Proper Mate for the KA-8100??

[scolba]

ok...well i told myself, im not going to be picky on what i get to mate up with my integrated amp.....that didn't last too long.....sooooo....

what is the best tuner to match with my amp? Was there one originally intended to go with it? Sadly, i find myself looking at them on ebay and saying....oh, that one doesn't have the right swtiches on it....argh...sometimes i frustrate myself!! lol :D

So if you guys could help, i would sure like to know what is supposed to go with it!!

Thanks!!
Scott

[approse]

Don't know that Kenwood "matched" it's amps and tuners quite as much as some of the other brands did. The years they produced amps and tuners overlapped a lot. I'd look and see what year your amp was made and then look and see what tuners were available at the same time. Might be the easiest........otherwise if you know what you're looking for feature-wise approach it that way and hope to find a model that blends well with your 8100. There were several!

[scolba]

ahh...ok. I'll have to find out when it was made then, thanks!

So what do the numbers signify? I mean, is the higher the number the better the quality? Do they represent diferent series or something? This will be the first Tuner i will have ever purchased, so i dont' really know what I'm looking for. Anybody want to make some suggestions? :)

[Thumpy]

So what do the numbers signify? I mean, is the higher the number the better the quality?
Generally yes (higher number=higher end) with Kenwood (and many other brands). This only works within specific product lines, for example, the KT-7300 tuner was more expensive than the KT-5300. The KT-8300 was the top of that line. The KT-917 was more expensive than any of the KT-x300 tuners, but it's from a different product line. Confused? Anyway, I would choose the KT-7500. It's a very good tuner and also a close match for a KA-8100.

[scolba]

cool! Thanks guys! :D

[hpsenicka]

If you are particular about matching the appearance as closely as possible make sure to take a good look at some photos of the tuners you are considering.

For example, my KA-7100 and KT-8300 look quite good together, same basic style, same overall physical size, etc... but if you look closely, the knobs and switches do not match.

My KT-6500 tuner matched the KA-7100 quite closely from a styling perspective, except that some of the toggle switches have black plastic bases, rather than the all aluminum construction of the KA-7100 switches (but at least all the knobs match exactly!).

The ideal cosmetic match for the KA-7100 turns out to be the KT-7500!

I am not familiar with the KA-8100, but I think it was introduced a year later than the KA-7100.... if you are very picky, it could be worth checking closely.