ChrisIRL said:
Well so much for "all this for £399". The K2 gave up the ghost this evening after about 5 hours use since yesterday. I powered it up this evening and it won't lock onto the source input. Restarted it and the trip switch for the sitting room tripped.
Looking through the vents the pcb components look very different to pictures online, the board has K2 revision 8 printed on it. I read somewhere that a yellow wrapped generic transformer is now used versus the blue noratel Roksan originally used, my K2 is the generic. Possibly alot of the components are generic hence the pcb looking so different. As mentioned it did sound great so not worried about generics provided reliability is up to scratch. Perhaps just bad luck but I understand another forum member, Radiorog I think, had their recent K2 BT arrive faulty too.
The supplier of the amp is completely reputable too and they have provided me with many qualty components and top notch service over the past couple of years so no concern there.
Oh well, now to deal with the return. Ironically the two most expensive amps I've ever owned the 5si and now the K2 are the only ones that have caused me problems. Can't blame one for the other though I suppose. Still have the Brio-r thankfully, miss the K2 bass already though!!
FWIW, having dipped into this thread about 6 posts back, I had gone through weeks of trialling various amp/speaker combos, before hitting on the A19/LS50 combo and basically loving it, but feeling like you that it was maybe a little too laid back.
so, I had a home demo last weekend of the LS50s with the Elex-R, thinking that migth add the extra bit of life and excitement needed, but it didn't. It just became hard work, and no where near as listenable or scaled as the A19. I had had the same experience when trialing the Elex-R and Nait 5si through B&W and Spendor floorstanders, so there's something about the way those amps work, and floorstanding speakers, that just doesn't agree with my ears
So, I've ordered the A19 and LS50s, and added some QED XT40 speaker cable to see if that loosens up the midrange a bit. But even if it doesn't, I know I've made the right choice of amp and speakers to suit my ears, room, and source (RP6). Very happy, and excited about picking it all up tomorrow.
Good luck with your ongoing quest, maybe you'll end up back with the A19 after all!
cheers, Matt