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Anyone using a Khozmo passive pre amp?

If you use a high quality passive like the Khozmo is there more care to be taken with a separate phono stage i.e. do you need to use a phono stage with particular output characteristics to compensate for lack of an active line stage?
 
RichardA said:
If you use a high quality passive like the Khozmo is there more care to be taken with a separate phono stage i.e. do you need to use a phono stage with particular output characteristics to compensate for lack of an active line stage?
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Yes. I’ve been disappointed with the ones I’ve tried so far (Dynavector P100, EAR 834, Croft RIAA, a cheap Cambridge), whereas CD players have all sounded superb. I understand the valve ones may have not been happy, though I don’t know why the solid state ones should sound so much better into an active preamp.
 
That's an interesting observation but is that what people find in general with passives ? My system is modest and the phono stage is a SS Lounge Audio LCR - the change in sound is a significant change for the better and I get plenty of volume too. For me I can't detect what - if anything - I'm missing.
 
RichardA said:
That’s what I feared. Shame.
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A lot depends on context, e.g. I’ve only ever used 10 or 15k passive pres as the Quad 303 has a 23k input. If I was only thinking about matching my Leak (1 mOhm) then I could easily use a 50k passive which would present a far easier load to the source component.

I also see no logical reason why solid state phono stages should behave any different from a CD player, so I suspect my experience here is atypical and I bet many are perfectly happy, lively and dynamic into a 10-15k load. My sample group is very small and really you can discount the Cambridge entirely as it is simply not in the same league as the others listed, so really my only ‘fail’ is the P100, which really is a superb phono stage into a active pre (as it should be at the price!).
 
DavidS said:
My P75 is ok with pot/resister based passives.

It completely fell apart using a TVC.
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That is very strange as the whole point of TVCs is they have a more benign impedance. There is no other reason anyone would want to fling the signal through so much wire!
 
DavidS said:
This was at higher listening levels.

The TVCs always sounded a little dull and bloated to me.
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fascinating , i have had 8-9 different tvc pre amps maybe more , only one was slighly dull . the others had excellent slam and dynamics and detail . in fact the mfa baby reference was extraordinary
 
Are folks generally not running phono stages into their Khozmo preamps then?

I had been thinking about ordering one, and have had success running a P75 into a passive pre years ago.
 
Bradders said:
Are folks generally not running phono stages into their Khozmo preamps then?

I had been thinking about ordering one, and have had success running a P75 into a passive pre years ago.
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I'm running a Graham Slee Era Gold into mine and have not noticed any problem at all - I did look at the figures for the EG but can't remember what they are.
 
Bradders said:
Are folks generally not running phono stages into their Khozmo preamps then?
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I'm running a K&K Audio Maxxed-Out phono stage with an output impedance of 200 ohms. It is an excellent match with both the Khozmo and my Slagle autoformers.

I've just recently received the Khozmo (Vishay Z-Foil and Takman upgrades), and I must admit to being quite impressed. It certainly needs more break-in time, but it's an interesting comparison to my Slagle autoformers - it's slightly less congested and clearer sounding throughout the entire frequency range, but leans a bit toward a slightly dryer presentation tonally. The Slagle excels in timbral color, bass weight and dynamics, and musical involvement. The Khozmo impresses with its sheer transparency, speed, intelligibility and ability to unravel complex musical passages.
 
I compared the dual mono Khozmo based pre with a Chevron Audio Paradox (based on a Tentlabs module, but with an active buffer stage), and they are both really very good pre-amps. The difference that I struggled to describe, although I thought could hear it, was the Khozmo has no electronic signature, whereas the Paradox has a more forward presentation and strikes me as having something of an electronic halo around it.

Blathering about this in a private conversation I described the Khozmo as having lots of nothing, and the Chevron having a bit of something. Yeah, I know, doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but there you go. In all probability this forwardness/electronic halo might be considered a bonus for Rock music, but for acoustic music, whilst it didn't detract from listening pleasure did not serve the music as well as the Khozmo's nothingness.

To put either in perspective, they represent fabulous value for money, the Chevron handily bested a naim 282/DTC into an Avondale dual mono S100, the best standard, as opposed to Class D, amp I ever had.
 
I know this is an old thread, but I felt it more prudent to post here than open up a new thread/topic.

I'm considering getting a Khozmo passive (not the Hattor, that's out of my price range). I've spoken to Arek and he made a few suggestions, but I was a bit confused by his reply, so replied to him, and haven't received anymore replies back yet.

I'm looking to have the Khozmo replace an ageing Audiolab 8000c preamp. How do you think the 2 will compare?

My situation is a bit more complex than most as I have 2 sets of monobloc amps - Opera Consonance Cyber 845 Class SETs (one channel has an issue and needs repair though, so I am not using them at the moment) and my original Audiolab 8000M units, which I am currently using. How do you guys think the passive will mate with either monobloc?

Sources are a Denon 1510ae SACD player (2v output, so shouldn't be an issue as far as I understand). I also use on occasion, a NAD 402 tuner and Nakamichi CR5e cassette deck, I'm not sure how they'll fare. My preferred source though is my turntable (Clearaudio Champion level II/Rega RB300 tonearm/Lyra Clavis cartridge/ASR basis exclusive phono stage). I am especially worried about how well the ASR will mate with the Khozmo.

Arek has recommended the 20k pot. Does that sound right?

I know zero about electronics, and zero about passive preamps. I'd be intending to make the upgrades that Arek recommended as well as seeing if I can get the Elna input selector (4 inputs then).

Any advice appreciated.

edit: I am not a bass freak, I like my bass dry and tight. I have a small room which unfortunately, is not conducive to letting my current setup really sing. I do not listen at loud volumes. Oh, and speakers are Sonus Faber Electa Amators (originals). Speakers are on the warm side of neutral, and not particularly detailed imho, and bass isn't super tight with them, although the 8000ms help in this respect imho. They have a reasonably good soundstage though and are musically enjoyable.
 
Don't forget your 8000C will have gain (+20dBm), about 17dB according to the manual. The Khozmo attenuator has no gain...
 
G T Audio said:
Don't forget your 8000C will have gain (+20dBm), about 17dB according to the manual. The Khozmo attenuator has no gain...
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So, if I tend to listen at 85db and no louder, and that's 1/3 of the way on the volume control of the 8000c unit...this is with the SACD source. The phono stage source requires a bit more volume to get to the same sound levels, but not much.

I don't really have any background in electronics, so i'm not sure how to interpret and use what you've said. Sorry!
 
Work from the input sensitivity of the power amplifier. Assuming it is the normal 1-1.5v or less for full output you’ll be absolutely fine with any modern digital source. The phono stage may be a bit more of a challenge as there are more variables there, but in most cases it should be ok.
 
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