källa on a top performing shelf and use the supplied power cord and the best ethernet cables.
True. It's very easy to tune everything when listening to Källa. Things become obvious.

At the same time, it sounds fabulous no matter what you do. Right now I'm listening to number 013 connected with a no-name cable and standing on a carton.
Agreed - It does sound absolutely great on the floor ( I tried three different floors) using standard Ethernet cables on two of these. I did of course use the supplied power cable and a pair of linn silver interconnects.

The one thing that really did make a difference for me was the fixed IP address- absolutely huge lift in musicality.

If the best shelf and ethernet cables really do improve much more , along with the optimal control point ( iPhone 11) - it’s going to be a very, very enjoyable year.
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by jajo »

Today when I was listening to music and reached the end of my playlist, Spotify decided to play me some random music. All of a sudden I heard a tune that I haven't heard in 10 years (back then on the LP12). It was truly delightful to hear it on Källa and I was just amazed how fantastic it sounded. By far the most "analogue" reproduction of it I ever heard.

https://youtu.be/jegyLnk7W4Y

Artist is Andreas Vollenweider and album is Caverna Magica. Song name is Schajah Saretosh.
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by markiteight »

jajo wrote: 2021-10-28 19:09 Today when I was listening to music and reached the end of my playlist, Spotify decided to play me some random music. All of a sudden I heard a tune that I haven't heard in 10 years (back then on the LP12). It was truly delightful to hear it on Källa and I was just amazed how fantastic it sounded. By far the most "analogue" reproduction of it I ever heard.

https://youtu.be/jegyLnk7W4Y

Artist is Andreas Vollenweider and album is Caverna Magica. Song name is Schajah Saretosh.
That's a fun coincidence. Lately I've been re-exploring my Vollenweider collection (along with Jean Michel Jarre) through the 308s. A thoroughly enjoyable experience.
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by Azazello »

Listening to #15 at the moment. Tom Waits, Raindogs. This is an album I have heard on numerous systems (mostly vinyl) the last 25 years or so.

This is something else.

It’s like a new layer of information is available, it’s especially obvious in the vocals, in EVERY song I realise things about intonation, tempo, the expression.

I seriously need to check that it’s the same version of the album.
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by matthias »

Hi Azazello,

I am very curious about your impressions since (AFAIK) we have the same speakers.

How is Källa with the 3677s?

Do you miss a subwoofer or is it ok without one?

Thanks

Matt
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by lejonklou »

Azazello wrote: 2021-10-29 17:11 Listening to #15 at the moment. Tom Waits, Raindogs. This is an album I have heard on numerous systems (mostly vinyl) the last 25 years or so.

This is something else.

It’s like a new layer of information is available, it’s especially obvious in the vocals, in EVERY song I realise things about intonation, tempo, the expression.

I seriously need to check that it’s the same version of the album.
Happy to hear that Azazello!

Unless Spotify states that the album is a remaster, I'm pretty certain its the same version as you've heard before.
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by John »

It’s likely similar to the original CD release which might be better than the vinyl. It’s 56 minutes of music LP crammed on a single LP.
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by Azazello »

matthias wrote: 2021-10-29 20:10 Hi Azazello,

I am very curious about your impressions since (AFAIK) we have the same speakers.

How is Källa with the 3677s?
Fantastic. Records with high dynamics have become sooo much better (like Rain Dogs), but on some records the difference is less stunning. For example PJ Harveys amazing "Let England shake" was a bit of an disappointment (although clearly better than on Hakai). There is an element of harshness that might have become a little bit more apparent, maybe this could be mitigated with other speakers.
matthias wrote: 2021-10-29 20:10Do you miss a subwoofer or is it ok without one?
I do miss a subwoofer, but not more than i did before.

