LKV introduces New Solid-State Stereo Amplifier - the PWR-3!

LKV’s Chief Designer Bill Hutchins decided to see how much of the excellence of his acclaimed Veros PWR+ (a Stereophile Class A recommended power amp) he could design into a “little brother” amp available to audiophiles at a significantly lower price. The answer turns out to be a great deal. As Bill says, “I managed to incorporate into the PWR-3 a scaled down version of the voltage gain circuitry used in its big brother, along with the Purifi Class D modules also used in the big guy. Thus, you are getting the sonic essence of the PWR+ in a smaller package at about a third of the price.” The PWR-3 is available for purchase from LKV for $3350 with a 30-day full refund guarantee.

Sonic Excellence

The goal for design of the PWR-3 was to capture as much as possible of the sonic excellence of the acclaimed LKV PWR+ in an amplifier that can sell for a much lower price. The excellent sound of the PWR+ derives from the way it solves a problem that has bedeviled audio designers for decades: the loss of strength and effectiveness of negative feedback in the upper octaves of the audio spectrum. This loss degrades high frequency sounds, giving the music a slightly “hard” or “sterile” quality. Until very recently, there was only one solution to this problem: avoid using negative feedback altogether. But, doing so negates important benefits that negative feedback provides for the output stages of power amplifiers: impedance reduction and low frequency distortion control.

To learn more or purchase the PWR-3.

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LKV at Capital Audiofest November 5-7, 2021.

You are invited to a “festival” of new products in LKV Research’s Room 508 at Capital Audiofest, Nov. 5 -7. You will see, hear and discuss five exciting, audio designs: two amplifiers from LKV, a turntable from Basis Audio, speaker cable from Finley Audio and vibration control blocks from Les Davis Audi. 

The LKV PWR-3. Chief Designer Bill Hutchins decided to see how much of the excellence of his Veros PWR+ (a Stereophile Class A recommended power amp) he could design into a “little brother” amp available to audiophiles at a significantly lower price. The answer turns out to be a great deal. As Bill says, “I managed to incorporate into the PWR – 3 scaled down versions of the gain circuitry used in its big brother. Thus, you are getting the sonic essence of the PWR+ in a smaller package at about a third of the price.” The PWR – 3 will deliver 175 W into 8 ohms, and 350w into 4 and 2 ohms. LKV is pleased now to be able to launch this amazing amp at CAF. It sells direct from LKV with a 30 day full refund guarantee for $3,350.

The LKV Veros VNL embodies Bill’s vision of the ultimate state-of-the-art phono amp. He explains: “In designing the VNL, I spent several years re-examining all elements of the phono stage -- all circuits, all components, all materials -- to devise ways to make each as close to perfect as possible. The result is a phono amplifier that invites the listener deep into the music with a presentation manages to be not only detailed and exciting but also naturally relaxed and musical.” Come listen. The Veros VNL will be launched in late Spring 2022. But audiophiles attending CAF will get an advance “sneak peek and listen” in Room 508. No price has yet been set, but our goal is to make it no more $6500 (the price of the LKV’s Veros One phono which the VNL will replace). 

Basis Audio’s new BRAVO turntable and Vector tonearm offer legendary performance in a smaller package. Enjoy the true musicality and neutral playback that comes from Basis Audio’s commitment to extreme levels of precision and exacting execution of designs based on the fundamentals of physics. The retail price for the Bravo/Vector package will be $9,750. 

Finley Audio – Finley Audio is excited to announce the release of the Cirrus Speaker Cable. Over two years of development was used in researching, testing, and fine-tuning the Cirrus Speaker cable utilizing much of the same technology applied to our Cirrus line. This nine-gauge design includes 7n copper, true litz conductors, Teflon dielectric, and a ton of late-night work sessions in the shop with cold pizza and warm Mountain Dew. Come hear music brought to you through this amazing new speaker cable. 

Les Davis Audio Vibration Control Blocks. Using Constrained Layer Technology, where the viscoelastic layer is tuned for 60 Hz, Les Davis Audio drains and isolates electronic components. After extensive trials, second-generation blocks and wafers place the aluminum layers under the viscoelastic layer to provide better coupling with component chassis such as the LKV Line One. 

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LKV introduces new integrated amplifier - the VERITO 1! Read the full Press Release HERE.

