Kavent P-2200 Monoblocks and S-22 Preamp

[ny1pr2009]

My Emotiva Peers. Here is my new investment.

Kavent S-22 Monaural Preamplifer and

A Pair of Kavent P-2200 Class A Monoblock Amplifiers

THE FIRST 100 WATTS AND IN PURE CLASS A

Here is a brief description before the photos

P-2200 Monaural Amplifier
First 100W are in Pure Class A
Output Power..........................300W (8 ohms), 600W (4 ohms),900W (2 ohms) and can also go down to 1 omh loads
Class-A Power........................100W (8 ohms) and almost 200 Pure Class A (4 ohms).
Frequency Response..............5Hz - 40kHz (+/- 1dB)
Input Sensitivity......................1 V
THD..........................................¡Ü 0.01%
S/N Ratio.................................97 dB
Input Impedance.....................47k¦¸ Unbalanced 100k Balanced
Dimension (WHD)...................17" x 7" x 21"
Weight....................................80 lbs

For the highest fidelity music reproduction, every detail matters. The S-22 preamplifier is divided into three isolated sections, two for left and right channels and the third for power supply with two separate transformers. Even the remote control and relay input selector are eliminated for the least possible of noise source. Both input and output are available in either balanced or unbalanced configurations. The power amplifier P-2200 is a monaural design to address the most challenging applications with 600W into 4Ohm load. 24 high-current biased Sanken power transistors work in parallel under Class-A mode for the extreme current handling. 1500VA toroidal transformer and 120,000uF capacitance used in a single mono section is truly hi-end power supply concept. Linked through XLR balanced cables, this combo delivers the ultimate performance at an affordable price.

Enjoy the pictures my Emotiva Peers,

Best regards to all,

Carlos








Look at the Heavy Duty ,Solid Brass,Gold Plated Speaker inding Posts




Take a look at the 12 Sanken High-Current Biased Power Transistors on that side. There is another 12 on the other side for a total of 24.



The 1500VA Toroidal Transformer



The 12 Gorgeous 10,000uF each Capacitors for a total of 120,000uF Capacitance.




Photos of the Kavent S-22 Monaural Preamplifier

S-22 Preamplifier
Frequency Response..............5Hz - 40kHz (± 1dB)
Output Voltage.........................2 V
THD...........................................≤ 0.001%
Input Sensitivity.......................250 mV
S/N Ratio..................................105 dB
Input Impedance......................47kΩ
Dimension (WHD).....................17" x 3" x 15"
Weight......................................23 lbs

For the highest fidelity music reproduction, every detail matters. The S-22 preamplifier is divided into three isolated sections, two for left and right channels and the third for power supply with two separate transformers. Even the remote control and relay input selector are eliminated for the least possible of noise source. Both input and output are available in either balanced or unbalanced configurations.

[UT-Driven]

Very impressive looking gear Carlos. I bet the prices would put me in sticker shock. ;D

Build quality looks like it is top notch and 100W in class A mode must sound great. Your references to (8W) and (4W) are supposed to be (8 Ohm) and (4 Ohm) correct?

Enjoy the music!

Doug

[BillBauman]

Damn! This stuff's gorgeous! I would LOVE to have a listen some time.

[ny1pr2009]

Hi Doug, You are correct about the specifications on the monoblocks. I have corrected them. Thanks for the heads up.

As far as the prices they are right now the same but I have been informed by Kellsie Audio and Video Designs that they will be rasing the prices soon.

Right now each monoblock is only $1500. To find a pair of monoblocks with these specs you will have to spend over $15,000 and more. And let's not even talk about the sound.!! Trully AMAZING"

It is indeed a state of the art High End Audiophile Two Channel System.

[jedinite24]

Hi Carlos

I really like the Kavent S-22 Preamp. Looks very nice on the outside and inside. I especially like what they did in the power section and how they isolated it. This preamp could be the one to unseat my McCormack TLC-1.

Anyway your gear is beautiful and must sound amazing. Enjoy. JD

[Wideawake]

These amps are gorgeous. Would love to listen to them one of these days. Enjoy them!

Will you be attending the GTG at Animo's on the 10th?

[Colby]

Carlos,
Those are some beautiful monoblocks, and the pre looks classy,
hopefully they sound as good as they look!
Am I wrong, or did you just post a review of the xpa-1s just recently? So does this mean you now own the Kavents and
the XPA-1s as well? If so, I've definately got mono block
envy man, thats awesome!!!!!!!

[ny1pr2009]

Hi Wideawake, I will be out of town from Friday night until Saturday evening but I may try to make it there if I am back early enough.

[ny1pr2009]

Hello Colby, I currently own both pair of monoblocks. I have a pair of the Emotiva XPA-1's Monoblocks and also these beautiful Kavent P-2200 Monoblocks as well.

