Kronos Audio Turntable

by Paul Bolin, November 2, 2012

© www.theaudiobeat.com

tisalwaysriskytobecomesmittenatfirstsight. Oneneverknowsifdisappointmentanddespair orhappinessandwonderwillarisefromfatefulfirstencounters,buttherearetimeswhenonemustsimplythrowcautiontothewindanddiveintothedeependofthepool.Forme,thishappenedmostrecentlyatthe2012ConsumerElectronicsShow.IstoppedintothesecondoftworoomspresidedoverbyVladimirandElinaLamm,andthenstoppeddeadinmytracks.Icouldn’tbelievemyeyes.TherewasthemostgorgeousandintriguingturntableI’deverlaideyesonatthefrontofanall-LammsystemdrivingVerityLohengrinIIloudspeakers.ItwasTheKronosturntable--nomodeldesignation,please.Afterrecoveringabitofmycomposure,IaskedElinaLammwhowasresponsibleforthisvisualmasterpieceandshepromptlyintroducedmetoLouisDesjardins,theonlybegetteroftheKronos.Myfirstquestionwas“Howmuchisit?”whichIhadalreadyansweredtomyselfas“$60,000ormore.”WhenLouisrepliedthattheKronoswas$28,000,Iwaspleasantlysurprised.

Bythetimehehadfinishedplayinganumberofnotablerecords,includingatestpressingofthemuch-laudedLa Fille Mal Gardée(nowreleasedbyOriginalRecordings

Group),Iwashooked.BytheendofCEShehadagreedtosupplymewitha‘tableforreviewassoonasonebecameavailable.Asitturnedout,thereviewsamplewas#006,thevery‘tableusedforthephotosontheKronoswebsiteandwhichhadbeenhisshowdemo‘tableforthepreviousyear.TwohundredandfiftyKronos‘tableswillbebuilt,afterwhichDesjardinswillreassessthedesignforpotentialimprovements.

DesjardinsisaMontrealnativeandacharming,knowledgeablefellowwhoseloveofaesthetics(he’saprofessionalphotographer)andmusicareimmediatelyapparent.AbluesguitaristandcollectorofvintageGibsonelectrics,heunderstandsmusicfrombothwithinandwithout.WhenhevisitedmeinJunetosetupthe‘table,wehadthechancetotalkatgreatlengthaboutguitars,hi-fi,andwhatitisthatbringsthehomelistenerclosertotheliveexperience.Louisisthatengagingcombinationofvisionary,engineerandmusicloveroneonlyseemstofindinthehigh-endcommunity.

Likesomanyofthepeopleengagedinthehighestreachesofaudiodesign,Louisbeganasatinkerer.Adevoutloverofvinyl--helatertoldmethathedoesn’t

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evenhaveadigitalplaybackdeviceinhishomesystem--hebeganhislongaudiojourneybybuying,tweakingandrepairingturntables,allinsearchofhisidealLP-spinningmachine.Afteryearsofexperimentingandthinking,hesetouttobuildhisultimateturntable,combiningthebestengineeringfromallthe‘tableshehadworkedonovertheyears.Aftercompletinghisprototype,herealizedthatitmightbepossibletoturnitintoacommerciallyviableproduct,and,voila,hedebutedthe‘tableinshowsin2011.Givenitsstrikingappearance,thoroughlywroughtdesignandsuperbsonics,aboutwhichmuchmorelater,itattractedconsiderableattention,andLouisnowhasKronos‘tablesspinninginsomedozencountriesaroundtheworld.

Time for explanation

hefirstthingthatonenoticesabouttheKronos isitsstriking,triple-deckerappearance.Itis thefirstturntableintheworldthatcombinesacounter-rotatingplatterwithafullsuspension.Thethreechassisare,fromthebottomup,themainplatform,whichcontainstheswitchingandLEDplatter-speedreadoutsandisshapedlikeabroadU,withfourpostsarisingfromitscornersandtowhichthetwo-motorstackisboltedattheleft-centerendoftheplatform.

