Kenwood L-07M & L-07C - I'm in love!

[Connor G]

Recently, I bought a Kenwood L-07C, to match my beloved L-07M's. I sent it out for a complete service a couple weeks ago, and got it back about 5 days ago. I've had it playing ever since I got it back. I still can not believe how good the combo sounds. Before I got the L-07C, I was using the L-07M's with my Sansui AU-11000, which was still superb as a preamp, but was no match for the L-07C.

Sonically, the L-07C is much tighter and far more detailed than the preamp in the AU-11000. The noise floor is non-existent, which makes nuances fly out of a pitch black background. The sense of depth that I'm hearing is absolutely insane. The low end accuracy and control is really something I have not heard from any other pre/power combo before. That says a lot for me. Midrange is silky smooth, with no "graininess" whatsoever. It just sounds... right. Treble is really a surprise to me. I figured that the top end of the preamp would be rolled off above 15Khz, but I was wrong! It doesn't roll off like the AU-11000 did, and is much more clear and concise. Not harsh at all, either. Everything blends together extremely well, and has no artificial characteristics whatsoever. The more I listen to this set, the more I love it! Maybe it's me, but I still haven't found anything about the sonic characteristics that I don't like.

The controls on the front of the preamp are somewhat bare, but still offer bass & treble attenuators and a subsonic filter, if needed. Although I haven't found a need to increase the bass & treble, It's nice knowing that they are there, if desired. The only gripes that I have with the L-07M's and the L-07C are the horrendous RCA input/output jacks that they decided to use. They are mechanically crimped to ground, and get loose extremely easily. That will cause instability and an annoying hum due to a faulty ground connection. I had my tech replace all of the RCA jacks with stud type jacks, which are much better when it comes to connection and reliability. He also replaced the speaker terminals of the L-07M's to ones that can accommodate spade terminals and banana jacks.

The L-07C and L-07M's look unforgivably utilitarian. I have no idea what Kenwood was thinking when they came up with the aesthetics of these pieces. One look at the set, and you would never guess how good they sound. A matte battleship grey, with orange and white lettering and black knobs.

Build quality of both the L-07C and L-07M's is top notch. The preamp is relatively large, but it makes up for it with a well thought out circuit design.

Here are a couple of links from TheVintageKnob, about the L-07C and L-07M:

http://www.thevintageknob.org/kenwood-L-07C.html
http://www.thevintageknob.org/kenwood-L-07M.html

Here are some photos I just took of my set:



Lastly, here is a video I took the other night, demoing the Kenwood's, on a a pair of Phase Technology PC 1.5's:

 

[ghamilton]

You need to be using a dedicated CD/SACD player and better speakers to get the best out of that combo! A good turntable would be great too.

 

[Connor G]

You need to be using a dedicated CD/SACD player and better speakers to get the best out of that combo! A good turntable would be great too.

I've been running the combo through it's paces with many other sources and speakers. Don't underestimate these Phase Technology PC 1.5's either They are phenomenal speakers!

 

[Blue Shadow]

Just posting up the good crap today? You loving some different gear in a couple posts. I know hard to decide and those two I have commented on are two I would like to have. I'll soon have a pair of L-07Ms to try fully recapped. They aren't quite up to the Luxman tube amps, nothing I have had here is, but I liked their sound before diving in. Looking forward to your discussion about these in that lost forum.

 

[Connor G]

Just posting up the good crap today? You loving some different gear in a couple posts. I know hard to decide and those two I have commented on are two I would like to have. I'll soon have a pair of L-07Ms to try fully recapped. They aren't quite up to the Luxman tube amps, nothing I have had here is, but I liked their sound before diving in. Looking forward to your discussion about these in that lost forum.

I love the Luxman M-4000 to pieces, but sonically, I'd take the L-07M's. They both have strong points, but the Kenwoods do everything a little better.

 

[Roadrash]

I was using a Basic C2 with my L-09 Ms before I scored my L-07Cll, and was pretty happy with that combo. Until I heard the Cll with them that is, it was a night and day difference.
As far as the looks of the gear is concerned, I have to wonder if Kenwood made it look utilitarian on purpose. It is the laboratory series after all.

 

[rickl]

roadrash,

Last week I picked up a dead citation 22 and just noticed your sig. Any thoughts? I got it working last night (new outputs and drivers) and I wasn't planning to put it in the main system. I have no plans to replace my L-07m amps but the citation is dead quiet.

Still no L-07C or basic C or even a KC-xxx. I wanted to use my McIntosh but settled for an Audionics BT-2. I needed to move the gear into a cabinet and couldn't fit everything in. Still I wouldn't mind trying a Kenwood but with my stack of unused preamps it is hard to justify another pre. The wifey looks at all the gear on the shelf and then wonders about the stuff on the bench.

I don't mind the lab look and color. Most of my gear is old so the L07Ms look new in comparison. The L-07m amps seem to respond well to any pre I've used. Hard to imagine something better.

 

[Roadrash]

I am very impressed with the Citation 22, and it was part of my first foray into separates. It's currently paired with a Basic C1 and driving B&W CDM-1s in my third system. The only downside to this amp I can cite is that it runs very warm, other than that it is very, very good.
As far as a preamp to pair with your L-07Ms, the L-07C or Cll will truly take them to a new level. They are really designed as a system and it becomes readily apparent as soon as you hear them together.

 

[Blue Shadow]

That HK stack of 22,23,25 of mine make that Kenwood stack look spectacular. That Citation stuff is just not purty. but coming from the point of view that Luxman from the late 70s is great looking gear what would you expect.

The 22 is my second best sounding ss amp. Behind the McCormack DNA-1 but not by a lot. Does a great job of driving a pair of Dynaco A25s, never break a sweat but run hot all the time on the front heat sinks.