Kenwood KA-601 or KA-9100 amps?

A

analogsound

New Member

• Jun 4, 2009

• #1

Hi

Am a new one to this forum and am going to buy a good warm vintage amps that sound good and looks nice.

Is it any big negative difference between KA-601 "high speed" and KA-9100 amps? They both looks good. To bad they dont make them any more like this.

Its also a Marantz 1150D who is nice looking to and what should I pay for those amps if they are in great shape.
I have a midi studio and want that 70`s sound to warm things up.

Sorry if my english is not so good

 

Sir.Byrd

Lunatic Member

• Jun 4, 2009

• #2

Member lha1992 will be able to tell you, he is a well versed Kenwood collector.
I have heard his KA 9100 and the dual mono design was very beefy.

 

SicMan

Fire up those speakers

Subscriber

• Jun 4, 2009

• #3

I'm a Kenwood fan from way back and still am

Well I'd take the KA-9100 over the 601. The 9100 has 90W/chan vs 60W/chan and I like the style better with the meters etc. It is a well performing amp. With a good kick. The only thing is it uses the unobtainable TA-100W chip which is hard to find sometimes cause they don't make em anymore. But if you treat it right you'll get years of use out of it. Also it's a matter of preference with looks and sound etc.
I still have alot of em in various stages around my work area.

John

 

a_retent

In memory of Trixie woo-woo

• Jun 4, 2009

• #4

I once owned a KA-9150................wish I had it back.

 

orionkc

Smooth

• Jun 4, 2009

• #5

Get the KA-9100 and KT-8300 Tuner and don't look back. My daily driver and it is an excellent combo. The phono stages are excellent as well. :yes: My treble knob came from SicMan........Thanks again Friend !!!

 

Last edited: Jun 4, 2009

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analogsound

New Member

• Jun 4, 2009

• #6

Thanks for the tips...yeah KA-9100 looks very nice and KT-8300 looks stunning great...why cant they make them anymore like this?

Some years ago I was buying a Pioneer A-777 and was thinking wow...but now ...its crap hehe. The only metals knob was the volume knob.

 

K

kamagong

Active Member

• Jun 4, 2009

• #7

welcome to AK
if the KA-9100 is in good condition and the right price, get it :yes:

 

Maicobmw

Well-Known Member

• Jun 4, 2009

• #8

Yep, love my 9100...

 

guscjr

Active Member

• Jun 4, 2009

• #9

I had a KA-9100 for a long time and either a KA-701 or 801 briefly. The build quality of the 701/801's didn't seem quite as good and if I recall, the area behind the front panel was prone to get a lot of dust buildup in and around the switches and control pots. High Fidelity Magazine had a very enthusiastic review of the 9100 and commented on the superb inner detail of its reproduction and also that it ran cool which might be why so many are still working well today.

 

A

analogsound

New Member

• Jun 5, 2009

• #10

Hmmmmm...now a Sansui AU-999 is up here to. That is a very cool looking amps. What will you say guys is the warmest of them two and most bang for the bucks.
Am going to buy one of them but KA-9100 is from the U.S and will need a 110-220v trafo.

 

GOYA

AK Subscriber

Subscriber

• Jun 5, 2009

• #11

Can't you listen to them?

 

A

analogsound

New Member

• Jun 5, 2009

• #12

Am going to buy this on the web so have to get one of them. I think my Sony x202es cd player is going to be nice with the Sansui but KA-9100 is in exelent shape. Is 250 dollar to much for it? And what sould I pay for AU-999 in good shape?

Thnx for the answers

 

Maicobmw

Well-Known Member

• Jun 5, 2009

• #13

analogsound said:

Am going to buy this on the web so have to get one of them. I think my Sony x202es cd player is going to be nice with the Sansui but KA-9100 is in exelent shape. Is 250 dollar to much for it? And what sould I pay for AU-999 in good shape?

Thnx for the answers

Click to expand...

$250 for a nice 9100 is very reasonable in my estimation. I have not heard an AU-999, but based on the sound of other Sansuis I own they do sound a bit warmer than the Kenwoods. IMHO