Themiddleplinthholdsthecounter-rotatingplatterandhasaholeateachcorner,andthetopplinthcontainsthemainplatter,provisions

formountingatonearmandthesuspensionsystem.Likethemiddleplinth,thetopplinthhas

holesateachcorner,butboltedontothisplinthareshorttowersthatarecappedandwhichholdagroupofO-rings.TheseO-ringsservetosuspendandisolatethedouble-decksandwichthatcarriestheplatters.

Itisratherawkwardtodescribeallthis,butonelookatthe‘tableandanyexperiencedvinylhoundwillinstinctivelygraspjusthowitworks,anditisinfactasimpleandtechnicallyelegantdesign.Theplinthsandplatformaremadeoftwosuperblymachinedlayersofaluminum,betweenwhichisamaterialthatlooksatfirstglancelikewoodbutwhichisactuallyaverydenseanddeadcompositesimilartoBakelite.Desjardinsassertsthatthiscombinationofmaterialsprovidesoptimumdampingforthethreeparts.

WhatmakestheKronosasingularityisthatthetwotopplinthsarecoupledfirmlytogether,andthattwo-deckassemblyisthenloweredoverthepostsextendingfromthecornersofthebottomplatform.Thosepoststhencontactthebottomofthecapssecuredtothetopplinth,andthetwoplinthshangfromtheO-rings,providing

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asuspensionsystemthatusesgravityinmuchthesamewaythataSOTAorSMEturntabledoes.Asimpleandeffectiverecordclamp,asbeautifullymadeandmachinedaseveryothermetalpartoftheKronos,isprovidedtosecuretheLPtothetopplatter’scarbon-fibermat.

Thetwomotors,oneforeachbelt-drivenplatter,areprecisionSwiss-madeDCunitsdrivenbyanoutboardclassApowersupplyandencasedinacomposite/plasticmaterialthatisacousticallydead.Themotorunit,asnotedabove,boltssecurelytothebottom-mostplatform.AnotherinterestingfeatureoftheKronosisthatspeedcontrolisfacilitatedbymarkersintheplatters.Thesemarkersarereadbyopticalsensorslocatedinthemotorblocks,whichthencommunicatewithaservounitthatcontrolstherotationalspeedmotors.Thisfacilitatesaconstant,non-coggingspeedadjustmentthatworksflawlesslyinpractice.Theexactspeedofeachplatter,downtothetenthofarevolution,isdisplayedonanLEDreadoutlocatedonthebottomplinth,whichalsocontainstheon/offandspeed-selectiontouchswitches.Eachplatterrestsonanaerospace-derivedinvertedbearingrunninginabathofspeciallyselectedlubricant.Thestart-upspeedisabitslow,butnotmuchmoresothanthatofturntablesthathaveveryheavymass-dampedplatters.

Oneoftheperksofbeingarevieweristhatmanufacturerswillsetupcomponentsinmyhome.OnaMondayafternooninJune,theKronosarrivedinaheavy-dutyflightcase,andshortlyafterLouisshowedup.DespitelengthydiscursionsexplainingthewhysandwhereforesoftheKronos,Louishadtheentire‘tablesetupandrunninginconsiderablylessthantwohours.

Desjardinsprefers12”tonearms,andmystandard-lengthGraham2.2‘armwasdeemedtobeincompatiblewiththeKronos.HethereforearrivedwithanSMEV12‘armintow,whichisoneofhispreferredoptions.Yes,Iknow,changeonethingatatime,butIamnostrangertoSME‘arms,havinguseda309asmyreferenceforseveralyearsearlierinmyaudiolifetime.SME‘armshaveadistinctsound--powerfuldeepbass,highlyneutralmidrangeandasmooth,unaccentedtopendthatdoesnotaddartificialsparkleordetail.LouisinstalledandsetuptheSMEwithmyreferenceDynavectorXV-1scartridge,andIhadeverythingdoublecheckedbyturntableguruWallyMalewicz,whohasdonemy

analogsetupformorethanfifteenyears,justtomakesureeverythingwasaccordingtoHoyle.Wallytweakedtheoverhangadjustmentandall

remainedassolidashousesfortheremainderofmyauditioning.

