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Hotrod your Hermes

I've owned the new 24/192 Kora Hermes for several months now. Right after I got it, I commented on one of the threads about the excellent performance of this DAC, especially at it's price point. I promised to provide a more thorough review of this DAC after it had some time on it. Unfortunately, I failed to do this. Reason being, I began modifications on this unit after observing the open architecture inside it. Since then, I have done the following:
1. Replaced the stock tubes with Seimans gold pins (Be careful doing this. The current Hermes has pin type tube sockets with springs inside them. Lose a spring, and your tube won't make contact. No warnings in the manual about this. This happened to me. Luckily, JC Audio exchanged my "missing springs" DAC for a brand new one. Great customer service!! In the future, Kora plans to change these sockets)
2. Top Hat tube dampers
3. Audio Magic 99.999 silver wire on all inputs and outputs
4. Shakti on-lines on the circuit board
5. Shielded the two transformers from each other and the circuit board using non-magnetic MU metal
6. Replaced all caps with a mixture of MIT, Hovland, and high precision oil caps
7. Shakti stone on the transformers
8. Replaced input and output jacks with WBTs
This turned this already excellent DAC into....A MONSTER!! Why? There is only one way to describe the performance of the Hotrod Hermes. IT'S ALIVE!!! The silence of the background is stunning. The images are more palpable and more full bodied. The soundstage is deeper and wider. The background is blacker, and details you never believed were on redbook CDs are now clearly audible. Yet this DAC remains extremely musical. This is by far and away the best DAC I've heard. Not an analytical bone in it's body. A friend of mine also modified his this way, and will add to this thread about his impressions. Jerry Ramsey of Audio Magic suggested many of these mods, and did the serious ones. He does excellent work if you need someone to do it for you. If you own a Hermes, you must consider doing all or some of these things. The potential to make an already excellent DAC into a world beater is huge with this thing. And the cost of the DAC and mods keeps you under $2500.
glreno
sutts
702 posts
 
Sounds wicked! I have been considering the Hermes for a second HT system- only problem is I need Toslink input for Satellite, which Hermes I do not believe has. Application would be:

1. Pioneer Elite DV-09 as transport

2. DSS digital Satelitte music as secondary source (if Kora could add a toslink dig. input on the Hermes (Audio Aero has one on their Prima 24-192 Dac). Do y9ou think the mods guy could add this input?

Good news is my HT processor (Sim Audio Attraction- ~ $6k)has an excellent analog preamp section, now upgradeable for true analog pass through- the Dac should work well here...

Have you ever compared the Kora to anything else? I am also considering the Audio Aero Prima Dac as mentioned (I already own their wonderful Capitole 24/192 CDP for my main 2-channel system).
jcaudio's avatar
jcaudio
237 posts
 
Due to the phenominal results Jerry has had with some minor upgrades to the already fabulous Hermes. Kora has decided to add deep immersion cryogenic treated wire from Jena labs throughout. In addition the new ones will come with Auricaps (capacitors). For existing Hermes owners I suggest using Jerry at Audiomagic as he has valuable experience with these units. In fact he bought one himself. The new price of the Hermes is supposed to be around $2500-$2575. Waiting on final price from Kora. I am a dealer for the product and have suppied this information as a courtesy. Consult with your local Kora dealer for more information
glreno OP
224 posts
 
Hi John! I don't think Jerry could add the toslink. The last DACs I owned were the Altis Reference and Audiomeca Enkianthus. The Kora was as good or better than either WITHOUT the mods. My friend who also had his modified the same way had the DCS Delius and the Audiomeca Enkianthus. He also thought the stock Kora was better than his previous DACs. The comparison between the Enkianthus and your Audio Aero should be significant, since they both use 24/192 DACs with the Anagram Technologies resampler.
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