Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Any experiences?

Hi Taylor514,

I'm doing a review for my website hometheaterreview.com on the KWI-200 and my review unit just came this morning. It's suppose to have about 300 hours on it already, but I'll give it alot more time before coming to any final conclusions. However in the short time I have been listening to the KWI-200, I'm quite impressed with its liquidity, natural rich timbres, and overall dynamics. I'm very familiar with the Pass Labs INT-150 and so far like the Modwright much better. It reminds so far much more of my Pass Labs XA-60.5 monoblocks or the XA-60 Intergrated because of its grainless texture and warmth.

Let me second Teajay's comments. Yes, the Modwright KWI-200 is warmer, has more liquidity, and more natural tones than the Pass integrated. Frankly, for the money, the KWI-200 is a tremendous bargain.

After close to three hundred hrs on this amp.I can tell you it blows my sim i5.3 out of the water,theres no comparison.The dynamics,the effortless musicality of this amp is amazing.I really love being able to listen at low levels and have all the dynamics and grunt there,I have never heard my system sound so absolutly right.Thankyou dan wright for the tremendous bargin.

I had the opportunity to slot a KWI-200 into my downstairs system this morning.

Two discoveries worth mentioning.

First, I really appreciated the KWI-200's reading of the music. Warm, organic and natural to succinctly sum things up. Versus my reference Integrated amplifier, a Gryphon Diablo, the KWI-200 did not have the same treble extension (seemed a little rolled off) and certainly was not as dynamic with the KWI-200 smoothness seeming to cloud / sacrifice some sharpness in transients. The KWI-200 exhibited a vestige of softness to leading edge of notes which robbed dynamic music of that last ounce of immediacy and attack. Still, this is nit-picking for the price and as noted above I liked the KWI-200’s overall musical reading and I imagine this amplifier will be a breath of fresh air for many.

Second, the KWI-200 was in-capable of driving my ESL speakers above moderate listening volumes with-out clipping. The ESL speakers are however difficult to drive being 84dB sensitive with impedance dipping to 3 ohm at 20 KHz.

Your comments are my concerns Kiwi, that the amp is a bit too warm and rolled off. I do not doubt it's build quality, but will it have the dynamics of the INT-150 and the same treble extension.

I look forward to more user comments ... thanks.