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Japanese Exotica Kondo, Leben, Luxman, Zanden

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  #11  
Old 04-19-2014, 06:25 PM
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Dan, life is good, even as a spectator, which I'm sure I'll stay for a long long time in this matter.
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  #12  
Old 04-20-2014, 12:12 AM
KenSea KenSea is offline
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Default I never knew we were talking bargain audio

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Originally Posted by Jerome W View Post
Dan...

Only 1800 dollars per watt !!
What a bargain !
Go for them. Life is short !
Did someone change the subject
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  #13  
Old 04-20-2014, 01:16 AM
kev313 kev313 is offline
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Originally Posted by jdandy View Post
Bart.......Nearly $79,000 for 8 watts per channel is a little more than I can muster. That doesn't even count the preamp, sources and speakers. I will have to remain on the sideline as a spectator. She is a beauty, almost like jewelry.
The street price for the Souga can be as little as 2/3 of that price. Make of that what you will. Mark up. Distributor issues. Former distributor issues. Combination of all factors.
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  #14  
Old 04-20-2014, 12:45 PM
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Even at 2/3 I prefer to spectate as well.
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  #15  
Old 04-20-2014, 01:55 PM
Avantgarde Avantgarde is offline
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Originally Posted by kev313 View Post
The street price for the Souga can be as little as 2/3 of that price. Make of that what you will. Mark up. Distributor issues. Former distributor issues. Combination of all factors.
Hi, Bob, from Rhapsody Music and Cinema here. We have been the US Kondo distributor since January of 2012. As you state that there are "distributor issues", do you mind elaborating on our "issues". In the last two weeks we have delivered two sets of Kagura amplifiers, one Ongaku demo amplifier, one M1000 Mk II flagship preamp and a G70/GE1 to all very happy Kondo customers.

Just wondering what our "issues" are so that we can address them....thx
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  #16  
Old 04-20-2014, 07:24 PM
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Originally Posted by Avantgarde View Post
Hi, Bob, from Rhapsody Music and Cinema here. We have been the US Kondo distributor since January of 2012. As you state that there are "distributor issues", do you mind elaborating on our "issues". In the last two weeks we have delivered two sets of Kagura amplifiers, one Ongaku demo amplifier, one M1000 Mk II flagship preamp and a G70/GE1 to all very happy Kondo customers.

Just wondering what our "issues" are so that we can address them....thx
As a former Ongaku owner, I would really love it if you could tell us more about the Kagura mono blocks. They look fantastic!

Thanks

howie
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  #17  
Old 04-20-2014, 08:18 PM
kev313 kev313 is offline
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Originally Posted by Avantgarde View Post
Hi, Bob, from Rhapsody Music and Cinema here. We have been the US Kondo distributor since January of 2012. As you state that there are "distributor issues", do you mind elaborating on our "issues". In the last two weeks we have delivered two sets of Kagura amplifiers, one Ongaku demo amplifier, one M1000 Mk II flagship preamp and a G70/GE1 to all very happy Kondo customers. Just wondering what our "issues" are so that we can address them....thx
Happy to...I apologize that it wasn't at all clear. My comment referred mostly to the public discussion in ads on another forum lead by the prior agent for Kondo. Sorry about that.

Edit: Upon rereading my post above, I'm afraid I still wasn't sufficiently clear. To clarify, the discussion prior to my original post raised the issue of pricing. With my post I intended to raise the issue that for those buyers interested in seeking it out, Sougas can, or at least could, be had at a significant discount in the grey market. It was to that difference that I asked others to "make of it" what they would. I was perhaps being overly broad - or lazy - when I suggested that it could be partly attributed to distributor "issues," although for buyers the price could be just that. The applicability of the word depends on the point of view, I suppose. I'm not in the audio business, so I hold no opinion for the reason for the mark up. I should add that I don't have a problem with people making profits for their work and support dealers by buying new.

I also erred in the fractional description of the price and reported it to be significantly higher than the amount that the unit was offered to me at.

To be clear, I did not mean to suggest that there are delivery problems in the current chain. Best of luck with the brand.

Last edited by kev313; 04-20-2014 at 08:43 PM.
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  #18  
Old 04-21-2014, 06:40 AM
Avantgarde Avantgarde is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kev313 View Post
Happy to...I apologize that it wasn't at all clear. My comment referred mostly to the public discussion in ads on another forum lead by the prior agent for Kondo. Sorry about that.