Ihavenotbeenmuchofasocialbutterflywhenitcomestoturntables.ForthelasttwentyyearsIhaveusedSOTA‘tables,firstaStarSapphire,thenaCosmos,whichIhadupgradedtoaSeriesIIIabouttenyearsago.Ihavealwaysviewedtheultra-expensiveandultra-exotic‘tableswithacertaindegreeofskepticism.“Fussy”and“tweaky”arenotadjectivesthatIliketoassociatewithanypieceofaudioequipment,buttheyappliedtosomanyofthemoreunusual(andexpensive)turntabledesigns.Fortunately,theKronosisneither.Quitetothecontrary,oncesetup,everythinglocksdowntoadegreeofsoliditythatisbothimpressiveandreassuring.

Time table

twasimpossibletooverlookacoupleofthingsthat theKronosdidfromthefirsttimeIplacedstylus onLP.Thefirstofthesewasanintertransientsilencethatcompeteddirectlywiththemostexoticofair-bearing‘tables,suchastheBergmannSleipner,thatI’veheard.ThesecondwastheextraordinarynatureoftheimagestheKronosprojected,whichweremoresolid,three-dimensionalandgroundedthananyturntableIhavelistenedtoatlength.

TheveryfirstrecordIplayedwastherecentreissueofHenryMancini’smusicfromThe Pink Panther[RCA/SpeakersCornerLSP-2795],whichIhadplayedafewdaysbeforeonmySOTACosmosIII.WiththeSOTAithadbeenaperfectlylovelychunkofmusic.ViatheKronositwasacompletelyimmersiveexperience.Eachvoiceofthechorusandeveryinstrumentfloatedonaplushcushionofairinamostspaciousandpreciselydescribedenvironment.Thepitchdefinitionoftheacousticbasswasnothingshortofstandard-settingandthesheerdimensionalityofeachinstrumentandvoicewasformeanewexperience.Andwhileevenverygoodturntablestendtofloatimagesinanungrounded“offthefloor”way,theKronosdidnot.Everymusicianwasafullydeveloped--andgrounded--personstandingonthefloor,notasomewhatdiscorporatedentity.Icouldclearlyperceivethattherewereliving,breathinghumanbeingsproducingeverynoteIheard.Thisisnotsomethingany

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butthebestturntables,andvirtuallynodigitalgear,canmanage.

TheKronosratcheteduptheinnatemusicaldramaofsprawling,cinematicpiecesbyallowingmore,muchmore,oftheplayers’intensitytobursteffortlesslyintomyroom.Toborrowaphotographicmetaphor,itallowedthedepthoffieldtobeincreasedbyalargegeometricfactor,ratherthanasmallarithmeticone.DireStraits’Love Over Gold[WarnerBros.23728-1]hasrightlybeenlongacknowledgedforbothmusicalaswellassonicexcellence,andisanLPIknowaswellasanyinmycollection.Thesilenceoutofwhich“TelegraphRoad”arosewasquiteremarkable,andMarkKnopfler’svoiceandDobroweresuperblyfocusedandastimbrallycompleteasonemightwish.Asthesongbuildsmusically,italsobuildsspatially,andtheKronosevenlyilluminatedeverylastinchoftheimmensesoundstagewithease.Dynamics,bothhereandon“PrivateInvestigations,”weresmashing,capableofresolvingthemostdelicateacousticstringplucksandexplosivedrum/electricguitarcrashesinasingularlyconvincingway.Knopfler’srage-against-the-dying-of-the-lightsoloon“TelegraphRoad”ispowerfulinitself.AlanClarke’ssweepingwavesofkeyboards,rollinglikeoceanbreakers,andthesheermajestyandexplosivenessofPickWithers’magnificentdrummingmadeitallthemoreso.

Anevenbigger-soundinghunkofgreatrockvinylthanLove Over GoldistheGermanpressingofDavidBowieandGiorgioMoroder’s“CatPeople.”(12”45[Backstreet/MCA259574-0]).Thetrackbeginswithsinisterbasssynthrumblingsandelectronicpercussion.Bowie’svoiceenters,darkandlow,andwhenthebandkicksinallkindsofhellbreakloose:depth-chargedrums,thekindofbassguitarthatpunchesthelistenerdirectlyinthegut,andBowieathismosttheatrically

torturedandpassionate.Thebackingsingerswereplacedwithastonishingindividualspecificityandbody,andalife-sizedBowie

expertlywrungeverydropofpathosandyearningfromthesong.Yetanotherbigbangeris

“Jerusalem”fromEmersonLake&Palmer’smasterpieceBrain Salad Surgery[CastleCommunicationsORRLP02],aBritishreissue.Emerson’skeyboardsdominatetheproceedings,withmassiveMoogbassdetonationsandascreaming,double-trackedHammondorgan,

bothofwhichhadgraniticsolidity.GregLake’schoirboytenorwaswarmandresonantandCarlPalmer’sever-hyperactiveyetrock-steadydrummingwasrenderedinallitscomplexityandpower.

Butlarge-scalemusicwasbynomeanstheonlytypewithwhichtheKronosexcelled.“TheBaronofBrackney”fromPentangle’sSo Early In the Spring[GreenLinnetSIF3048]isoneofthosegreat,broodingScotsballadsoftreachery,infidelityandmurder.

TheinterplaybetweenthelateBertJansch’sacousticguitarandRodClements’mandolinwasbeautifullydisplayed;thevoicesofJanschandJacquiMcSheehadmorebodyandpresencethanIhavepreviouslyheard,thoughJansch’ssporadicallyslurredandmutteredvoice,whichoccasionallyobscuredsomeofthelyrics,isafeature,notabug,onthisgreattrack.Theominousbuildandfadeatthesong’send,withNigelPortman-Smith’sfretlessbassguitarandkeyboardsslowlyrisingfrompianotomezzo fortebeforerecedingintoaportentoustwilightbehindClements’sinuouselectricguitar,wastrulythrilling.

TheKronosnotonlycapturedallofthis;itkeptitinperfectscaleandtime,neitherembellishingnordiminishingthevitalelementsfromwhichthemusicwasconstructed.Andwithorchestralmaterialandjazz,itwasjustasadept.HearingthePreludetoDie

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MeistersingerperformedbyOttoKlempererandthePhilharmoniaOrchestra(Klemperer Conducts Wagner[Angel3610B],gold“Stereo”stamp)wasspectacular.Thedynamicswingsofthisgolden-ageEMIrecording--whichrangefromacoupleofwoodwindsplayingtogethertotitanicfull-orchestraclimaxes--cantestthemettleofanyfront-end;thegrandeurandnobilityofthemusicwereoverpowering.Stringshadalusciousnessanddepthoftonalitythatlostnoneoftherosinyqualitysoessentialtoalifelikepresentation,andwoodwindshadrealroundnessandbody.Bigbrasshadweightandheftwithneverahintofuncalled-for“blattiness.”Thesoundstagewashugeandenveloping,withparticularlydistinguishedfront-to-backlayering.TheKronos’timbralrightnesswithstringswasalsoverymuchtotheforewithSirJohnBarbirolli’stimelessinterpretationofRalphVaughanWilliams’Fantasia on a ThemebyThomasTallis[Alto/EMIASD521].OliverNelson’sThe Blues and the Abstract Truth[ImpulseIMP-154]isalsooneofthereallygreatRudyVanGelderrecordings,particularlythemoody“StolenMoments”whereFreddieHubbard’strumpetandthefluteworkofEricDolphyweregrippinglypresent.Ontherapidinterplayof“Cascades,”eachlinewasclearlyindividuatedyetpartofadrivingandswingingwhole.

