thinking of getting a Roksan Kandy and fourm reviews

[admin_exported]

hi im thinking of getting a Roksan Kandy K2 as my next amp.im into sansui and retro equipment but for a change maybe a new roksan.so any fourm reviews would help .

 

[matthewpiano]

The K2 is a great amp. Involving and musical, it sweeps you up in the music. Whether it would really be an improvement on your re-built AU717 is highly debatable though.

 

[Anonymous]

true i do love the sansui,s.my old au 417 i will never sell its the best amp i have ever had.my 717 is in the burning in stage and is a fine amp.but time move,s on.

 

[plastic penguin]

You really need a good audition side-by-side and take it from there.

I'd be very surprised, though, if an amp conceived in the mid 70s could out perform a modern incarnation.

 

[matthewpiano]

Not particularly suggesting the Sansui would outperform the Roksan, just questioning whether the Roksan would be much of an upgrade.

 

[Anonymous]

the problem you have is .what type of sound are you after ?.its not about performance or price.its all about what type of sound you like or dont like .sansui most models have a sound that i love .

 

[plastic penguin]

Not particularly suggesting the Sansui would outperform the Roksan, just questioning whether the Roksan would be much of an upgrade.

Hence why I stated a side-by-side audition.

 

[the record spot]

Not particularly suggesting the Sansui would outperform the Roksan, just questioning whether the Roksan would be much of an upgrade.

Agreed; I'd suggest, having heard how good the 717 is, that the K2 would be a sideways move. For the money the K2 costs, at new price anyway, it's a potentially expensive mistake to make. Plus, given the cost to recap and fully service the Sansui, it should last a good while yet, but TLC will always be a requirement with gear of that age. Performance-wise, it'll stand up to plenty of contemporary amps without breaking sweat.

 

[plastic penguin]

From personal experience any component from the 70s will be totally different - tonally at least - to modern equivalents. Plus, I think it's an age thing in general: If a 25 year had a blind test with a 1970s amp, tuner etc etc and compared it with a modern item, I wouldn't be shocked if that person chose the modern version.

 

[the record spot]

There's a misconception out there that 70s gear has a certain sound of the time. My take was that soundwise, the 717 has a very contemporary sound. Not soft sounding, or woolly, just a highly capable and musical amp. Blind testing might well reveal a preference, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Sansui held its own.

 

[plastic penguin]

IME 70s gear, in general, does tend to have a distinct sound that's rarely replicated in modern stuff. Also I've never mentioned anything alluding to "woolly" or "soft", on the contrary, my Marantz tuner, for example, is pretty hard and crunching bass. However, where it does miss out - this is point I was trying to make - is modern, budget, tuners are slightly punchier and, perhaps, slightly more analytical.

Talking of soft presentation, listen to DAB... that's for another day.

 

[the record spot]

Inever said that you did PP, but it's a common misconception people tend to have.

As for modern budget tuners, if it's minus an aerial, then it's going to be pretty pants, though the Denon TU-260L II was brilliant. My father-in-law has my old one and hooked it up to an external aerial. Very, very good now. Way beyond what I had. At home now, I use internet radio via the Onkyo, or if it's the 5Live, then Freeview via the Sony TV. Haven't bothered with traditional AM/FM since I had the Denon and that's probably ten years or so back now.

 

[plastic penguin]

Inever said that you did PP, but it's a common misconception people tend to have.

As for modern budget tuners, if it's minus an aerial, then it's going to be pretty pants, though the Denon TU-260L II was brilliant. My father-in-law has my old one and hooked it up to an external aerial. Very, very good now. Way beyond what I had. At home now, I use internet radio via the Onkyo, or if it's the 5Live, then Freeview via the Sony TV. Haven't bothered with traditional AM/FM since I had the Denon and that's probably ten years or so back now.

In comparison I also think the older stuff is not only very forthright but can lack a little subtley, although all these traits are minimal and certainly in isolation, negligible. This is why, when comparing old with new, a dem is so essential - probably more so than new with new.

The only reason why I haven't (and won't) chuck my tuner is: A) It gives a sterling all-round performance and B) it isn't 'signal hungry' like most FM tuners. Thirty quid in 1979 and only been serviced once... that's what I call value for money.