EX-M7

Reviewer: Srajan Ebaen
Financial interests: click here
Sources: Retina 5K 27" iMac (4GHz quad-core with Turbo boost, 32GB RAM, 3TB FusionDrive, OSX Yosemite. iTunes 14.4), PureMusic 3.02, Audirvana 3, Qobuz Hifi, Tidal Hifi, COS Engineering D1, Denafrips Terminator, Soundaware D300Ref,  AURALiC Vega 
Preamplifier: Vinnie Rossi L2 Signature with WE VT52/300B or Elrog 50/300B, Nagra Classic, Wyred4Sound STP-SE Stage II, Vinnie Rossi LIO (AVT module)
Power & integrated amplifiers: Pass Labs XA30.8; FirstWatt SIT1 monos, SIT3, F5, F6, F7; Goldmund/Job 225; Aura Note Premier; Wyred4Sound mINT; Nord Acoustics NC500 monos; LinnenberG Audio Liszt monos
Loudspeakers: Audio Physic Codex; Cube Audio Nenuphar; Albedo Audio Aptica; EnigmAcoustics Mythology 1; Boenicke Audio W5se; Zu Audio Druid V & VI & Submission; German Physiks HRS-120; Eversound Essence; Fram Midi 150 & 120; Acelec Model One; sound|kaos Vox3a [on review]; Aurai Audio M1 [on review]; Sotto Voce Stereo 3 [on review]
Cables: Complete loom of Allnic Audio ZL3000 and Zu Event; KingRex uArt, Zu and LightHarmonic LightSpeed double-header USB cables; Tombo Trøn S/PDIF; van den Hul AES/EBU; AudioQuest Diamond glass-fibre Toslink; Black Cat Cable redlevel Lupo; Ocellia OCC Silver
Power delivery: Vibex Granada/Alhambra on all source components, Vibex One 11R on amps/sub
Equipment rack: Artesania Audio Exoteryc double-wide 3-tier with optional glass shelves, Exoteryc Krion and glass amp stands 
Sundry accessories: Acoustic System resonators
Room: 4 x 6m with high gabled beam ceiling opening into 4 x 8m kitchen and 5 x 8m living room, hence no wall behind the listening chairs
Review component retail: $2'598

Kinked. It's better than coming unglued. You'll see.

The emailer was Ken Ng. He's Alvin Chee's partner at Vinshine Audio and responsible for Kinki Studio's sales & marketing. "We've released updates for our EX-M1, EX-M1+ and EX-B7. We don't call them new models but over the pre-2020 precursors, they are essentially new. Moreover, we've released our first stereo amplifier, the EX-M7. Would you be interested to review one of them? We think that either the EX-M1+ or EX-M7 could be of interest to you."

Thinking on whether readers would rather learn of the next incarnation of Kinki's best integrated whose last life we've covered before; or about a brand-new stereo amp – I unilaterally opted for the latter. Executive privilege. But really, here's why: bandwidth of 0Hz to 2.5MHz ±3dB! A-weighted S/N ratio better than 130dB. Slew rate of 200V/us. Twin 400VA toroidal power supply for 72VDC and 18A peak current. Two pairs of Exicon lateral Mosfets.

The amps I like best happen to overlay such specs. I fancy wide bandwidth, class A/B, direct coupled and Exicon laterales. Be it Bakoon's AMP-13R or LinnenberG's Liszt, something about their shared general topology has wormed its way into my ears over the years. Now I'm hooked. And where we live, there's no Audiophilicus Anonymous.

At 25kg, this Kinki is no lightweight. Aside from XLR and RCA inputs, the business end also has defeatable DC filtering. That's great if your power conditioner lacks it but transformers hum. Flick a switch and… silenzio! Input sensitivity is a usefully low 1.45Vrms. This amp won't eat up all your preamp's gain in just a few clicks. Dimensions are a typical 37.5 x 43 x 11cm WxDxW. Idle power consumption is a low-ish 30 watts. At max output, one could draw up to 700 watts. Yet one's ears should clip well before that. Finish options are black or silver.

For less than €3'000 direct from Singapore, Kinki Studio's new high-power amp read and looked far too good to refuse.

So I didn't.