Edit: Upon rereading my post above, I'm afraid I still wasn't sufficiently clear. To clarify, the discussion prior to my original post raised the issue of pricing. With my post I intended to raise the issue that for those buyers interested in seeking it out, Sougas can, or at least could, be had at a significant discount in the grey market. It was to that difference that I asked others to "make of it" what they would. I was perhaps being overly broad - or lazy - when I suggested that it could be partly attributed to distributor "issues," although for buyers the price could be just that. The applicability of the word depends on the point of view, I suppose. I'm not in the audio business, so I hold no opinion for the reason for the mark up. I should add that I don't have a problem with people making profits for their work and support dealers by buying new.

I also erred in the fractional description of the price and reported it to be significantly higher than the amount that the unit was offered to me at.

To be clear, I did not mean to suggest that there are delivery problems in the current chain. Best of luck with the brand.
Hi Kev, not a problem at all and I do understand about the pricing issues that have been raised on the other forum. It's unfortunate, but it is what it is. I just wanted to make sure that there wasn't something that I was missing. If there were any issues then we would address them for sure. Thx for the clarification! Appreciate it. Bob
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  #19  
Old 04-21-2014, 06:49 AM
Avantgarde Avantgarde is offline
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Originally Posted by howiebrou View Post
As a former Ongaku owner, I would really love it if you could tell us more about the Kagura mono blocks. They look fantastic!

Thanks

howie
Hi Howie, Yes the Kagura are special. I understand that the pricing is "way out there". The Kagura is very expensive but it is Kondo's flagship product and it's not so out of control if you compare it to the former flagship amplifier the Gakuon II.

What the Kagura does is allow the same type, and actually even another level of sound than the Ongaku provides. The biggest difference is that the Kagura can drive most real world speakers in a fairly good size room. They can driver most speakers that are > 87db efficient. With the Ongaku you really need to be >91db efficient, although listening levels and room size always play into the equation as well.

When I first heard the Kagura my thought was the Ongaku was obsolete. After becoming familiar now I realize that the sound is very similar between the Ongaku and the Kagura, but the speaker matching/room size/listening levels is all turned upside down with the Kagura.

My personal Kaguras are at Key Kim's place at the moment. Key will be doing a an upcoming review at Stereo Times for the Kagura. I will have the Kagura here at Rhapsody by the end of May. Anyone that is in the NY area or visiting is always welcome to come in for a listen. I drive the Raidho D1's and D3's and the Magicos S1's, S3's and S5's currently as this is what I have available but for instance Key is driving Kharma and Consensus speakers. That's the fun part with the Kagura you can pretty much drive any speaker that you prefer.

Thx for asking about the Kagura and again anyone is always welcome to come in for a listen!
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  #20  
Old 04-22-2014, 11:04 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Avantgarde View Post
Hi Howie, Yes the Kagura are special. I understand that the pricing is "way out there". The Kagura is very expensive but it is Kondo's flagship product and it's not so out of control if you compare it to the former flagship amplifier the Gakuon II.

What the Kagura does is allow the same type, and actually even another level of sound than the Ongaku provides. The biggest difference is that the Kagura can drive most real world speakers in a fairly good size room. They can driver most speakers that are > 87db efficient. With the Ongaku you really need to be >91db efficient, although listening levels and room size always play into the equation as well.

When I first heard the Kagura my thought was the Ongaku was obsolete. After becoming familiar now I realize that the sound is very similar between the Ongaku and the Kagura, but the speaker matching/room size/listening levels is all turned upside down with the Kagura.

My personal Kaguras are at Key Kim's place at the moment. Key will be doing a an upcoming review at Stereo Times for the Kagura. I will have the Kagura here at Rhapsody by the end of May. Anyone that is in the NY area or visiting is always welcome to come in for a listen. I drive the Raidho D1's and D3's and the Magicos S1's, S3's and S5's currently as this is what I have available but for instance Key is driving Kharma and Consensus speakers. That's the fun part with the Kagura you can pretty much drive any speaker that you prefer.

Thx for asking about the Kagura and again anyone is always welcome to come in for a listen!
Neat. Thanks for the feedback. When I had the Ongaku i almost went for the Gakuon mono blocks. But something kept drawing me back to the Ongaku and its simplicity. In fact, Masaki-San preferred the Ongaku to the Gakuon which he considered less pure, more complicated and more coarse in comparison with the Ongaku. If the Kagura can replicate the Ongaku but bring with it more power, it will be difficult to resist!

I have to say the new look of black with copper looks fantastic. I always thought they should have offered a black Ongaku.

howie
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