How good is the midrange in the DK Design VS-1Mk2?

Boa2,

I got my DK VS-1 Mk.2 at it sounds absolutely incredible on B&W Nautilus 802 speakers. However, I do not recommend using this amp with horn speakers. I tried it with a pair of Edgarhorns and I discovered that at very low volume levels the left channel becomes slightly louder then the right channel. This is going to be an issue with horns since you will always be running the amp at extremely low volumes. Only when you turn up the volume the two channels even out and the soundstage comes back to the center. Even though I love the way it sounded with Edgarhorns at high volume it will not be good at lower listening levels.

Zrespin,

Thank you so much for the info. I had my doubts about mating this amp with horns, but I just wasn't sure. However, with my wife's Silverline Sonata II's, we could be boarding the train to audio nirvana.

Gotta go make some dough...

All the best,
Howard

I already installed Siemons ECC88 tubes in mine and any tiny, little grunge that was there has completely disappeared. The mid range is silky smooth. I listen to Alison Krauss, Keiko Matsui, Loreena McKennitt, and lately Tift Merritt so mids are very important to me.

I tried a Shunyata Research Diamondback Powercord ($175) with good success. Seems to make the music better defined. I think this is due to a "darker" noise free background.

The final tweak which improves the bass definition even more is a set of 4 hockey pucks, one under each foot.
A buck a piece at Sportmart!!!!

I have been in high-end audio since the invention of the 33 rpm record in the early to mid 50's. I have owned much very good high-end gear since then. I just sold a pair of Levinson 20.6 monoblocks, a CAT Utimate MK II preamp, a Cary 306/200 transport/CD processor and a pair of Cary 280 MB V12i Special Edition monoblocks, all of which I have been off and on using with various CD transports and DAC's and a pair of Piega P-10 loudspeakers and pair of REL Storm subwoofers, along with various cables, power cords etc. On a whim and from reading these threads, I bought and have now tried for several hours the DK Designs VS-1 MK II. This is a very initial report on the amp. In a nut shell, the excitement about this amp is justified. I tried it first with its owm power cord and interconnect and the amp sounded, while not broken in, truly excellent. You can tell from experience what the path of break in is going to be on this amp. While I have not yet rolled to a pair of Seimens CCa's I have on hand, I did switch to a pair of quattro fil interconnects, which improved things unremarkably a bit and then after listening a while went to an FIM Gold power cord. The latter made a big difference. Transients were cleaner, faster and there was additional high frequency extension, while at the same time a smoother, more relaxed mid and lower treble range. The bass is unremittingly excellent. This is a truly superior amplifier which unfortunately I am going to have to store in six months or so. It is as good or better on the Piegas than the Cary 280 MB V12i's and the Levinson 20.6's. In fact, the overall voicing of the DK is very similar to the Levinsons. I wonder. More later after I have listen and played further, and the amp has had some more break in. There is no question though that this amp is a steal and the handwriting is on the wall for American manufacturers with products like this produceable in China. As for its looks, I think they are goofy and retro, but I did not buy it to look at. However, the meter does intrege me.

A quick corrective follow-up. The FIM Gold power cord is too much on the amp. I abandoned it. Like much Levinson gear, the DK VS-1 MK II is very carefully voiced around its own power cord, so finding something better is going to be very tough if not impossible. This amp is carefully thought thru sonically. Just don't use an FIM Gold on the amp. It was my mistake, although I keep an FIM Gold on my CD player. More later as the amp breaks in.