Actually I was only half joking. I’m aware that component quality-and-type is critical to the Kondo sound, but I’m, prolly never going to have the cash for one, wheras building something like this is within my grasp - to the extent I’ve dropped the seller a line about getting a PCB-only purchase sorted.
There is nothing new about Kondo clones, or anything particularly unusual about the circuits.
The circuit diagrams have been online for years.
One of the best I heard was the two box M7 clone that Dom had, now owned by Rabski (saved him having to build his own).
I had that as well, it was amazing, comfortably better than Phil’s M7 in many ways. It has very good components in.
Be nice to have four of them in a digital active system
For my next go at building one of these I’m going to Foo it up a bit. Also @pmac and I bought kosher fake cases!
Haha, yes. Mine’s still at Pete’s house.
I really need to get it up here before I can start the build.
Wasn’t that the Gordon Welford thing?
there are plenty of internal shots online, you can built it v nicely without a pcb
one unusual feature of the upper level Kondo stuff like the M77 is the dual mains tx which run out of phase, I understand this makes quite a difference to the sound, quite interesting and not an approach that crops up too often.
@coco style copper sheet for the panels will also bring a nice benefit to the sound
Intredasting about the dual mains trannies, ta. But PCB-based will suffice - they look fairly well laid-out, and mean I will actually finish them one day…
Please to ask Nob san if he will be producing a clone with a built in Schumann? Perhaps if enough of us ask he might consider it? Caps need Schumann love too you know…
I’ll just deal with this sudden, unexpected erection and then get right on to it.
We can but pray Nob-San will honour our humble request…
Just shows how tastes differ or how important system synergy is.or how expectation bias works.
I had the option on it before Dom sold it to Rabski and in my system side by side the Audio Note M3 was much better which disappointed me, as I was hoping I could have bought it, flogged the M3 and trousered a lot of money!
Yeah it was the Gordon Welford thing.
It was much more transparent than the Kondo, but the latter did the Kondo thing. You pays yer money…
I wonder if he’s still making stuff or gone into one of his hibernation periods.
The Welford is an M7 copy, but with different parts - V-caps and such.
It was a nice bit of kit, it was the phono stage in particular that didn’t compare with the M3.
Is/was he in the North East ish or am I thinking of someone else?
Last time I saw him he had just moved into a house in Newton Aycliffe
I never really tried that
To which he’s responded with a “yes” - albeit at a cheeky £70 - anyone else want a PCB-only of this glorious Kondo/Nobsound hybrid so I can try and get the price down?
Sure.