Country of Origin
Reviewer: Frederic Beudot
Digital source: Aurender A10 streamer, Lumin P1 Mini [on loan], Denafrips Pontus DAC, LHY SW6 ethernet switch, Jay's Audio CDT2 mk2, Holo Audio Cyan 2 [on loan], Mola Mola Tambaqui [in for review]
Analog source: VPI Scout 1.1, Zu-DL103 MkII, Genesis Phono Gold
Amplifier: Triode Labs 2A3i, Enleum Amp 23R
Speakers: Ocellia Calliope .21 Twin Signature, Rogers LS 3/5a, Zu Essence
Cables: Zu Varial, Ocellia RCA cables, Zu Event mkII speaker cables, Absolute Fidelity custom XLR to RCA interconnects
Power Cords: Zu Mother, Ocellia power cables, Absolute Fidelity power cable
Powerline conditioning: Isotek Nova
Sundry accessories: Isolpads under electronics, GIK Audio room treatment
Room size: 18'x14'x10'
Review component retail: $2'398
Valab 80% high-nickel Permalloy-core chokes for "incredibly low DCR and capacitance. Each choke has two layers of electromagnetic EMI shielding to assure very low interference." Fully discrete circuit with no opamps.
"The Holo May Dac is delayed—I saw they have it with one of the prominent YouTube reviewers—but they do have an unusual phono preamp under their own Kitsuné brand. I agreed to take a listen. It's the same concept as the Lounge Audio phono preamp I reviewed almost a decade ago but with much better parts quality and execution. LCR phono preamps are famously hard to make and even harder to make affordable. They are also an acquired taste because they are usually not 'warm and fuzzy' as many expect their vinyl to sound." That was US contributor Frederic gifting us with an unexpected assignment when US Holo importer Kitsuné came up with a brilliant plan B. Whether Holo's May can continue the victory lap begun with Frederic's award for its Cyan 2 sibling we'll learn in due time. Today we're doing analogue not digital. – Ed.
Gain adjustable from 40-72dB in 13 steps, impedance configurable from 47kΩ to 14Ω in 13 steps.
It is often said that the best components in audio engineering are those which disappear, leaving music as the sole focal point. Achieving that elusive ideal is no small feat though, especially with phono preamps where design minutiae can have a profound effect on the ultimate sound. An LCR phono preamp, a design rooted in the principles of Linear Constant Resistance circuitry, takes this challenge head-on with a sophistication hard to match if done right. And that's the catch, isn't it? Otherwise LCR phono preamps would be most common yet they're anything but. It's not my first foray into this rarefied genre. Years ago I had the pleasure of reviewing the Lounge Audio LCR Mk3 which I still own to possibly provide an interesting backdrop for today. Tim Connor, head honcho at Kitsuné Hifi and US distributor for Holo Audio, is a real vinyl connoisseur. I suspect that the KTE LCR-1 Mk5 is a passion project for him and his engineer as suggested by the fact that the KTE LCR-1 is hand-built and only a couple of dozen units are made each year. At its core the KTE LCR-1 phono preamp is built around an LCR network, a highly respected oft overlooked topology in analogue low-signal amplification. This approach is founded on passive components—inductors (L), capacitors (C) and resistors (R)—which allow for a very refined handling of the RIAA equalization curve. Unlike ubiquitous op-amp-based designs dominating the market, LCR networks offer a level of linearity and transparency that is simply more natural, owing to the minimal use of active components in the signal path. When I asked about the story behind Kitsuné's phono preamp, I didn't expect that the genesis of the KTE LCR-1 went back 20 years. But Tim Connor had this to say about it:
"If you're a serious analogue audiophile, at some point you will have longed to own an LCR RIAA phono stage. You then know how these can be very expensive as well as quite rare. LCR RIAA EQ circuits are difficult to build and demand inductors of a quality and cost that few nowadays master. Kuo-Wei, our engineer, has developed these LCR RIAA EQ chokes which are then custom-wound to our spec including 80% high-nickel-content Permalloy cores. The result is low DCR and capacitance. In addition, each choke has 2 layers of electromagnetic EMI shielding to minimize interference. Kevin Valab's 'Kuo-Wei' has decades of experience in phono stage design and LCR chokes. He teamed with Kitsuné HiFi to refine his circuit and get the most from it. Over the past 20+ years we made a total of 21 revisions and the 2024 Mk5 is our most refined yet. Kuo-Wei's original design was inspired by the fully passive Japanese-made Tango EQ-600P LCR RIAA module, itself a recreation of the original Pultec/Western Electric phono equalizer circuit, making the LCR-1 Mk5 one of the very few available phono stages of its kind on the market today. We have cut no corners and don't use any cheap op-amps, which are most popular within most phono stage output circuits today. Instead we chose to use a discrete four-transistor 'diamond' impedance converter. The 2024 Mk5 comprises many improvements including to the EQ chokes, specifically their windings. We also improved loading and optimized the trace paths for ultra-sensitive MC carts. We finally upgraded the external power supply to discrete bipolar voltage regulation."
Class A DC-coupled Fet outputs | 30VA/24V power transformer, discrete voltage regulation for sub 10µV output noise.
Why does any of this matter? In a nutshell, a well-executed LCR design minimizes distortion and noise so crucial for reproducing the delicate micro details of a record's grooves. The use of inductors and capacitors for the high frequencies helps smooth out irregularities that can plague solid-state and tube-based preamps while ensuring that the bass remains tight and controlled. Theoretically it should result in a sound rich in texture yet devoid of the distortion that can sometimes infect other designs. But as Tim Connor pointed out, figuring out the right combination of the right components is an art form that very few master anymore. The physical construction of the KTE LCR-1 speaks to its premium yet humble positioning. It is housed in two no-frills minimalist yet robust half-width chassis which are visually inoffensive. Nobody will buy this model for its glitter and shine. The money is all inside. Gain and cartridge loading adjustments hide under the belly of the main box, which is not the easiest to access but allows for the simplest shortest signal path. If you don't change cartridges regularly, it's a minor once-and-done annoyance. The KTE LCR-1 Mk5 is available in two versions, a base model at $1'498 and a WBT Special Edition at $2'398 we're considering here. This special edition not only features top-end WBT silver connectors but the power transformer, wiring, caps and PCB are all extensively upgraded with generous use of silver and shielding to ensure the highest level of signal transparency. In an industry often accused of favouring external bling and heavy enclosures to justify astronomical prices, the KTE LCR-1 Mk5 is a refreshing alternative where the designers clearly chose superior components and design over aesthetics to keep pricing reasonable. Your friends may never comment on those two black boxes but you will know that they hide a very special phono stage.
