DK Design VS-1 versus 300b sound

I was the first to post any info about DK as forafistfullofdolars. I assume that as I was a newbie to Audiogon I am possibly referred to a one of the shill posters. I can assure you that I am not. I own the MK1 DK amp. I live in Spain! I am certain Daniel could have found people closer to home to send the amp to. It cost me $500 to ship from the USA to here!
I still stand by what I said originally. Even in the MK1 guise, it is an amazingly good amp at the price. The fact that I only paid $927 on ebay for mine makes a huge bargain. Add $180 for money well spent on CCA tubes which improved the sound by at least 10%.

I was more than happy to post my thoughts on the amplifier, particularly as Daniel Khesin was happy to give me advice and information even though I was intending to purchase my amp from an ebay seller and not from his company or one of his distributors. His subsequent advice with system selection was spot on and I have him to thank for the pair of Speaker Art super clefs that now proudly stand in my listening room as well as the recommendation of Siemens CCA which improved the sound by at least 10%, making them a great upgrade at $180.00!
Daniel also advised me that for the small improvement in sound quality of the MK2 over the Mk1, it was not worth me going to the extra expense.

I know from the numerous e mail responses that I received asking about the DK amp after my original post, that there are several happy DK owners out there who can back up the claims.

I would have loved to have been one of the three selected to review the MK2, as I am curious to know how much of an improvement there really is over the MK1, particularly as there was no way I would have returned the amp from Spain to the USA!! He he...

The Audiogon member reviewers are being announced today and I look forward to reading their comments

regards

raymon

intersting choice of who was selected to test the DK - two guys with SS gear, and one with an integrated tube amp.

Since everyone and their grandmother is claiming this integrated beats their separate tubed gear, and more importantly, that's the only way it could be used by someone with tubed separates - I was dissapointed this unit didn't make it into the hands of a tubeophile with separates.

Of course it is going to impress the SS owners - how could it not.....???? makes you go hmmmmmmm.

Artg, once again, I am VERY impartial, and tell it like it is. I use high end tube eq, and horn speakers(presently) I will have the amp by Friday. I am sick of all the crap around here on products with silly claims. But, in saying this, when I decide to find the best for the money, I put my $$$$ where my mouth is. I will know within a couple weeks, just how good this unit is. BTW I did own the highly touted Pathos Classic one that Sam Tellig rated class A, I thought it sucked, and sold it in a couple days. I sure hope the DK is not the same. I feel more confidant as I said, 3 people I have TT who's ears I trust, have praised this puppy. The question is, will I?

Sorry that I was not clear - perhaps a poor attempt at humor. I thought those were some real useful and meaningful posts regarding DK - not shill at all - and I was making fun of some people's knee-jerk reaction (including my own at first) that if someone praises the DK stuff they must be a shill.

Usually the smiling face :-) means "I'm kidding".

Art

I'm also one of DK's three testers. I used to own Conrad Johnson Premier 12's, with preamps CJ 17LS or First Sound Deluxe mk II, so I do have a strong taste - I think - of high quality tube gear.

SET vs DK is to me to be the missing element. I've been meaning for some time to get some SET amplification in my house, and now might be a good time because it could go head to head with the DK.

By the way, I included in my writeup for DK, but it was not presented, that I plan to schlep the DK over to my friends house for testing on his system. It's a very high resolution system - Rowland monoblocks (the new model) and First Sound Deluxe mk II into Thiel 2.4's. So I think this will be quite a battle, even that it's not tube amplification. In particular, the First Sound has black background with explosive clarity that I've not heard matched by other preamps.

I am very open to suggestions regarding my testing of the DK.

artmaltman@yahoo.com

Thanks,
Art