How good is the midrange in the DK Design VS-1Mk2?

I have been in high-end audio since the invention of the 33 rpm record in the early to mid 50's. I have owned much very good high-end gear since then. I just sold a pair of Levinson 20.6 monoblocks, a CAT Utimate MK II preamp, a Cary 306/200 transport/CD processor and a pair of Cary 280 MB V12i Special Edition monoblocks, all of which I have been off and on using with various CD transports and DAC's and a pair of Piega P-10 loudspeakers and pair of REL Storm subwoofers, along with various cables, power cords etc. On a whim and from reading these threads, I bought and have now tried for several hours the DK Designs VS-1 MK II. This is a very initial report on the amp. In a nut shell, the excitement about this amp is justified. I tried it first with its owm power cord and interconnect and the amp sounded, while not broken in, truly excellent. You can tell from experience what the path of break in is going to be on this amp. While I have not yet rolled to a pair of Seimens CCa's I have on hand, I did switch to a pair of quattro fil interconnects, which improved things unremarkably a bit and then after listening a while went to an FIM Gold power cord. The latter made a big difference. Transients were cleaner, faster and there was additional high frequency extension, while at the same time a smoother, more relaxed mid and lower treble range. The bass is unremittingly excellent. This is a truly superior amplifier which unfortunately I am going to have to store in six months or so. It is as good or better on the Piegas than the Cary 280 MB V12i's and the Levinson 20.6's. In fact, the overall voicing of the DK is very similar to the Levinsons. I wonder. More later after I have listen and played further, and the amp has had some more break in. There is no question though that this amp is a steal and the handwriting is on the wall for American manufacturers with products like this produceable in China. As for its looks, I think they are goofy and retro, but I did not buy it to look at. However, the meter does intrege me.

A quick corrective follow-up. The FIM Gold power cord is too much on the amp. I abandoned it. Like much Levinson gear, the DK VS-1 MK II is very carefully voiced around its own power cord, so finding something better is going to be very tough if not impossible. This amp is carefully thought thru sonically. Just don't use an FIM Gold on the amp. It was my mistake, although I keep an FIM Gold on my CD player. More later as the amp breaks in.

Hello friends. I bought this amplifier in Argentina and I had it shipped down directly from the company. I was very skeptical at first and plus I was about to buy an all Krell system with Sonus Faber speakers from my local dealer. However, after speaking to Daniel Khesin (I believe he is the DK in DK Design Group, although he was very humble about it) at DK Design Group I felt like the guys there were passionate and were also extremely knowledgeable about audio in general.

Daniel Khesin generously offered to send the unit on a 30 day trial so I can evaluate it at home without risk. Getting the unit through customs was fairly easy, in fact DHL came straight to my door and simply collected the duties right at my door, so I did not have to go anywhere. I also ordered a pair of Amperex 6922 tubes from a website on the internet.

I have to say that I am simply amazed by the sound of this amplifier. I took the amplifier to my dealer in Buenos Aires and this amplifier sounded better driving Sonus Faber speakers then Krell monoblocks that cost about US $12,000. This dealer was very astonished by this and he also contacted DK Design Group about becoming a dealer.

I don’t know how to speak the Audiophile language but I can say that this amplifier just makes music come alive in your room like no other component I have ever heard. The ergonomics are also outstanding, as this amplifier has a very nice modern look. The build quality is also exceptional and this piece weighs almost 50 kg!

A further report. The amp definitely likes its own power cord and is voiced around it. Secondly, I was shocked to discover the included 1m pair of DK interconnects out-did my 1 meter pair of Nordost Quattro Fil interconnects. A neighbor quickly concurred. It was not close. I am floored and have put the Quattro Fil IC's up for sale. Heretofore, with a CAT Ultimate MKII preamp and either the Cary 280MB V12i monoblocks or the Levinson 20.6 monoblocks, I set my Piega P-10 treble level control in the + position (N, + and - are the choices). That was to get treble detail. With the DK Design VS-1 MKII that detail comes thru easily and with better balance, all in the N position -- this too was a surprise. (The Piegas have ribbon tweeters and midranges.) I have since sold my CAT Preamp, the Cary monoblocks and the Levinson monoblocks. When I leave on my planned sailing trip, I'll just store this DK amp. I'll probably be buried with it. Another point. We all have good source material (a piano CD or a vocal CD or CDs of one or another label or such) that on one or another rig sounds especially good or pretty bad. This amp makes virually everything that is decently recorded sound good and very natural. That is quite a trick. So far this amp is breaking in beautifully and sounds very liquid, harmonically correct, quite neutral (w/ Siemens CCa's), has good frequency extension at both ends, is very grain free in the treble, has low end muscle where called for, is very relaxed and, quite importantly, can be listened to all day without fatigue. And for $3,000. Such a deal.

I had a very similar experience. The interconnects that were included with the amp were better then any other interconnect I tried, and I have a few lying around from AudioQuest, JPS Labs, Nordost, and Cardas. The DK interconnect was both fast, ultra detailed, and light like the Nordost, yet with a wider soundstage and better presence in the miderange. This internet is absolutely killer. I believe that DK is only including it with the amp for now as a promotion and then later it will be sold separately for hundreds of dollars. The fact that the company is including this cable for free with each amp is impressive, because I would say the interconnect alone is worth about $800.