Ktema Review

[milos]

Two weeks ago I had opportunity to hear Ktema on the HIGH END PRAGUE show.
I liked their sound and I consider them for the best sounding speakers on that show.
In comparison to other exhibited high end speakers (BW800D, Tannoy Kingdom Royal, Avantgarde Acoustic Duo Omega, Vivid G1, Meridian DSP8000, JM Labs Grande Utopia EM, MBL, Cabasse, ...) their sound was very very close to Stradivari. No wonder - Franco Serblin's signature is strongly evident on both of them.

When I could compare Ktema (on the show) and Stradivari (at home), I prefer Stradivari in all aspects.
Ktema has more analytical sound and misses some vitality, "internal live" and "magic" of Stradivari for me.
But need to say Ktema was driven by C48 + MEN220 + MC303, while I listen Stradivari driven by MC1.2KW...
Design and look are entirely different worlds.

You can walk through show on High End Praha 2/2011 [switch to HD quality].
Ktema is on 15:14.

[Face]

Originally Posted by milos

When I could compare Ktema (on the show) and Stradivari (at home), I prefer Stradivari in all aspects.
Ktema has more analytical sound and misses some vitality, "internal live" and "magic" of Stradivari for me.
But need to say Ktema was driven by C48 + MEN220 + MC303, while I listen Stradivari driven by MC1.2KW...
Design and look are entirely different worlds.

Not really a fair comparison as changing rooms alone will have a larger impact on the speaker's tonality than the gear you listed above. Regardless, thanks for your impressions.

[Lemarchand]

Originally Posted by Milimetr

The sonic signature of Ktema is more similar to old Guarneri Homage.

This is the best compliment you could have ever done to a speaker....

I was wondering what sort of amplification your friend has at his system.I have not listened Ktema yet.I am really curious to have a listen myself....

[Milimetr]

Ktema was playing with Jadis JA200 or Jadis SE845

[Lemarchand]

Originally Posted by Milimetr

Ktema was playing with Jadis JA200 or Jadis SE845

I have not auditioned Ktema yet and I do not know if it will be an easier load or less tricky for an amplifier than the Stradivari but I can assure you that you cannot get the full potential of the Strads if you do not use really powerful and fast solid state amplifiers like Krell and even better Soulution.Best sound I have heard in my life was with full set of Soulution electronics with a pair of Strads in a high-end show.Next year I listened at the very same room same speakers with high-end tube electronics (monoblocks with 200wrms each push-pull) and the outcome was VERY inferior..

Do you reckon that Ktemas are less tricky in amplification than the current Homage series of SF?

Thanks for the reply m8.

Christos

[TommyC]

Originally Posted by Lemarchand

I have not auditioned Ktema yet and I do not know if it will be an easier load or less tricky for an amplifier than the Stradivari but I can assure you that you cannot get the full potential of the Strads if you do not use really powerful and fast solid state amplifiers like Krell and even better Soulution.Best sound I have heard in my life was with full set of Soulution electronics with a pair of Strads in a high-end show.Next year I listened at the very same room same speakers with high-end tube electronics (monoblocks with 200wrms each push-pull) and the outcome was VERY inferior..

Do you reckon that Ktemas are less tricky in amplification than the current Homage series of SF?

Thanks for the reply m8.

Christos

What kind of music was playing in the show room?

[metaphacts]

Originally Posted by Lemarchand

I have not auditioned Ktema yet and I do not know if it will be an easier load or less tricky for an amplifier than the Stradivari but I can assure you that you cannot get the full potential of the Strads if you do not use really powerful and fast solid state amplifiers like Krell and even better Soulution.Best sound I have heard in my life was with full set of Soulution electronics with a pair of Strads in a high-end show.Next year I listened at the very same room same speakers with high-end tube electronics (monoblocks with 200wrms each push-pull) and the outcome was VERY inferior..

Do you reckon that Ktemas are less tricky in amplification than the current Homage series of SF?

Thanks for the reply m8.

Christos

I can assure you that on Strads there are some tube amplifiers that outperform "really fast powerful solid state amps" just as there are some "really fast solid state amps" that outperform some tube amps.

[howiebrou]

Originally Posted by Lemarchand

I have not auditioned Ktema yet and I do not know if it will be an easier load or less tricky for an amplifier than the Stradivari but I can assure you that you cannot get the full potential of the Strads if you do not use really powerful and fast solid state amplifiers like Krell and even better Soulution.Best sound I have heard in my life was with full set of Soulution electronics with a pair of Strads in a high-end show.Next year I listened at the very same room same speakers with high-end tube electronics (monoblocks with 200wrms each push-pull) and the outcome was VERY inferior..

Do you reckon that Ktemas are less tricky in amplification than the current Homage series of SF?

Thanks for the reply m8.

Christos

I'm not sure you can really generalise like this. Soulution are great amps but their power is not excessive either. I think the control and quality are more important than outright power. See if you can audition a pair of strads with a Kondo Ongaku 27W amp and you will know what I mean!

[Lemarchand]

Originally Posted by TommyC

What kind of music was playing in the show room?

Classical mainly, small ensembles and large orchestras (very demanding tracks)..

[Lemarchand]

Originally Posted by howiebrou

I'm not sure you can really generalise like this. Soulution are great amps but their power is not excessive either. I think the control and quality are more important than outright power. See if you can audition a pair of strads with a Kondo Ongaku 27W amp and you will know what I mean!

I did not know the brand Soulution at all when I took part of this audition.To be honest with the sound I got I thought that the amp was something like 2X500wrms or something looking at the huge case of the amplifier.After the audition I checked the specs and the company..So I assume that they have the control and the high current that is in need.

I have not auditioned the specific amp,so I cannot comment on that about the Ongaku.But I have heard the Amati Anniversario for example with expensive solid state high end gear and only Krell & Soulution could deliver the low frequencies right without booming.Those were systems of two close friends of mine.

Strads may be a bit easier in this department,dunno..The experience I have with Strads is with Soulution and 200w monoblocks tube amplification as I mentioned.

It also depends on what kind of music do you listen.When I am talking about full potential I am talking about almost all genres of music at high volumes.A single voice accompanied with a single guitar is not challenging material for instance..A single-ended amplifier could probably do the job easily..