Lyra Kleos versus Delos

Harris4crna

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Recently broke stylus off the Delos. Took the opportunity to upgrade to the Kleos. 10 hours in and i am not convinced it is better than Delos. More analytical and detailed in the mids and highs, but does not seem to have the low end punch as the Delos had. Listen to variety of music including heavy metal, rock, pop, jazz and classical. So plenty different types of music to compare the Kleos to. True, lower voltage versus the Delos, thus increase the gain to 66 and stayed with 100 ohms. Thoughts? Do i need to wait for break in?

Equipment:
Vpi classic 1, simaudio 740p preamp, 860a amp, 810lp phonostage, transparent reference cable and franco serblin Ktemas speakers.

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give the kleos a few more hours and they'll be indistinguishable from one another:P I owned both and imo they're cut from the same sonic cloth. makes me wonder if the Atlas is worth the premium (of course its is:rolleyes:).

Syntax, who is an experienced 'phile on audiogon and owns most if not all of the current Lyras, rates the Delos highly.
 
Yes i read many of Syntax comments on Audiogon. Im getting good input from all. I still have the Delos and looking to repair it when i move to Japan.

I can imagine the Atlas is amazing, but a little beyond what i want to pay. Love to hear sometime though.
 
give the kleos a few more hours and they'll be indistinguishable from one another:P I owned both and imo they're cut from the same sonic cloth. makes me wonder if the Atlas is worth the premium (of course its is:rolleyes:).

Syntax, who is an experienced 'phile on audiogon and owns most if not all of the current Lyras, rates the Delos highly.
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Of course when you get into the rarified air of the creme de la creme of transducers, the arm and phono section (not to mention table) is especially important. Ergo,the Kleos may perform better in a wider range of arms than the Atlas will. Me thinks that if you hear the Atlas in your system, you would be very impressed by what it does and there would be no question of its superiority.

The best arms and tables have improved to the point that I feel that the colorations and limitations of phono sections - particularly when it comes to dynamics and noise floor - are currently the limiting factor in analog playback. Of course the situation is always fluid.

Of course the Lyra has to be blessed by Dietrich first or It's crap.
 
I agree with you. I prefer the sound of the Delos I find it has better air and action in the upper frequencies and a bit more boogie in the bass. The Kleos to me also sounded a little constrained/contained and not enough air in the upper frequencies.

first up, try the Kleos loaded a bit higher towards 500ohms - it will open up a bit more and the bass will develop.

cheers
 
Thank you. I'll try 500ohms and let you know. The tracking force is 1.75, but the shop set it at 2.2 g. I compromised at 2.0g where it sounded fuller than the recommended 1.75. What's your experience?
 
Thank you. I'll try 500ohms and let you know. The tracking force is 1.75, but the shop set it at 2.2 g. I compromised at 2.0g where it sounded fuller than the recommended 1.75. What's your experience?

First, 10 hours is no hours. The Lyras definitely take 50 hours or more to break in. Initially, they sound good for 5 or so hours, then the performance drops until about 30 hours (you may even hear some mild mistracking) and then everything loosens up and comes together. But clearly the frequency extremes are compromised at the beginning. In fact, the low end and dynamics are the last qualities to stabilize.

Second, sorry to be so blunt but can the setup guy in your store read? The newest Lyras because of their construction and magnet/coil juxtaposition MUST be tracked at the recommended tracking force! 1.75 gm should be perfect in the VPI arm.

So after the cartridge breaks in and you still think it's bass shy, then the question is whether they set the geometry, particularly the SRA/VTA correctly. If the Kleos is still bass shy, you may want to play with dropping the arm height.

Finally, given that you have a ss phono section, I'd definitely try for 10X the internal impedance or slightly higher. Try 75-180 ohm area but think you will be happier at 100 ohms after the geometry and tracking force issues are settled.

Your patience will be rewarded.
 
I had the Delos on my Classic 1 before I bought the Kleos. To be honest, I'm not sure the Kleos is worth the extra money over the Delos.

Don't get me wrong, I love my Kleos. But I'm pretty sure I would have been just as happy with the Delos.
 
I had the Delos on my Classic 1 before I bought the Kleos. To be honest, I'm not sure the Kleos is worth the extra money over the Delos.