AnotherqualityoftheKronos’presentationwasparticularlyvividwithpurelyacousticmusic.Ialwaysfoundmyselflookingintoaneye-andear-levelsoundstage;Ineverseemedtobehoveringslightlyaboveit,asiflisteningfromabalconyseat.Francis A. and Edward K.[RepriseFS1024]letmeheretheplush-soundingEllingtonbandwithSinatraatthepeakofhispowers.Bothhadgreaterclarityandrealismthaneverbefore.Sinatrawassimplythereinmyroom.

Okay,Icanhearyousay,theKronosbringsoutthebestinrecordsthateveryoneknowsaregreatsounding,

andifa‘tablethatcosts28largecan’tdothat,it’sprettyuseless.True,whichleadsdirectlytothefactthattheKronosworks

itsspatial,temporalandtimbralmagicjustascompletelywithrecordsthat,fromasonic

standpoint,areveryordinaryindeed.TakeJeffersonStarship’sRed Octopus[Grunt/RCABFL1-0999]orFleetwoodMac’sMystery to Me[RepriseMS2158].I’dalwaysthoughtofJeffersonStarship’s“Miracles”asadecentlyrecordedbutnothing-special(sonically)

songfrom1975.PlayingitontheKronoswasarevelation.Suddenlytherewasaclearlydefinedsoundstageinthreedimensions,withMartyBalin’sleadvocalfrontandcenter.ThebackingvocalsofGraceSlickandDavidFreibergwereneatlylocatedinthebackleftcornerofthestageandpoppedwhenSlickassertedherself;thestringswrappedaroundtheentirebandandtherewasagracefulswingtowhathadseemedbeforetobesomewhatplodding.Asenseofuttercalmwaspervasiveandeverythingwassuperblysortedout,bothofwhichtheKronosmanagedcutaftercut.

OntheMac’sMystery to MetheycovertheoldYardbirdstune“ForYourLove,”andfor

mymoneyitmaybethesinglebestcoverinthehistoryofrock‘n’roll.Again,theKronossortswhatwasnowrevealedtobehazyandindistinctonevenmySOTACosmosSeriesIII.Atthebeginning,electric-guitarharmonicspopintotheforegroundwithouteversteppingonChristineMcVie’sharpsichordparts.BobWelch’sleadvocalhadstrikingdynamismandpresenceandthebackingvocalpartsoverdubbedbyWelchandChristineMcViewerepristineandgorgeous.AswiththeStarshiptrack,therewasarecognizableandcleanlydefinedstage(audiblyapparentasastudiocreation)andwallopingmacrodynamicswhenMickFleetwoodreallycutslooseonthetomsbeforethemiddleeight.Whatwasoncemerelyagreatsongbecamevirtualreality.

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TheKronos’sgreateststrength,onalltypesofmusic,wastobringitintobeingwithmorelife,morecolor,andmoreverisimilitudethananysourcecomponentofmyexperience.Therewasaonenessandacompleteunityinitspresentationthatsetitapart.Thevastmajorityofthiscomes,Ibelieve,fromtheessenceoftheturntable’sdesign.Thesecondplattercounteractsanytorsionalorcoggingcausedbytherotationofthemainplatter,resultingintheextraordinaryimagedimensionalityandstabilitytheKronosresolves.Thespeed-controlsystem,whichprovidesforreal-timeadjustmentsinveryfineincrements,workedflawlesslyandprovidedobviouslyandaudiblysuperiorstability.Thatitisalsosuspendedmadeitimpervioustoanyperturbationthatmayhave