I have always believe that when you want to put a serious 2 channel system monoblocks is the way to go. Of course that depends a lot on your budget.

I consider myself ----->"the monoblocks bandit" lol.

[tonymc]

Those are beautiful NY. I was looking at a couple of nOrh monos on audiogon, but I'm not sure I could slip it past momma.

[ny1pr2009]

Here are the latest pictures of my Kavent P-2200 Monoblocks and the S-22 Preamplifier already Installed in my system.

My Two Channel Audio System:

Kavent P-2200 Class A Monoblock Amplifiers
Kavent S-22 Dual Monaural Preamplifer
Marantz SA8003 SACD/CD Player
Dali Helicon 800 MK1 Full Range Speakers

Interconnects and Speaker Cables,

Acoustic Zen Silver Reference II (RCA) 1 meter
Acoustic Zen Matrix Reference II (XLR) 2 meters
Acoustic Zen Satori Shotgun Biwired 6ft. pairs
Acoustic Zen Tsunami Plus Power cords (4)

Richard Gray Power Company RGPC 400 Pro



Enjoy!

[Colby]

Would be interested in your opinion on a comparison of the
Kavents vs. the Emotivas........

[ny1pr2009]

I will be writing a review about the Kavent P-2200 monoblocks and how they compare to the Emotiva XPA-1's.

I want to give them at least 200 hours of break in period before writing the review.

So far after almost 100 hours of break in all I can say is that the sound is too good to be true!

[Porscheguy]

Wow, wow, wow, wow.............. ;D ;D ;D ;D

[ny1pr2009]

Hello Again my Emotiva peers.

My friends at Kellsie Audio and Video Designs (Kavent's parent company)have sent me their Class A Circuit Preamplifier with Display and Remote model Kavent S-33 for me to try and compare it to the S-22 Preamp.

Specifications'
S-33 Preamplifier
Frequency Response..............5Hz - 40 kHz (¡À1dB)
Output Voltage.........................2 V
THD..........................................¡Ü 0.001%
Input Sensitivity......................250 mV
S/N Ratio.................................97 dB
Input Impedance.....................47k¦¸
Dimension (WHD)....................17" x 3" x 15"
Weight.....................................22 lbs



I have taken some pictures of the preamp outside and inside and I wanted to share them with you.

Please look at the craftsmanship that has been put into this gorgeous preamp.









A comparison of both Preamps , Kavent S-22 (bottom) and S-33(top)






Inside view of the Kavent S-33. The power supply has been isolated from the left and right channels

[Animo]

Carlos,

As always, you never cease to amaze me. That is just some of the nicest equipment
I have seen in a long time. However, I would like to know why did they include
a defective component? What exactly does a remot control do? ;D
Hope you get back in time to pop in for a little while.

Apr 9, 2010 17:52:36 GMT -5 ny1pr2009 said:

[djoel]

Effing gorgeous pieces of art, that's what they look like to me, items you don't let a soul touch other than you..Lol

Djoel aka Dan

[ny1pr2009]

Hi Dan, You are absolutely right. These Kavent's preamplifiers as well as their monoblocks are like pieces of art. Just the craftsmanship alone that has been put into building these pieces it is one of the best that I have seen in a long time.

They are really High End Audiophile pieces. They should cost much more than what Kellsie Audio and Video Design are selling them for.

Since there was no much audible difference between the Kavent S-22 Preamp and the S-33 , I decided to keep the S-33 because of the advantage of having the remote as well as the display.

The S-33 is also monaural design, even though it's not three chambers. Its volume is motor driven coaxial dual-channel potentiometers, and therefore guarantee low volume channel balancing. The LED display screen shows the current input name, and a indicator light on the volume knob lit up when ever volume adjustment is performed on the remote. The remote is quality made with pure aluminum.

[ny1pr2009]

My Review of the Kavent P-2200 Monoblocks and the comparison to the Emotiva XPA-1's.

First let me say that this review/comparison is based on my own listening experience between both monoblocks using my own interconnects/speaker cables and based in the sinergy of my system.

Someone else may experience different results depending on their own system.


The Kavent P-2200 monoblocks are by far the best monoblocks I have ever owned. Just for their built craftsmanship they deserve to be call "audiophile monoblocks". But we all know that looks only does not make a good monoblock amplifier. It mainly has to do with the way it sounds and its performance.

I have given my pair close to a 200 hours break in period enough to have a good listening period and write this review and also compare them to the Emotiva XPA-1's since I already know how good the Emotivas sound.

The first thing I am going to say is that the Kavent P-2200 monoblocks "very highly "surpassed my expectations in sound and performance. I have read an article in the web that was reviewing these monoblocks and at the end of the article they name the P-2200's the Krell killers and trust me they were not wrong.

