Kenwood Basic C1 vs C2 volume level comparison

[moejr]

Being the Kenwood nut that I am I bought a Basic C2 preamp for my system. I hooked it up and noticed right away that at a the same volume position that I used on the C1 it was much lower in volume. I bought it from DRM audio and I asked him about it. Come to find out that even though they're both Kenwood preamps they have different power curves. The C1 ramps up fast but slows down after about 12-1 o'clock where as the C2 comes on slow an doesn't hit its stride till that same point. I found that so weird that they would be so different. So if you ever think your C2 is awfully quiet at low volume setting you now know why. I am attaching a file that shows the curves for them.

 

[Blue Shadow]

I found that so weird that they would be so different.

Volume control setting are rarely similar between two different chunks of gear. Many think a unit won’t put out even though it is rated higher power if the little one gets loud at 9:00 and the big one needs to get to 12:30. Volume controls should be selected to make silent to comfortable listening level be the first third of the rotation. Then loud to too loud is the next third and the final third, generally unused unless it’s a quiet source like Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits. I always gotta crank that tune.

But the rookie thinks the unit that starts to blast at 8:00 is more powerful but it runs outta gas at 11. Very little adjustment range.

The chart shows the C1 off to the races early the C2 nicely controlled so you can set a lower listening level easily. Your chart would be better flipped on the vertical axis with volume off to the left.

 

[Buck Rogers]

I always liked the Kenwood C1 and C2.

Good all around basic preamplifier found at a great price.

I've owned at least 10 or 12 of them.

One was returned to me a few years ago not working as I had lent it to a customer.

I found my repair signature inside and the date was 2010, So the customer had it for 12 years...!

And the only reason it was returned to me was because it had stopped working.

WTF is with people? Thanks Jon!

Anyway, Never paid attention to the Gain structure since every volume control is different.

I use Precision Spectrol Helipots for volume controls... Dam hard to find!

This one is 1800$, Yikes~!

 

[whklijn]

Being the Kenwood nut that I am I bought a Basic C2 preamp for my system. I hooked it up and noticed right away that at a the same volume position that I used on the C1 it was much lower in volume. I bought it from DRM audio and I asked him about it. Come to find out that even though they're both Kenwood preamps they have different power curves. The C1 ramps up fast but slows down after about 12-1 o'clock where as the C2 comes on slow a doesn't hit its stride till that same point. I found that so weird that they would be so different. So if you ever think your C2 is awfully quiet at low volume setting you now know why. I am attaching a file that shows the curves for them.

Thanks for this. I thought there was something wrong with my C2.