Don't get me wrong, I love my Kleos. But I'm pretty sure I would have been just as happy with the Delos.

Were you able to compare them side by side? That's really the telling test.
 
Great thread guys. I'm really getting good input here. I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of my new Delos cart. I was fortunate enough to do a side by side listen on a Linn TT setup similar to mine and could hear them in close order. There was no question the Kleos had more dynamics and exhibited a more airy and detailed presentation. It was a cut above. Money,however made my final decision to go with Delos but it was easy since I listened to the Delos before the Kleos and was bowled over right then. Had i not heard the Kleos it would still be sonic nirvana for me. Olskool


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Were you able to compare them side by side? That's really the telling test.

No I didn't Myles. And you're right, that's the only way to be sure. But I was told that the Kleos was a pretty significant upgrade, and I just didn't feel that it was.

That said, I really do love it and I don't plan on changing anytime in the near future.
 
if cash is tight, the Dorian is an alternative to the Delos. I imported one a few months ago with the Koetsu. the street price in Japan is a bargain at under 700 and it delivers the sonic goods . i don't think Audioquest brings them in (shame).
 

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if cash is tight, the Dorian is an alternative to the Delos. I imported one a few months ago with the Koetsu. the street price in Japan is a bargain under 700 and it delivers the sonic goods . i don't think Audioquest brings them in (shame).


How does it compare to the Delos??
 
if cash is tight, the Dorian is an alternative to the Delos. I imported one a few months ago with the Koetsu. the street price in Japan is a bargain at under 700 and it delivers the sonic goods . i don't think Audioquest brings them in (shame).

As the Dorian is listed on Lyra's website as out of production, the best explanation is this seller luckily either had some in stock or they were counterfeit. Hopefully not the last but not unbeknownst nowadays.

LYRA - Transducer
 
the bass is nearly the same, the Delos is slighlty more resolving (barely) the stage width, depth and very similar. Spec-wise the Delos has a lower internal impedance and by extension a lower output. (.45 vs .6) I can see throwing away the performance advantage of the Delos if your phonostage has borderline gain or limited loading options. they're both built to high standards.
 
the bass is nearly the same, the Delos is slighlty more resolving (barely) the stage width, depth and very similar. Spec-wise the Delos has a lower internal impedance and by extension a lower output. (.45 vs .6) I can see throwing away the performance advantage of the Delos if your phonostage has borderline gain or limited loading options. they're both built to high standards.

Thanks. I'm currently missing the Hagerman Trumpet Reference phono section that I just reviewed and have sent back to Jim Hagerman.
 
As the Dorian is listed on Lyra's website as out of production, the best explanation is this seller luckily either had some in stock or they were counterfeit. Hopefully not the last but not unbeknownst nowadays.

LYRA - Transducer

NOS then, get 'em while they're hot! OOP doesn't phase me, my favorite Lyras are 20 years old (Clavis DC, Helikon)

BTW, Im buying direct from B&M shops in Japan, no way they're counterfeit, 2nds or whatever.
 
NOS then, get 'em while they're hot! OOP doesn't phase me, my favorite Lyras are 20 years old (Clavis DC, Helikon)

BTW, Im buying direct from B&M shops in Japan, no way they're counterfeit, 2nds or whatever.

No Helikon fan here. Never warmed up to it because the Helikon had an unnatural thinness to the lower midrange/upper bass region. While it was far more money, the Parnassus really outperformed and highlighted the Helikon's weaknesses.
 
I have heard the Delos, Kleos SL, and the Etna in my system briefly. None of them were broken in so take my thoughts with a grain of salt. Had the Delos first. It was very clear sounding but not as resolving as I would like. Could be that would improve with break in. Then a few months later I got to try the Kleos SL and Etna at the same time. Tried the Kleos SL first. It sounded quite a bit different than the Delos to me. Of course the lower output probably had something to do with that. The Kleos SL was more tame and less energetic than the Delos but was a bit more resolving in the mid range. I would have liked a little more treble, and bass energy from the Kleos.
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Finally I tried the Etna. Now this is more like it! A nice balance of energy with plenty of clarity and resolution. Unfortunately above my budget for now.:(
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I believe a lot will depend on the phono stage and arm/turntable combo you are using. Hard to say what will sound best in another system.
 

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Sean-What phono stage were you using and how much gain were you using?
 
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