Sutherland KC Vibe Mk2 Phonostage Reviews

4.9 Rating 49 Reviews

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Phone:

909.931.9686

Email:

joel.m@upscaleaudio.com

Location:

2058 Wright Avenue,
2058 Wright Avenue
California
91750

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“I bought this to add more gain to the Hana SL I also purchased. The KC Vibe was a good performer - it was musical, quiet, and had sufficient gain, and for the money, it performed well, but not to the level of the 2x the price EAR 834p I already owned. It had a bit shallower soundstage, and was more polite than my system needed. I peeked inside and the components looked very top notch. My only disappointment was the walwart power supply - you have to buy the Insight to get a better power supply. Ken @ Upscale recommended either the Sutherland 20/20 with the upgraded power supply, or the Manley Chinook SE, both of which were 2-2.5x the cost. I ended up choosing the Manley Chinook SE as it had 65db of gain (more than the stock Chinook) which the Hana SL really needed, plus I tend to prefer tubes. The Manley was FANTASTIC. Amazing build quality and the sound was significantly improved over both my EAR and the KC Vibe. If you are looking for a solid, musical, and competent entry level audiophile phono stage and don't want to spend over $1k, the KC Vibe would be a good option. But I would highly recommend going up the food chain and choosing the 20/20 (skip the Insight which is a Vibe with a better power supply), or the Manley. Ken was a hero - really being neutral in his suggestions but giving me enough useful feedback on sound characteristics to be able to make the right choice (I bought these unheard as I was out of state). Shipping was lightning fast. Ken even followed up with loading recommendations which proved spot-on!”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago