Then comes that nasty itch to mess about, alter things, improve, upgrade... Aaaaarrrgh!
This is where the 'other system' comes in handy. Old components, giveaways, car-boot bargains. Set up in the office/garage/bedroom/cellar/somewhere/anywhere. Where you can chop & change, mess about, try things and scratch that addictive need to play with audio gear.
Which brings me to the Kenwood KA-4010 amp I have recently picked up. Saw it sitting on the rack in a secondhand shop and thought 'nice, but I don't need it' and went on my way. Then the wheels start turning in your head. I had a tiny music system in the bedroon - a CD player with a pair of self-powered computer speakers for background, bedtime noise. And started to consider if I could put a small 'proper' installation in there. Wondering if the amp was still up for grabs I went back to the shop - not only was it still there, it had a '20% off' sticker on it. Fate was calling and who was I to refuse?
So, setting a minimal system up and trying to use all the tips and trucks I have picked up. I have always thought that even relatively modest components - if carefully put together - can create a pleasing system. The Kenwood is quite a beefy, solid amp and I had good hopes. An NAD CD524 was attached with an old Audioquest interconnect. My Doc-modded (sealed and metal-lined) Audiolab Minax CD speakers hooked up with ultra-short, separated leads and off we go.
A problem that has occurred with Kenwood amps of this generation (came across some comments on the web) is that the input selector switch can get very crackly and untrustworthy. This amp had the same problem. Careful tweaking could get it fairly smooth, but a hissy, grainy tone was occasionally evident from the speakers.
The amp has a second selector knob, with options for 2 tape inputs and a 'source direct' setting that bypasses all tone controls, etc. There is even a second 'tone defeat' switch so someone was trying to get some sort of audiophile performance in the design stage. Wondering if the tape inputs would be any healthier, I tried them out. Not bad - but I couln't use the 'direct' setting now - having to switch to the necessary tape input.
At some point I did something wrong. Had the CD played plugged into a tape input but no sound came out - until I tried the 'Direct' setting then a remarkably pure and musical sound issued from the speakers. Looking at the back I saw that I had inadvertantly attached the player to the 'Rec' output sockets. This bypassed the dodgy input selector and gave me access to the direct-line function. Despite the relative modesty of the installation, the imaging and transparency is really good; I had those speakers in my main rig with NVA amps for a while so I know how they can sound when well-driven and here they were performing very well.
Another educational experience about the effect of switches and excessive circuitry in amps - and how to avoid them. So, the audio itch has been scratched (for now), and I'll bet that amp has never sounded better !
