For Sale Mola-Mola Kaluga

[Thomas savage]

Having said that if you have £8 k for a amp then you have £10k tbh...

 

[Purité Audio]

KEF has made an active version of their LS50 which are vaguely interesting, otherwise UK manufacturers are for the most part extremely traditional, Meridian were hugely innovative in previous years.
Can you think of any innovative UK manufacturer?
Keith

 

[Thomas savage]

KEF has made an active version of their LS50 which are vaguely interesting, otherwise UK manufacturers are for the most part extremely traditional, Meridian were hugely innovative in previous years.
Can you think of any innovative UK manufacturer?
Keith

Not the kind of small innovative types that would sit in your portfolio.. Real shame

Asian market tend to just reproduce old American fodder, while the British market is stuck in the 70's and dying on its arse..

Sad all round if you ask me.

 

[Sal1950]

I have an ex demonstration pair of Mola-Mola's mono bloc 'Kaluga' amplifiers.
Current RRP in the U.K. is £10k per pairing vat, I am asking £6500 inc vat.

The A120 has a RRP of Euros 9450.

No disrespect Keith but if I was looking to spend this kind of $ on amps I'd be looking to manufacturers that have some long term history and the ability to retain their value for extended periods. The price cut on the Kalugas on a near new pair scares the hell out of me.
I'd lay me $ on Krell, Pass, D'Agostino, Audio Research, you get the idea. At this level long term resale would enter strongly in the picture as would the companies probable stability for a long future.

 

[Purité Audio]

I believe a lot of customers think like that, placing resale value over sound quality .
Personally I wouldn't touch Krell now, although their early amps were ok, D'agostino is just 'jewellery ' and hideous no interest to me, Audio Research are ok, hugely expensive over here though.
Keith

 

[Thomas savage]

I believe a lot of customers think like that, placing resale value over sound quality .
Personally I wouldn't touch Krell now, although their early amps were ok, D'agostino is just 'jewellery ' and hideous no interest to me, Audio Research are ok, hugely expensive over here though.
Keith

I agree, I would not go with krell now though love the older designs , and audio research as a firm gets sold every five minutes and has a terrible record on reliability (allegedly).

However I do see Sal's point, with no track record who knows if companies like phison audio and to a lesser extent mola mola will be about to service your products in 10 years.. With no brand recognition or value tbh both will suffer resale issues..

Asking for £10 k for a amp by a brand new company with no brand history is a little unwise imo.

From my expirance I would suggest anyone wanting to spend fairly serious amounts of money should go with a harmon owned brand.. Your money is safe, the products are engineering and audio science based and you can be assured of decent resale value.

Don't get it modified, beware of boutique companies and stay well away from one man bands!

 

[Phison Audio - Sonny]

I agree, I would not go with krell now though love the older designs , and audio research as a firm gets sold every five minutes and has a terrible record on reliability (allegedly).

However I do see Sal's point, with no track record who knows if companies like phison audio and to a lesser extent mola mola will be about to service your products in 10 years.. With no brand recognition or value tbh both will suffer resale issues..

Asking for £10 k for a amp by a brand new company with no brand history is a little unwise imo.

From my expirance I would suggest anyone wanting to spend fairly serious amounts of money should go with a harmon owned brand.. Your money is safe, the products are engineering and audio science based and you can be assured of decent resale value.

Don't get it modified, beware of boutique companies and stay well away from one man bands!

Hi Thomas.

You do not make it easy for new companies with this attitude. Of course i can follow you, but you are basically saying that stay the hell away from new companies and they are insane that they build high priced equipment. I know this is written very narrow minded, but please see it from my side.

I do know what the established brands put in there hardware. Many high priced designed including Naim from your own country are based on designs from the 70 - 80's which they can make a huge Margin on. And basically with your statement you are holding the hand under the established industry and accepting the way they have done it for centuries.

Some companies wants to have a factor 12 - 15 on the Bill Of Material (BOM). Many highend companies are close to a factor 10 on the BOM. We are not that high.

You would probably not say the same about AAVIK Acoustic which have got a pretty good review in HIFI+ just a month ago for there U-300.

I have some news for you. The DAC section, the Frontend (Preamp section), the Firmware is from me and developed in my company. Only the Pascal Audio Class D module and the RIAA stage is not developed by me. RIAA stage is from Michael Børresen.

I could and will construct cheaper products but it easier to build a really good and expensive amp and then start build cheaper amplifiers then starting in the cheap end and then make expensive products. Look at VW .. Do they have succes build the Phaeton? no! Have Audi succes build luxury cars and then build cheaper models. Yes!

It is not that i have made a compromise with the products. The German distributor compares it to Viola and decided to take my amps to "West deutche hifi tage" instead of the Viola amps. And you know what the Viola costs in comparison.

BR

Sonny

 

[Phison Audio - Sonny]

So what will happen to Harman now. -> Plastic way?

https://www.engadget.com/2016/11/14/samsung-buys-harmon-auto-audio/

 

[amirm]

The high-end market is exceptionally open to new brands, unusually so. So I don't see that as an issue for new companies. As for resale, my approach is to not think about that in anything I buy (outside of real estate). Net, net, I don't agree with Thomas and will be hiring the English teacher to replace him: http://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/english-lesson-for-sal.1003/

 

[Sal1950]

Personally I wouldn't touch Krell now, although their early amps were ok,

I agree, I would not go with krell now though love the older designs ,

I really don't know my butt from a hole in the ground on components in this price range as far as having listening experience but I do know a bit about the market and the realities of high end goods.
There's some bad blood in the industry over the Krell-Dan split but looking at the lords of the high end market (Stereophile LOL) Mike Fremer recently gave the 575 a glowing review comparing it very favorably with his $175k DarTZeel 458's and JA's measurements came in beyond reproach. I the end receiving a Class A recommend and actually looking to be somewhat of a $ financial bargain against some of it's competition. Listed also as Class A in the current recommended comps list.
Bottom Line, In any case I just don't see the current Krell losing its cred's with the high end community any time soon.

 

[Sal1950]

As for resale, my approach is to not think about that in anything I buy (outside of real estate).

Many don't have your financial resources to disregard resale so easily.
People do deserve to be reminded of the possible repercussions of their purchases.

 

[Sal1950]

So what will happen to Harman now. -> Plastic way?

https://www.engadget.com/2016/11/14/samsung-buys-harmon-auto-audio/

A sad state of the current situation.
But we do have a plan to Make America Great Again.

 

[Phison Audio - Sonny]

I do not disagree on the resale value. But most equipment including Accuphase, Krell, Pass labs looses more than 50% in denmark as soon as they get over the doorstep.

The difference here is that we actually care about our customers and will be able to upgrade the amps over time when we changes component in the design. The products are modular in the build up. So when we get a new design we can for example upgrade the gain modules. or the mainboards. We can for example just change the backplate and mainboard and the customer will have an upgraded and as good as new product.

I guess other companies in the industry offer the same upgrade ability!??

 

[RayDunzl]

If you're worried about resale don't buy a new anything, without a huge discount, as a rule (some exceptions of course).

Wow... "like new"

 

[Phison Audio - Sonny]

If you're worried about resale don't buy a new anything, without a huge discount, as a rule (some exceptions of course).

Wow... "like new"

View attachment 3862

Are those thiel drivers!?!?! Buy them! remove the drivers and build your own speakers!!!

 

[RayDunzl]

But we do have a plan to Make America Great Again.

Here's your site then: www.greatagain.gov

And the "suggestion box": www.apply.ptt.gov/yourstory/

 

[Phison Audio - Sonny]

Maybe you should concentrate on unite the country for a start!?

 

[amirm]

Many don't have your financial resources to disregard resale so easily.
People do deserve to be reminded of the possible repercussions of their purchases.

Affordability matters when you write the first check to buy it. Folks need to do proper research before buying something this expensive. Once there, there should be little reason to think about selling it already. I still have my DAC from 1999! Buy the right thing and you don't have to think about selling it.

 

[Thomas savage]

Hi Thomas.

You do not make it easy for new companies with this attitude. Of course i can follow you, but you are basically saying that stay the hell away from new companies and they are insane that they build high priced equipment. I know this is written very narrow minded, but please see it from my side.

I do know what the established brands put in there hardware. Many high priced designed including Naim from your own country are based on designs from the 70 - 80's which they can make a huge Margin on. And basically with your statement you are holding the hand under the established industry and accepting the way they have done it for centuries.

Some companies wants to have a factor 12 - 15 on the Bill Of Material (BOM). Many highend companies are close to a factor 10 on the BOM. We are not that high.

You would probably not say the same about AAVIK Acoustic which have got a pretty good review in HIFI+ just a month ago for there U-300.

I have some news for you. The DAC section, the Frontend (Preamp section), the Firmware is from me and developed in my company. Only the Pascal Audio Class D module and the RIAA stage is not developed by me. RIAA stage is from Michael Børresen.

I could and will construct cheaper products but it easier to build a really good and expensive amp and then start build cheaper amplifiers then starting in the cheap end and then make expensive products. Look at VW .. Do they have succes build the Phaeton? no! Have Audi succes build luxury cars and then build cheaper models. Yes!

It is not that i have made a compromise with the products. The German distributor compares it to Viola and decided to take my amps to "West deutche hifi tage" instead of the Viola amps. And you know what the Viola costs in comparison.

BR

Sonny

In the audiophile world it's easy to lose sight of the market area that is populated by hard working folk who are not multi millionaires.. To these 'ordinary folk' there are many factors to consider when choosing equipment, having backed the smaller producers and spent tens of thousands on products that have given me nothing but grief I personally wish I had thought more like Sal when choosing what to spend my money on.

For most customers looking to spend serious money on audio equipment things like reliability and resale value are not considerations. Talking to the designer and reading glowing reviews are more what they are intrested in, given the subsequent affirmation that affords them they fall in love with the products and champion them at every chance.

These 'new' brands become like little cults, beyond any criticism and seem to survive in the frankly bizarre world that is consumer audio. It's bizarre because I know of no other industry that gets away with charging so much for so little, seems to give no consideration to the kind of values one would normally expect.

I'm a working man, I work manually on a building site and while you may well be great, making great reliable products I can't help but think spending £10k on a amp from a brand with no real historical value is for me a risk not worth taking. Iv been down that road and it cost me years of savings..

So yes, if your not so rich that the risk of taking a punt on the many boutique brands is no risk at all then I would advise folk to stick to known brands like harmon that provide great products and the security 'normal' folk need.

Having had a good look into the world of so called high end audio I am left distinctly unimpressed by what I found.

 

[RayDunzl]

Are those thiel drivers!?!?! Buy them! remove the drivers and build your own speakers!!!

Oh, now I see:

Amazon's having a little problem with scammers infesting their site.

I ordered something recently from a "new seller" at a particularly attractive price.

I eventually got a refund but no product.

Another couple of suspects:

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