New Hampshire’s LKV Research introduced at the Las Angeles Audio Show its new Verito 1, an integrated amplifier that raises the bar for high end price/performance ratio. Priced at $2,700 the Verito 1 includes phono stage, preamp and power amp, each of which achieves performance rivalling that of the best audiophile separates available today. The Verito 1 is also available without the phono stage at a price of $2,200.

As LKV’s Chief Designer observes, “The Verito 1 is a groundbreaking piece of gear. We have taken the essential elements of our Veros One phono separate and Line One preamp and combined them with a state of the art Hypex designed power amp. The result is an incredibly musical, high end system in one box at an amazing price.”

To learn more or purchase the VERITO 1.

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Stereophile Review: Michael Fremer says the LKV Veros One phono preamplifier is a "Class A performer" from which "utterly natural" music emerged.

We at LKV Research were pleased to read Michael Fremerís analysis of our Veros One in the May issue of Stereophile magazine (pp. 25-29). His description -- deep, stable soundstage; rock solid images; black backgrounds; utterly natural, three dimensional, and transparent presentation; transients clearly delivered but not etched; believable instrumental textures and timbres; strong dynamics; impressive low frequency extension; and neutrality - is spot on. Michael also said that, "With the Veros One in my system, I was fully engaged in listening to music," and concluded the review with the judgment that "the Veros One is a Class A performer."

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LKV Makes the Phono 2-SB Phono Preamplifier Even Better

LKV Research has made its great-sounding phono preamp, the Phono 2-SB, even better in two audibly important ways: (1) the already very quiet 2-SB now has an even lower noise floor; and (2) the 2-SB now incorporates a version of the excellent, jfet-based third gain stage originally designed for LKV’s state-of-the-art Veros One phono pre. To support these improvements, LKV will be increasing the MSRP of the Phono 2-SB to $3000 as of February 1, 2015. But any orders placed through the LKV website with payment before that date will still pay the original $2500 price. These orders will be filled with the new, improved units.

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Positive Feedback Magazine Review and Award for the LKV Veros One Phono Preamplifier

Pete Davey summed up his recent review of the LKV Veros One by saying, "So, there you have it. The LKV Veros One is now the holy grail of phonostages, in my opinion, and I implore you to try one if you haven't already, there is definitely something you are missing from your system if you haven't."

Positive Feedback also honored the Veros One as one the best that they’ve reviewed during the course of the year."

 

 

 

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Enjoy the Music Review and Award for the LKV Line One Line Level Preamplifier

Tom Lyle, in his review, emphasized "the LKV Research Line One’s midrange transparency prowess, its very deep and tight bass, extended and sparkling treble, transient speed, its adeptness at creating pin-point images, and [its] crystalline clarity." He summed up by saying "the Line One sounds more like music than a piece of audio equipment. There is no higher praise."

Enjoy the Music also honored the Line One Line Level Preamplifier as One of the 20 best of 2014.

 

 

 

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Reviewer’s Reactions to the LKV Phono 2-SB Phono Preamplifier

The 2-SB is LKV’s state of the art phono preamplifier, designed to enable your system to convey to your ears the emotion, drama and beauty of the music on analog LP recordings.  It has every element needed to amplify and equalize with great fidelity the minute voltages produced by the cartridge as it traces the grooves on your vinyl records.

 

 

 

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Michael Fremer titled his Phono 2-SB review “Affordable Excellence” and concluded that very positive review by saying, “So, is the LKV Phono 2-SB 'an overachiever and a ridiculously great value for the money'? In a word, 'Yes.'"

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Harry Pearson describes the Phono 2-SB as “… a great phono stage at a quite reasonable price.” Originally published on HPSoundings.com.

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Tom Lyle says that the Phono 2-SB is “… one of the best phono preamplifiers I've ever had the pleasure of using in my system.”

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Scott Hull awarded the Phono 2-SB a Part Time Audiophile “Best of 2013” and more recently said that, “Overall, the 2-SB seems to fall on the warm-side of sonic neutrality, with excellent dynamics and detail retrieval. It is, in a word, excellent.” Also read "An Analog Twist: Bob’s Devices 1131 Step Up Transformer" using the 2-SB.

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Enjoy the Music bestowed a Blue Note Award on the Phono 2-SB, honoring it as a “Best of 2013.”

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Scott Dorsey describes the Phono 2-SB as one of the three most exciting things he saw and heard at the Capital Audiofest.

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Art Dudley reported that at Capital Audiofest “New Hampshire-based LKV Research demonstrated their 2-SB solid-state phono preamplifier ($2500, direct) and a prototype of their forthcoming line-level preamplifier, to very good effect.”

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