Goldmund Telos 7 with Kharma Elegance S7 Signature demo at PUUR audio, video & domotica
Kharma Elegance S7 Signature € 17.500,-
Goldmund Telos 7 NextGen amp/dac € 11.500,-
Lumin U1 Mini streamer met S-Booster € 2.549,-
Furutech Reference III speakercable 2×2.0m € 1.500,-
Furutech Evolution Power Powercable 1.5m € 760,-
AudioQuest Coffee USB 0,75m € 299,-
Combined normally € 34.108,-
7,5-year celebration disount offer € 29.500,-
From this amount, a netto € 2.000,- goes to the “Snelloket” of the “Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunst”, which aims to help musicians and artists make it through the Corona crisis.
Mere weeks after having visited the PUUR demo room on 13 April 2020 to listen to the new Goldmund Telos 7 with Kharma Elegance DB7’s as part of the “Private Sessions”, I was contacted by Robert Brijde if I was able to attend the 7,5-year anniversary of the showroom. To celebrate this, still during the “Private Sessions” campaign, they have paired the Kharma Elegance S7 Signature (with a driver from the Exquisite series) with the Goldmund Telos 7. At first, I thought that this was the exact same setup that I already heard in April, but as it turns out, the S7’s are quite different from the DB7’s. So, I paid PUUR another visit on May 2nd.
With a single woofer from the Exquisite range rather than two Elegance woofers, the S7’s may seem under-equipped but as I would quickly find out, this single driver is more than enough for the PUUR showroom. While this room is the smaller of the two it is still a lot larger than the average large domestic room. Also, note that this particular room has an infinite depth (it exits into the building hall and then into another showroom) and so there is no rear wall to artificially reinforce the bass. The bass that we hear is truly coming from the speakers.
In place of the wide rack, Robert and Daan decided to use the more elegant steel and glass Music Tools rack
The source in this setup is Roon running on a central server, streaming to the LUMIN Music U1 Mini streamer with an S-Booster power supply
Although I have not yet reviewed it using my own reference system I have a feeling that the beautifully sleek Goldmund Telos 7 will end up ranking very highly on my list of favorite amplifiers
Although the S7 has a single driver, it’s higher quality means that there is a net gain over the DB7, in this system, at least. To be honest, what I heard was not a transformation from the DB7’s performance, but more of a subtle shift. But that’s also a good thing, of course. The different Kharma’s clearly have a strong house sound and that’s how it should be.
As with the Elegance DB7 setup, the Kharma S7’s polished and super-sophisticated character makes a very synergistic match with the Goldmund Telos 7 and the amp’s tightness and control pair very well with the slightly rich-sounding Kharma’s while both products excel in resolution, delicacy, refinement and transparency. The treble is deliciously airy and very expressive but never hard or forward and the midrange wide-open and communicative while deep, powerful and well-controlled bass completes the sonic picture.
Where they improve on the DB7’s is in the upper bass and the midrange. The bass is slightly faster and more coherent and the midrange is slightly clearer and more open. Otherwise, the two models are extremely similar.
Furutech Reference speaker cables and an AudioQuest USB cable complete the setup
The presentation is very neutral and linear and highly revealing but not at all in a clinical manner. What I hear is sweet music, rather than technical sounds. What likely helps this impression is that the Kharma’s have a subtle inherent richness. I’ve witnessed several occasions at other shows where this richness can become too much, the upper bass and lower midrange turning almost woolly in the process but this did not happen with the DB7’s during my previous visit at the PUUR showroom, and the effect is even less with the S7’s. The bass has excellent tightness and expression and it is fast and punchy.
However, as with the DB7’s, there is a very mild residual sweetness in bass but this is identifyable only because the midrange and treble are so super-neutral. But it is very subtle indeed and this can actually be beneficial in making the system blend in well even in hard acoustical spaces.
This Kharma-Goldmund pairing threads the narrow path between resolution, precision and transparency on one side and musicality and soul on the other side. The result is a musical and easy to enjoy delivery that ticks all the audiophile parameter boxes while looking like a million dollar. Fortunately, the system costs a little less than that:-)
The Elegance DB7’s are only still in-house and merely resting from their performance next door
PUUR audio, video & domotica – Daan Vreeswijk & Robert Brijde
Website: puuravd.com
Showroom location:
Skoon 80
1511 HV Oostzaan
Phone: (020) 722 09 05
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