Roksan K2, Caspian M2 or something else?

[admin_exported]

 

[CnoEvil]

Hi there and welcome to the forum.

IMO. You are asking the wrong question - You should be asking "What should I have on my demo list, as well as the Caspion".

Examples might be

- Sugden Mystro / A21

- Musical Fidelity M3i

- Leema Pulse 111

- Electrocompaniet PI-1 / ECI-3

- Densen B110

- Bel Canto C5i

I strongly suggest you hear as many possibilites as you can....BTW. What is the rest of your system?

 

[plastic penguin]

@ the OP: Please repost stating the rest of your kit and budget.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the input

I have already auditioned the MF M3i and it sounded a bit dry to me, not as musical or warm as the K2. Maybe it is my ears but it did not get my as excited as what I have, I could be wrong as that was my impression after spending about 2 hours with it

I will look into some of your other suggestions also

Any other suggestions?

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry must be the connection or something as I have sent 3 times but here it is again

Speakers are being upgraded to either monitor audio RX2 or GX100

Source is Oppo 105, DAC MF DAC1

Room is on the small size 3m x 3m and speakers are on stands about 25 cm from rear wall

Hope that the above is of some help

 

[CnoEvil]

Thanks for the input

I have already auditioned the MF M3i and it sounded a bit dry to me, not as musical or warm as the K2. Maybe it is my ears but it did not get my as excited as what I have, I could be wrong as that was my impression after spending about 2 hours with it

I will look into some of your other suggestions also

Any other suggestions?

It is only your ears that matter.....but remember that there must (imo) be an amp / speaker synergy....and the right pairing can be more than the sum of its parts.

What other speakers have you listened to?

 

[plastic penguin]

Sorry must be the connection or something as I have sent 3 times but here it is again

Speakers are being upgraded to either monitor audio RX2 or GX100

Source is Oppo 105, DAC MF DAC1

Room is on the small size 3m x 3m and speakers are on stands about 25 cm from rear wall

Hope that the above is of some help

If you go GX100 route, consider Cyrus 8XP. I'm not a big Cyrus fan but the combo worked well to my ears. Try and search out Creek Evo2 which is a fabulous amp for the money and some... otherwise Cno's suggestions seem good.

 

[CnoEvil]

Sorry must be the connection or something as I have sent 3 times but here it is again

Speakers are being upgraded to either monitor audio RX2 or GX100

Source is Oppo 105, DAC MF DAC1

Room is on the small size 3m x 3m and speakers are on stands about 25 cm from rear wall

Hope that the above is of some help

If you go GX100 route, consider Cyrus 8XP. I'm not a big Cyrus fan but the combo worked well to my ears. Try and search out Creek Evo2 which is a fabulous amp for the money and some... otherwise Cno's suggestions seem good.

The Creek models should have been on the list.

 

[Anonymous]

I have listened to the PMC bookshelf series Db1i, TB2i, and the new 21, Kef R100, Dynaudio DCM 2/7...I wanted to listen to the Focus series but they were not in stock nor was the excite X12. The Dynaudio's would need to be placed farther from the rear wall. Also listened to the Spendor S2, but the one I enjoyed the best was the ProAc D18 but it is to much money for me....lol

I really was not planning on replacing the K2 amp unless it is with something in the same price range. If I step up to the Roksan M2 that will impact on my speaker budget

 

[CnoEvil]

I have listened to the PMC bookshelf series Db1i, TB2i, and the new 21, Kef R100, Dynaudio DCM 2/7...I wanted to listen to the Focus series but they were not in stock nor was the excite X12. The Dynaudio's would need to be placed farther from the rear wall. Also listened to the Spendor S2, but the one I enjoyed the best was the ProAc D18 but it is to much money for me....lol

I really was not planning on replacing the K2 amp unless it is with something in the same price range. If I step up to the Roksan M2 that will impact on my speaker budget

You have covered a good range of speakers....if you enjoyed the D18s, how about some of the smaller Proacs. Two other brands that are worth keeping in mind are Epos and Vienna Acoustics.

 

[Anonymous]

I had listened to the Studio series it was the 110 and 115 i think but they did not hit me the way that the D18 did. As I said earlier my ears liked it but by wallet is not big enough

Reality is I just want to enjoy the music and the RX2's seemed good enough and the GX 100 was even better but dont really want to spend more than that.

I am happy with the K2 and if I sell it my preference is not to go over the 1000 mark

 

[CnoEvil]

I am happy with the K2 and if I sell it my preference is not to go over the 1000 mark

That's fair enough, but hard to tell from your thread title...as the Caspian is knocking on the door of £1700.

 

[plastic penguin]

I had listened to the Studio series it was the 110 and 115 i think but they did not hit me the way that the D18 did. As I said earlier my ears liked it but by wallet is not big enough

Reality is I just want to enjoy the music and the RX2's seemed good enough and the GX 100 was even better but dont really want to spend more than that.

I am happy with the K2 and if I sell it my preference is not to go over the 1000 mark

Think the GX100 are a speaker that'll match well with most of the aforementioned amps. Only a dem - preferably a home audition - will tell you if the MAs are for your ears or not.

 

[drummerman]

I had listened to the Studio series it was the 110 and 115 i think but they did not hit me the way that the D18 did.

Speaker violence. Big problem around here ...

regards

 

[ISAC69]

Hi

I think you should stay with the K2 it is a very good amp and a great value for money too till you can afford a serious upgrade .

So if you can not afford it now stick with the K2 ( I perssonaly don't like the Caspian

it has a detailed sound and a very good sound stage but I think it has an artifical and too smooth sound for my taste while the cheaper K2 has a worm

and very good neutral sound ) .

 

[Anonymous]

The Kandy K2 is a great amp and would work well with the MA GX100's or RX2's (of which I have & when demo'd with the K2 amp and Rega ApolloR CDP it was a fantastic combo) but as Penguin stated; the Cyrus 8 range also works REALLY well with the MA RX speakers and IMO the GX50's (which I heard briefly but had to ask what the combo was as it sounded so clear & precise but with fantastic deep/punchy bass and a midrange to die for)!

The Arcam FMJ A38 would be an amp well worth considering as would a 2nd hand FMJ A32 (one on eBay currently) but it depends on what you feel youre not getting from the K2! The Arcam amps are a little warmer but with smoother/tauter bass IMO but not as open/bright at the top end and again fantastic midrange!

I havent heard much from the Roksan range bar the LIII and K2 amps but the Caspian range does get rave reviews!

What about Leema or Creek; even possibly Naim?

 

[Leehallam]

I have both of the amps in your title, there both great amps but you cannot compare them together.

if you want a £750 amp the Kandy is good I have mine with some 685s and a Rega DAC and it is good, listen to a few different makes before you decide what is good for one person is bad for another.

the caspian is just a different league of amp and in turn cannot be compared, it is like comparing jaguar xf with a ford fiesta, apples and oranges. The caspian is a £1700 refined great amplifier that sounds fantastic in a different class to the Kandy. I have this driving my PM1's and it sounds fantastic to my ears very clear and Concise, musical with a natural feel and flow.

It is all about your ears and what you like so audition as much as you can and test the units at home so you not dissapointed once you have bought it.

Lee