I think I'll get a pair of 708P. Less stuff and deeper bass: sounds like a no-brainer :D Not cheap, but considering that power amplifieras are included they are certainly not expensive either.
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by Azazello »

John wrote: 2021-10-30 03:06 It’s likely similar to the original CD release which might be better than the vinyl. It’s 56 minutes of music LP crammed on a single LP.
Maybe. I have listened to it a lot with Hakai as well, and it's nerver sounded anything like this.
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by FairPlayMotty »

Azazello wrote: 2021-10-30 12:25
John wrote: 2021-10-30 03:06 It’s likely similar to the original CD release which might be better than the vinyl. It’s 56 minutes of music LP crammed on a single LP.
Maybe. I have listened to it a lot with Hakai as well, and it's nerver sounded anything like this.
The Tom Waits releases on SHM-CD were as revelatory to me as the Rickie Lee Jones debut on SHM-CD. Compared with the original CDs the mastering is sensational.
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by matthias »

Azazello wrote: 2021-10-30 12:24 There is an element of harshness that might have become a little bit more apparent, maybe this could be mitigated with other speakers.
IMO, this is a little bit strange, I thought that with Källa harshness becomes less apparent.

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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by Azazello »

matthias wrote: 2021-10-30 13:02
Azazello wrote: 2021-10-30 12:24 There is an element of harshness that might have become a little bit more apparent, maybe this could be mitigated with other speakers.
IMO, this is a little bit strange, I thought that with Källa harshness becomes less apparent.

Matt
I would have to bring my Hakai back to life in order to compare properly, so I really shouldn't comment on that difference.

IMHO the 3677 sounds amazing on many acoustic recordings, and not always great on stuff like Rammstein, Mötley Crüe and the like. Partially because of the lack of deep bass, and partially that distortion (on the recording) sometimes sounds a bit "off". Kalla makes them sound better than ever.
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by matthias »

Azazello wrote: 2021-10-30 13:46 IMHO the 3677 sounds amazing on many acoustic recordings, and not always great on stuff like Rammstein, Mötley Crüe and the like. Partially because of the lack of deep bass, and partially that distortion (on the recording) sometimes sounds a bit "off". Kalla makes them sound better than ever.
Thanks for clarification Azazello

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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by Tendaberry »

Azazello wrote: 2021-10-30 12:24 For example PJ Harveys amazing "Let England shake" was a bit of an disappointment (although clearly better than on Hakai). There is an element of harshness that might have become a little bit more apparent, maybe this could be mitigated with other speakers.
Thsi album is a LOT better on vinyl than CD/stream, don't know if you have heard the lp.
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by Azazello »

Tendaberry wrote: 2021-10-30 14:05
Azazello wrote: 2021-10-30 12:24 For example PJ Harveys amazing "Let England shake" was a bit of an disappointment (although clearly better than on Hakai). There is an element of harshness that might have become a little bit more apparent, maybe this could be mitigated with other speakers.
Thsi album is a LOT better on vinyl than CD/stream, don't know if you have heard the lp.
I think I have it! I’ll have a look and listen to it.
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by u252agz »

After the crushing disappointment of giving Kalla 007 back so that it could continue its UK road trip,
I reverted back to KDS/2 and my LP12.

KDS is clearly nowhere as musical, engaging etc etc , although after a few days I did begin to adapt and started to listen and enjoy Spotify.

But to get the same musical ‘hit’ , I had to go back to the LP12.

But It’s now clear to me that Kalla with a good digital recording , is in a different league to my LP12 with a poor recording, and one needs a good vinyl recording to get to the same level.

U2’s Joshua tree ( deluxe version) is great on Spotify with Kalla, but the same songs on my U2 18 singles album ( recent pressing) with my LP12 was no where near as musical, and to be honest sounds flat and boring.

Today I found an origanal 1987 vinyl recording of Joshua tree in a shop - this is more like it. Similar levels of musicality and engagement to Kalla / Spotify. Just brilliant and what a contrast.

My impression on the Kalla vs LP12 question is that we are now at the point where it is the recording itself which will determine which sounds more musical and not which unit is more musical.

Previously, even my mediocre vinyl recordings were better than Spotify/KDS.

Not with Kalla.
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by matthias »

The first "professional" review:

https://www.hifi-advice.com/blog/review ... rk-player/

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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by Defender »

very nice review - congratulation!
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