I have previously owned a very high end line of monoblocks such as Parasound Halo JC1 monoblocks, Shengya/Vincent SP-991 monoblocks,Odyssey Stratos Extremes,Krell FPB 350cx,Bryston 7B SST2, and Treshold S/7000E monoblocks.

These Kavent P-2200's at only $1499 each make all those amplifiers sound like entry level monoblocks first with their built craftsmanship and moslty with their sound and performance. The finesse in sound reproduction that I have experienced with these amplifiers is the best I have ever heard in any monoblock with the exeption of the Emotivas XPA-1's coming in second.

The clarity and transparency that you get from these amplifiers its impressive. Between the Emotivas XPA-1's and the Kavents -2200 , the Kavents had a better balance between clarity, detail and control, performing best in creating a stronger presence or feel from the music. I can say that they are detailed and articulate and neither bright, lush nor overly warm. The treble is well extended and relaxed, detailed but not etched, lithe and agile without sounding starkly clinical.These amps manage a balancing act that retains resolution and separation of musical strands while maintaining a level of detail that impresses. There's no grain or etch here, none of that 'coldness' that is sometimes evident in technically complex high-powered solid state amplifiers.

While the XPA1's the music is clear with a nice wide soundstage I did noticed that they are a bit too warm for my taste. It is not a bad thing if you like a warm sound from an amplifer but been a little on the warm side did not take away from the detail and clarity that these Emotivas produce. They do sound way much better than the Parasound Halo JC1 monoblocks and the rest of the monoblocks that I have mentioned before in this review coming only second to my Kavent's P-2200 Monoblocks.

The Bass performace on the P-2200 is outstanding. Bass was taut, well defined, fluid, dynamic and well extended.They communicate bass with full weight and authority, providing solid, precise, impactful bass. These Kavent P-2200 monoblocks bass performance are capable of recreating an instrument’s unique timbre, an intricate bass melody, and deep, visceral impact.

With the Emtoivas XPA-1's I experienced the bass to have more punch than with the Kavents but I didnt find them to be as tight and articulate as with the Kavents. Needless to say that the Emotivas has way much better bass extension and more refined than the others high end amplifiers that I have mentioned here but again not as articulated and tight as the Kavents.

One thing also is that both amplifiers are made different begining with crasfmantship,amplification and topology. Needless to say that the XPA-1's are a pair of well made monoblocks. No doubt about that.

In fact I have recommeded to many of my "audiophile friends" that have owned many high end and more expensive amplifers, the Emotiva line and they have sold their more expensive high end amplifiers and purchased the Emotivas and they are very happy with their performance.

Most of them still can't believe that you can achive this kind of sound and performance with what these amplifiers cost.

Both, The Kavent P-2200's and the Emotiva XPA-'s are great amplifiers and the choice of getting one or the other depends on the listener. In my opinion I like the sound of the Kavent P-2200 over the XPA-1's because of the few differences that I experienced in my listening session.

The fact is that whether you chose the Kavent P-2200 or the Emotiva XPA-1 you are getting the same sound reproduction and performance that you will be getting from monoblocks costing two to three times as much. Trust me when I tell you this because I have owned more expensive high end monoblocks and the sound has not been as clear, transparent and natural as with these two monoblocks.


The Kavents P-2200's have become by favorites Class A monoblock amplifiers of all times.Together with their S-33 Preamplifier I have put together by far the best two channel systems that I have ever owned.
Not to say that the Emotivas XPA-1's are my second best as far as monoblocks. That's why I am also keeping the XPA-1's.

I just want to remind everyone that the Kavent's P-2200 monoblocks run a little on the hot side. Not that you are going to burn yourself touching them but I do not recommed to put them in an eclosed cabinet. They are a class A monoblocks and therefore they do run a little on the hot side. They do disipate heat which is a very good thing when considering that the first 100 watts are in pure class A @ 8 ohms and almost 200 Watts in class A @ 4 ohms.

I have mine placed at each end of my open audio rack and I do not even feel the heat unless i place my hand on top of them and thats when I can feel that they are a little hot. I just wanted mention this in case anyome was interested in purchasing these monoblocks.

The Emotivas XPA-1's hardly get even warm even after having them on for hours but then again they are a consider a Class A/B amplifiers. I had my pair running for almost 24 hours one day while breaking them in and when I touched them they were not even warm.

I just want to make one last thing clear. I am not in any way bashing any company or amplifier that I have had the priviledge of owning or auditioning.

This review has been based solely on my listening session and on my personal opinion.

If there is anything I can help any of my Emotiva peers please do not hesitate to send me either a PM or an email.


Best regards to all.

Carlos

[djoel]

Nice detailed review NY, I really enjoy that.....About the comment on the warm sounding Emo's, I tend to side on warmer sounding amps dare I say tube like...One more reason to be excited about some XPA-1 mono in my system.

Thanks

Djoel