General Discussion about Källa

[sunbeamgls]

So because of the very expensive LP12 it is a dilemma, or not in the end, when the cheaper Kalla beat the more expensive LP12. If it is about a excellent Lenco upgrade or another reasonable priced high performance turntable than the comparison is put in a different light. Than it is also more about the rituals en joy of playing music, holding physical (signed) sleeves and shining records, playing albums as it was meant to be by the artists. I’d say playing records is also a adventurous (sentimental) journey, different from streaming music.

I understand the rituals thing, but saying that "playing albums as it was meant to be by the artists" I never understand. Both formats allow you to do this, why do people think that streaming doesn't allow this?

[sunbeamgls]

Than it is also more about the rituals en joy of playing music, holding physical (signed) sleeves and shining records, playing albums as it was meant to be by the artists. I’d say playing records is also a adventurous (sentimental) journey, different from streaming music.

Possessing music as a physical media doesn't play for me a role any more as long as I can get the music I want to listen to in perfect quality. This seems to be possible with streaming services like Qobuz and Spotify and Källa as streamer.
So it doesn't make sense for me to invest further in vinyl playback with replacing or overhauling the cartridge after 2000 hours.

Matt

I made a choice about 8 years ago to invest in a single source. If it is not possible to buy the best of both, it makes far more sense to properly invest in only one. :)

[Discodave]

These guys were meant for each other.

Hi Pierre, I'd be very interested in your thoughts. Cheers

[matthias]

These guys were meant for each other.

Hi Pierre, I'd be very interested in your thoughts. Cheers

Indeed,
I am very curious to read a "review by Pierre" on headonist.fr and not one by CP from hifi-advice.

[Pierre@headonist]

I’ll be happy to, but waiting for the NetGear switch and the Blue Jeans cable to share some thoughts. Now listening with SOtM switch and Filtered RJ45. Not what Fredrick advised. Comparison should bring interesting learnings (if not already promoted ;-)

[matthias]

I’ll be happy to, but waiting for the NetGear switch and the Blue Jeans cable to share some thoughts. Now listening with SOtM switch and Filtered RJ45. Not what Fredrick advised. Comparison should bring interesting learnings (if not already promoted ;-)

+1

[Arjen]

The first "professional" review:

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

Matt

Reading this review Christiaan Punter is truthful enthusiastic about the Kalla. On the other side he concludes that the Dutch Grimm MU 1 is more ‘rooted, more realistic’, but for a higher price. Can he be right or is the conclusion probably because of his setup?

[matthias]

Reading this review Christiaan Punter is truthful enthusiastic about the Kalla. On the other side he concludes that the Dutch Grimm MU 1 is more ‘rooted, more realistic’, but for a higher price. Can he be right or is the conclusion probably because of his setup?

Actually he favored three different streamer/DAC combos over Källa. all were much more expensive than Källa.

I think a professional review has its own limitations and CP did not offer Källa the best set-up as he admitted in the comments of the review, so I would read it with a pinch of salt.

In the end you and I have to be happy with a product and not the reviewer.

[Discodave]

+1

[jajo]

On the other side he concludes that the Dutch Grimm MU 1 is more ‘rooted, more realistic’, but for a higher price. Can he be right or is the conclusion probably because of his setup?

I find his review to be very technical and more on the analytical side (sound character) rather than emotional (musical enjoyment).

In that case, "more realistic" could mean something very different for him than it does for most of us on this forum.

It should be noted that Källa sounds terrific when it comes to the hifi parameters but where it really excels is how it communicates the emotions in the music. I don't doubt that for someone who focuses mainly on sound, there are "better" options out there.

[matthias]

I find his review to be very technical and more on the analytical side (sound character) rather than emotional (musical enjoyment).
In that case, "more realistic" could mean something very different for him that it does for most of us on this forum.

+1

[Pierre@headonist]

These guys were meant for each other.

Hi Pierre, I'd be very interested in your thoughts. Cheers

Now Källa is running with Fredrik's recommendation of switch and cables. While awaiting these lasts, I ran Källa with various cable with SOtM switch. All my listening sessions were achieved with Lejonklou Giella Pi / Paltauf head amps / Soltanus Fortissimo.