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How the Kronos does what it does

TheArabesqueMinismightbesmall,butthatdoesn’tAturntablehasseeminglysimplegoalsthatareexceedinglycomplexintheirexecution.RotatingtheLPmustoccuratanunwaveringspeed,smallfluctuationsbecomingaudibletothoseofuswholistentomusicintently.Thereisalsotherelationshipbetweenthenoiseofthemotor,themovementoftheplatterandtheinfinitesimalvibrationsthatcreatethemusicalsignaltoconsider.Minutevibration--fromthemotorandeventhefrictionofthebearing--canfinditswaytotherecordsurface,wherethecartridgewillblenditwiththemusic.Finally,thereisalsotheissueofenvironmentalvibration,whichcanadverselyaffectsoundquality.

Turntablemakerscombatthesebadvibesinanumberofways,includingwiththeuseofsprings,specialdampingmaterials,andsheermass.LouisDesjardinsfollowedbothwell-wornandnewlyblazedpathsinthecreationofhisKronosturntable.First,theKronosisasuspendeddesign.Theunit’stwoplinths,whicharetopmostinthestack,arecoupledtoeachother,andtheentirestructureissuspendedfromtheturntable’sbasewithO-rings,whichservetoisolatethephysicalstructuresthatcarrytheplatters.MoreoriginalistheKronos‘table’suseofdualcounter-rotatingplatters.Therotationoftheseidenticalslabsofmachinedaluminumcancelthetorsionalforcesthateachofthemexhibitsalone.Theideaisthat

forthisaction,andthestrayenergycreatedbyit,anequalandoppositereactionprovidesthebestdefense.Unaddressed,thisenergycancauseallmannerofsonicmaladies--especiallyofthetypeyouwon’thearuntiltheyareabsent,adifficultfeat,giventhattheKronosis,tomyknowledge,theonlyturntableextantthataddressesthem.Theplattersandsuspensionworktogethertocreateaquieterrecord-playingplatform,theplattersaddressingasignificantsourceofself-inducednoiseandthesuspensionisolatingtheplayingsurface,thetonearmandthecartridgefromallmannerofairborneandstructurebornevibration.

SpeedishandledbyanidenticalpairofDCmotors,whichareattachedtothebottomplatform.Opticalsensorsreadmarkingsontheundersideoftheplatters,adjustingspeedontheflywithinone-tenthofarotation.LEDreadoutsontheplatformmayflickertoindicatethatspeedadjustmentsarebeingmade,butthishappensimperceptibly,soabsoluteaccuracyismaintained.

It’salsoremarkable,givenalloftheengineeringanddesignfinepoints--andphysicalsize--oftheKronos,thatthe‘tablelooksaselegantasitdoes.Inadditiontohavingauniqueapproachtobuildingaturntable,LouisDesjardinshasakeeneyeforindustrialdesign,histurntable,whichinotherhandscouldhavebecomeamonstrosity,lookingasrefinedandfinishedasanyI’veseen.

–MarcMickelson

resultedfromthefloorsinmy100-year-oldduplex.The‘tableremainedZen-mastercalmunlessIactuallyjumpedupanddowninclose

proximitytothemass-dampedUltraResolutionTechnologiesBedrockstandonwhichitsat.

Time to wrap up

herearetimeswhenfirstimpressionsare indeedcorrect.TheKronosabsolutely flooredmeinthatLammroomatthe2012CES.The‘tablethenwentontoexceedmyloftyexpectationsandimpressedmeevenmoreonextendedauditioningforthisreview.LouisDesjardinshascreatedaturntablecapableofstandingwithanycompetitionthatmayexist.

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MybelovedSOTACosmosSeriesIIIsoundedsomewhatdefectiveandfuzzybycomparison,andIknowthatisaverygoodturntable,albeitmuchlessexpensivethantheKronos.

