Ok, so here are a few words about the difference in sound, and more correctly in musicality between the old Dynaudio Sapphires and the Kharma db9-S. First of all, one must consider the price differential - if one considers the MSRP - about $40K for Kharma, and about $18K for the Sapphires - it is really not a fair comparison off the bat, however, it may be useful to state the sonic signature between the Dynaudio and Kharma as manifested in my experience, with the rest of my equipment staying as is...
First of all, I want to say that I did not dislike the Sapphires, I just felt that I have outgrown them. I have started demanding more dynamics, more detail and more bass. The Sapphires have fantastic imaging, especially when it comes to listening to depth and width of the sound stage. Sapphires also give most of the tonal range, however, the Kharma give you just so so much more. Over the last few years the Sapphire tweeters started annoying me - being a little bit harsh - and most of visitors to my music room noticed that also. Kharma tweeters do not do that - they are accurate, and the bass is awesome, tight without ever being boomy. Sapphires are above all a very polite speaker. They will do everything reasonably well, without stepping forward and showing you everything that they possibly have - well, the opposite is true with the Kharma - all is there to be revealed to you, whether you like it or not. Kharma are about sweet highs, liquid mid-range, and resolute and authoritative bass, and once you have all that, you get incredible detail. How detailed you say? I was listening to Charlie Haden's "Silence" album - on cut number two, where the piano player just plays a bunch of chords, you can hear his foot on the pedals, and you can hear the piano 'hammer sound mufflers/silencers' press on the piano wires. I am talking about THAT kind of detail - this I have never heard on the Sapphires before.
These speakers need quality high-power electronics. At 89db @ 4ohms, these will drink up everything that they have, and still ask for more. With my McIntosh MC-601, I have plenty of power in reserve now, so I am happy about that - but I think that eventually, I would like to get a "faster/better/more accurate" amp than the MC-601, but now I am looking at the fall of 2017... For now, I am really enjoying what I am hearing...
