Kronos Audio Turntable Beat Review2.pdfThe start-up speed is a bit slow, but not much more so than...
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Kronos Audio Turntable by Paul Bolin, November 2, 2012 © www.theaudiobeat.com t is always risky to become smitten at first sight. One never knows if disappointment and despair or happiness and wonder will arise from fateful first encounters, but there are times when one must simply throw caution to the wind and dive into the deep end of the pool. For me, this happened most recently at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show. I stopped in to the second of two rooms presided over by Vladimir and Elina Lamm, and then stopped dead in my tracks. I couldn’t believe my eyes. There was the most gorgeous and intriguing turntable I’d ever laid eyes on at the front of an all-Lamm system driving Verity Lohengrin II loudspeakers. It was The Kronos turntable -- no model designation, please. After recovering a bit of my composure, I asked Elina Lamm who was responsible for this visual masterpiece and she promptly introduced me to Louis Desjardins, the only begetter of the Kronos. My first question was “How much is it?” which I had already answered to myself as “$60,000 or more.” When Louis replied that the Kronos was $28,000, I was pleasantly surprised. By the time he had finished playing a number of notable records, including a test pressing of the much-lauded La Fille Mal Gardée (now released by Original Recordings Group), I was hooked. By the end of CES he had agreed to supply me with a ‘table for review as soon as one became available. As it turned out, the review sample was #006, the very ‘table used for the photos on the Kronos website and which had been his show demo ‘table for the previous year.Two hundred and fifty Kronos ‘tables will be built, after which Desjardins will reassess the design for potential improvements. Desjardins is a Montreal native and a charming, knowledgeable fellow whose love of aesthetics (he’s a professional photographer) and music are immediately apparent. A blues guitarist and collector of vintage Gibson electrics, he understands music from both within and without. When he visited me in June to set up the ‘table, we had the chance to talk at great length about guitars, hi-fi, and what it is that brings the home listener closer to the live experience. Louis is that engaging combination of visionary, engineer and music lover one only seems to find in the high-end community. Like so many of the people engaged in the highest reaches of audio design, Louis began as a tinkerer. A devout lover of vinyl -- he later told me that he doesn’t 1 I
Transcript of Kronos Audio Turntable Beat Review2.pdfThe start-up speed is a bit slow, but not much more so than...
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.