Asforitssonics,yourearswilltellyoueverythingyouneedtoknow.Morethananyotherturntable--anyothersource componentotherthanaperfectlysetupandhot-roddedanalogtapemachine(andjusttrytofindahugecatalogofmusictoplayononeofthose)--theKronoswasabletoerasethetemporaldistanceofrecordingsandbringtheiruniquetimesintothepresentwithasingularvividnessandacuity.Recordingsbytheirverynaturecaptureamomentintime.TheKronosre-createdthepastmomentscapturedinthosevinyldiscslikenothingIhaveeverheard.Itpresentedmusicalexperiencesofthepast,whethertheircreatorsarestillaliveornowgone,withsuchanintensetruthfulnessandlifelikeimmediacythatitisfarbetterexperiencedthandescribed.Beforewarned,however.EverythingelseinyoursystemhadbetterbecapableofresolvingwhattheKronosdoesoryouwillbemissingasubstantialshareofitsmagic.

WhatmakestheKronosevenmoreofastarisitsbasicsimplicity.Desjardinsbelievesinkeepingeverythingin

accordancewiththeEinsteiniandictumthateverythingshouldbeassimpleaspossibletoperformitsintendedfunctionbutnosimpler.

ThistheKronosdoes.Itdoesnotweigh200+pounds,thoughitisassolidasaskyscraper.Itdoes

nothavepotentiallytrickyortroublesomefeaturessuchasvacuumpumpsorairbearings.Thoughrevolutionaryincombiningacounter-rotatingplatterwithafullsuspension,itisinitsessenceasimplemachineborneofdeepthought,soundscienceandsuperbengineeringandpresentedinacompleteandexquisitelyfinishedpackage.It’salsoquiteglorious,aesthetically,atleasttomyeyes.Insum,allofDesjardins’researchanddesigneffortshavebroughtforthamasterpiece.Itsobviouscompetitors,suchastheBergmannSleipnerandSME30/3,bothofwhichIhaveheardmorethanbrieflybutlessthanextensivelyandinsystemsnotmyown,costanywherefrom$10,000moretonearlydoubletheKronos’sprice,whichDesjardinsisconsideringraising,morethanjustifiablyinmyopinion.

TheKronosisaremarkableexperience,andyoujustmightsaveyourselftensofthousandsofdollarsbyhearingoneforyourself.Itisabsolutelytopclass,andIcannotpossiblyrecommendithighlyenough.

Price:$28,000withouttonearm.

Warranty: Twoyearspartsandlabor.

KronosAudio4035RueSaint-Ambroise,Suite414Montreal,QuébecH4C2E1Canada(514)939-5770

www.kronosaudio.com

Associated Equipment

Analog front-end:SOTACosmosSeriesIIIturntable,Graham2.2tonearm,DynavectorXV-1sphonocartridge,HovlandMusicGroovephonocable,PassLabsXP-25phonostage.

Preamplifier:AesthetixCalypsoSignature,BATVK-51SE,VTLTL-7.5ReferenceSeriesIIIlinestages.

Power amplifiers:LammM1.2ReferenceandVTLMB-450SignatureSeriesIIImonoblocks.

Loudspeakers: WilsonAudioSpecialtiesSashaW/P.

Interconnects: NordostOdin.

Speaker cables: NordostOdin.

Power conditioners: QuantumQBase4and8,fourQuantumQX4s(twoforsources,phonostageandlinestage,twoforpoweramplifiers.

Power cords: NordostOdin.

Accessories: GrandPrixAudioMonacostandsandtwoF1carbon-fibershelves,UltraResolutionTechnologiesBedrockstand,Ganymedeisolationfooters,NordostTitaniumPulsarPoints,ShunMookIso-Qubes,CaigLabsProGold,Ayre/CardasIBEsystem-enhancementCD,ArgentRoomLenses,DiscDoctorandLASTrecord-careproducts.