• SOtM switch + SOtM RJ45 Filtered cable > Very resolving but dry. Lack of musicality and emotion. Very good sense of space in every dimensions, great articulation, lots of air and relief. When Källa is connected to Giella Pi, I just don't recognize one of my favorite amp. Just a no go for me (not surprising, right?)

• SOtM switch + Telegärtner RJ45 Cat 6a cable > Music plays in the south of neutrality, most of the times it plays quite warm. Great sense of space (depth is huge BTW). Detailed playback but music with high dynamics and complexity comes out with confusion.

• NetGear + BlueJeans cable > Here we are. Very detailed and great musicality at the same time. Sound stage is insane (this is a valuable criteria in headphone listening). My Giella Pi is back (phew...)

• SOtM switch + BlueJeans cable > Take the above as a reference but with loss every where except a gain in resolution and articulation. The association with Giella Pi is quite good indeed for who praise for matte playback and resolution.

Next steps : Try out new RJ45 cables. This is pure curiosity for the sake of knowledge. At this stage I simply love the set-up recommended by Fredrik.

[Discodave]

Many thanks!

[matthias]

Many thanks!

+1
Interesting that the "audiophile" stuff does not get it.

[Pierre@headonist]

Many thanks!

+1
Interesting that the "audiophile" stuff does not get it.

I just can't explain why but the SOtM stack is terrific with some streamer, and not performing equally with the Källa.

[matthias]

I find his review to be very technical and more on the analytical side (sound character) rather than emotional (musical enjoyment).

To be fair to CP, this review seems to be more emotional:

https://www.hifi-advice.com/blog/review ... a-diva-m2/

Sorry for OT

[matthias]

I just checked and Spotify Volume normalisation was on. So I will need to reevaluate against Qobuz.

Kevin,
did you reevaluate Spotify against Qobuz with Volume normalisation off?
Thanks

[macrotech2]

I just checked and Spotify Volume normalisation was on. So I will need to reevaluate against Qobuz.

Kevin,
did you reevaluate Spotify against Qobuz with Volume normalisation off?
Thanks

Yes, and I still prefer Qobuz.

[matthias]

Yes, and I still prefer Qobuz.

As Spotify lossless seems not to be too far away we have to evaluate further:-)

[tokenbrit]

The Settings page of the Källa web interface shows temperature ° & frequency MHz. Is this measuring room temp, or that of a component, in F or C, and what frequency is being reported? Just curious :)

Another Kalla question: should it always be powered down via the web interface? Does it do any 'harm' if you switch it off rather than power down, or if there's a power outage?

[lejonklou]

Another Kalla question: should it always be powered down via the web interface? Does it do any 'harm' if you switch it off rather than power down, or if there's a power outage?

Jajo says "Yes, please use the web interface before powering Källa down". All processes are then ended and nothing is running when the power goes out. Not that he can think of anything bad happening, but he likes to be cautious.

I have, however, powered down Källa hundreds of times without using the web interface and nothing has ever happened. It has just started again when I switch on the power.

[ThomasOK]

Don Better Audio is my first dealer to listen to a Källa, which he decided he had to order after less than a day. He has now posted on his Instagram account that it is "Arguably the best digital I've heard." and a "breakthrough".

Here is the link to his Instagram posting:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CXMisFPPrEs ... =copy_link

[u252agz]

I can't agree more.

My Kalla has probably had a couple of hundred hours burn in and with good recordings on Spotify (no shortage of these) sounds just fantastic.

One of the great things about it, compared to my LP12 is that it does not need the 45 minutes of playing time to sound great and is ready from the off.

[Discodave]

45mims warm up? JEEPERS

[matthias]

Don Better Audio is my first dealer to listen to a Källa, which he decided he had to order after less than a day. He has now posted on his Instagram account that it is "Arguably the best digital I've heard." and a "breakthrough".
Here is the link to his Instagram posting:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXMisFPPrEs ... =copy_link

Wow, this is quite a statement 8-)