Moving on to class A/B and separate streamer

[Pim]

A few days ago, I received the Kinki EX-M7 power amp.  I connected it to my Lumin T2 streamer (purchased as a demo from an authorized dealer) via Grimm XLRs and proceeded to run through some of my favorite test tracks.

Right out of the box, the combination sounded terrific.  Better than the Devialet?  Yes, with some qualifications as you'll see below.

On a song I know quite well, there is a dual vocal with one being slightly recessed.  On the new combo, the sound could be pinpointed in space and was more apparent than on the 220.  Perhaps the combo has better detail retrieval?  Bass control was perhaps not as good as the Devialet but this might change after amp burn-in, estimated to be in the 300-hour range.  Mid-range was definitely better with a more liquid sound on vocals.  The sound-stage was wider and higher but not in an unnatural way.

The difficulty in comparing the new combo with the 220 is that I don't know how much to ascribe to the Lumin T2 vs. the Kinki amp.  I didn't try the Lumin into the Devialet, for instance, since I knew the Devialet would apply its DAC after the Lumin DAC.  I didn't think that would be a valid effort.

Negatives?  The Kinki amp is a beast and not as svelte as the Devialet.  It was nice to be able to turn the Devialet on and off using the Roon app.  With the new combo, I can turn on the Lumin in the Roon app but I need to physically turn on (and off) the Kinki amp.  Not a big deal but points to Devialet.  Also, the Devialet didn't need much warm-up IMHO while the Kinki needs about 20 minutes.  Interestingly, when the Devialet was on and I was not playing a song, I could never hear anything when I put my ear to the speakers.  Just silence.  With the Kinki, there is a slight hiss.  You'd never hear it from a distance nor when playing a song but it's there.  There is an AC filter switch on the Kinki and I will check with the manufacturer to see whether engaging that switch might make a difference.  Again, not a big deal.  Finally, the Devialet has other attributes, such as a phono stage and SAM profiles, so it is a more complete device.

In sum, I'm glad I made the change.  I suspect I will listen to more music.  Hard to believe that the Kinki amp will get better by 300 hours but we shall see.

If anyone wishes to purchase my 220 and lives in the United States, send me a PM.

I wonder whether the extra detail you get is a product of the lesser bass. When you load the room or drive your speakers with less bass, it's not uncommon to hear more detail in the mids and highs because they now stand out more.

If I were you, especially given you can hear a hiss, which to me indicates noise or an up tipped treble, I would try to emulate the sound you get from the Kinky's by changing the settings on the Expert and then do another comparison on the detail retrieval. You wouldn't be the first person to fall in love with detail only to find out later that the overall picture isn't as musical as you would like.

Nothing to lose.

Cheers,

Pim