Roksan K3 amp or Roksan Caspian M2?

[Goldstonerapper]

Hi

I've owned a Roksan Kandy KA-1 Mk III amp with many years of happy listening, but I'm looking to update it as I love the Roksan sound. I've seen the great reviews for the new K3 amp so was veering toward this one, but am wondering if I should spend a few more quid and go for the Caspian M2 instead which also garnered great reviews and might be an upgrade in sound quality for me? I mostly listen to dance style music - electronica, jazz, funk, soul, reggae etc and the Mk III drives the rhythm well for these styles........any advice gratefully received!

Lee

 

[Al ears]

Hi

I've owned a Roksan Kandy KA-1 Mk III amp with many years of happy listening, but I'm looking to update it as I love the Roksan sound. I've seen the great reviews for the new K3 amp so was veering toward this one, but am wondering if I should spend a few more quid and go for the Caspian M2 instead which also garnered great reviews and might be an upgrade in sound quality for me? I mostly listen to dance style music - electronica, jazz, funk, soul, reggae etc and the Mk III drives the rhythm well for these styles........any advice gratefully received!

Lee

Welcome to the forum Lee.

If you are in the UK (or anywhere really if ordering online) you can find the Caspian for about £350 over and above the price of the K3 (if you do not mind 'open box' or 'ex-demo' ).

This being the case I would go for the Caspian any day of the week.

 

[plastic penguin]

I loved the older MKIII and LIII Kandys. Very musical and fun. The K2, by contrast, although technically better, seem to lack a little 'something' over earlier models.

Personally, as Al suggests, my first point of call would the Caspian M2.

 

[Andrewjvt]

I have a k2 and think as far as under £1000 amps go you wont get much better.

The caspian has better sound than the k2 but less power and ive read on these forums from other caspian owners that they can sound harsh at high volumes. If your into dance music etc i think youll need an amp with more power.

What speakers do you have and what is the size of your room?

 

[rainsoothe]

What speakers do you have and what is the size of your room?

+1

 

[Goldstonerapper]

Thanks for all the responses guys, it's a medium room, 12ft x 13ft and my speakers are B&W 705's

Sadly I can't crank the volume too high as I live in a semi detached!

 

[Andrewjvt]

Hi best you go into a hifi shop and listen for yourself. Dont expect a great big difference in the sound. And id only use a couple of songs for each amp (same ones) id start with the k2 or k3 then change to the caspian using the same songs then back to k2 and then back to caspian. See if something in the song grabs your attention - that could be the subtle difference in sound that your getting used to. See which one you prefer. Hope that makes sense

 

[Andrewjvt]

Going back to your original post. This is my personal take. If you already have a roksan mk111 amp i personally would not waste my time upgrading to a k2 or even a k3. At best in my opinon would not really be an upgrade more a tiny subtle change. I think if you wanted an upgrade look at caspian or other models of amp in that price range when new. Otherwise save your money and buy cds or records

 

[Goldstonerapper]

Going back to your original post. This is my personal take. If you already have a roksan mk111 amp i personally would not waste my time upgrading to a k2 or even a k3. At best in my opinon would not really be an upgrade more a tiny subtle change. I think if you wanted an upgrade look at caspian or other models of amp in that price range when new. Otherwise save your money and buy cds or records

thanks for this, possibly where I'll end up! Another factor which I hadn't bargained for is lack of headphone socket on the Caspian, I use my grado headphones a lot in the evening and it seems that I'd need to buy extra kit to use them with the Caspian?

 

[SteveR750]

Caspian is a much better amp than the K2, but neither are great if you want go loud loud in a moderate room or larger, despite the specs and the size of the input transformer. Since you don't need to then the caspian wuld work very well, but no phones amp, so you'd need to budget for another £200 or for a half decent headphone amp. Also, if you want to start streaming from a PC then you'll need a DAC too, and sadly Roksan seem to have ignored customer feedback and haven't included a DAC /amp in their mid priced range, and don't seem close to doing it either.

I was a Roksan "fan" too, but there are better value choices to be had.

 

[Goldstonerapper]

Caspian is a much better amp than the K2, but neither are great if you want go loud loud in a moderate room or larger, despite the specs and the size of the input transformer. Since you don't need to then the caspian wuld work very well, but no phones amp, so you'd need to budget for another £200 or for a half decent headphone amp. Also, if you want to start streaming from a PC then you'll need a DAC too, and sadly Roksan seem to have ignored customer feedback and haven't included a DAC /amp in their mid priced range, and don't seem close to doing it either.

I was a Roksan "fan" too, but there are better value choices to be had.

Any examples you could suggest with a similar sound in that price bracket?

 

[drummerman]

Whatever happened to Vladimir when even a roksan thread can't coax him out of retirement?

Comming to think of it, where are TrevC and his sporn?

I can start a cable thread and no-one is disagreeing ...

 

[rainsoothe]

Whatever happened to Vladimir when even a roksan thread can't coax him out of retirement?

Comming to think of it, where are TrevC and his sporn?

I can start a cable thread and no-one is disagreeing ...

They're together comparing amps.

SPOILER: they sound the same ^^

 

[SteveR750]

Caspian is a much better amp than the K2, but neither are great if you want go loud loud in a moderate room or larger, despite the specs and the size of the input transformer. Since you don't need to then the caspian wuld work very well, but no phones amp, so you'd need to budget for another £200 or for a half decent headphone amp. Also, if you want to start streaming from a PC then you'll need a DAC too, and sadly Roksan seem to have ignored customer feedback and haven't included a DAC /amp in their mid priced range, and don't seem close to doing it either.

I was a Roksan "fan" too, but there are better value choices to be had.

Any examples you could suggest with a similar sound in that price bracket?

Well, a new M2 is what, £1900? For not much more my current amp the Hegel H160 is in a different league, and bear in mind it has a built in DAC to factor into the equation. I'd also wager the Hegel H80 is a better option too, though don't know the pricing off the top of my head. The Abrahamsen is also potentially better at less than half the price of an M2 and similar power output.

In my experience, the M2 has too much HF distortion when you start to push it, which means it gets a bit shouty and sibilant.

 

[Covenanter]

Whatever happened to Vladimir when even a roksan thread can't coax him out of retirement?

Comming to think of it, where are TrevC and his sporn?

I can start a cable thread and no-one is disagreeing ...

Many of us are fed up with arguing with the ignorati.

Chris

 

[iQ Speakers]

Ye where has Vlad gone missing him!

 

[Andrewjvt]

Ye where has Vlad gone missing him!

I say: yes missing vlad as he is the tech boff and i also miss trev c as these dorums have become dull and polite

 

[PlaneSailor]

Hi, I need some advice please. I have recently purchased some Monitor Audio BX6 floorstanders driven by a Cambridge Azur 651A. However, I find the mid range in orchestral strings a little 'bright', harsh even. Question is, would an upgrade to a Roksan K3 give me anything of a 'warmer'sound & improve things? I have auditioned alternative speakers e.g. Focal & Tannoy Precision, with the Cambridge but neither gave the desired effect. Hence the thought to change the amp to a Roksan. Would this be a marriage made in heaven or hell? I listen mainly to classical & occasionally jazz/rock. Any ideas??

 

[Vladimir]

Have you tried using the treble control on your amp?

 

[PlaneSailor]

Oh no, I thought that was just for decoration! My how smart you are Vladimir...!

 

[Vladimir]

If the treble control wont sort it out it means the issue is in the upper midrange (presence area). To solve this you don't change amplifiers, you use DSP or analog EQ. If your ego wont allow for those, then you bough the wrong speakers and changing those is in order. That is how MA's sound, it's no mystery.

Your sour attitude fits perfectly here. Welcome to the forums. 🙂

 

[davedotco]

If the treble control wont sort it out it means the issue is in the upper midrange (presence area). To solve this you don't change amplifiers, you use DSP or analog EQ. If your ego wont allow for those, then you bough the wrong speakers and changing those is in order. That is how MA's sound, it's no mystery.

Your sour attitude fits perfectly here. Welcome to the forums. 🙂

Careful Vlad, you can't say such things about such 'highly regarded' speakers, not here anyway.

Even though it's true.

 

[Al ears]

If the treble control wont sort it out it means the issue is in the upper midrange (presence area). To solve this you don't change amplifiers, you use DSP or analog EQ. If your ego wont allow for those, then you bough the wrong speakers and changing those is in order. That is how MA's sound, it's no mystery.

Your sour attitude fits perfectly here. Welcome to the forums. 🙂

Careful Vlad, you can't say such things about such 'highly regarded' speakers, not here anyway.

Even though it's true.

And it is true, allegedly.....

 

[Al ears]

Ye where has Vlad gone missing him!

I say: yes missing vlad as he is the tech boff and i also miss trev c as these dorums have become dull and polite

And peoples spellings have all gone to pot. 🙂