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Kenwood L-07M Vs L-07MII

I finally got around to going through and doing a basic restoration on my L-07M's. I recapped and cleaned everything up and replaced all the mica's/grease. The build quality of these things cannot be understated...there was some serious engineering and effort but into the chassis design. After dialing them in I moved them into my main listening area and was blown away. Right now I am using a Yamaha C2a as the control amplifier but would like to get my hands on an L-07Cii and see what that combination sounds like. The amplifier that was shuffled out was my Sansui AU-20000 which has a thicker sound to it across the whole spectrum. Initially I noticed that the AU-20000 had a richer midrange but after afew hours with the L-07M's the control and clarity of the sound is outstanding. Granted I have not run the power amp section of the AU-20000 with the C2a so much of the difference could be in the pre-section.

I know this thread was more about the comparison between the L-07M and L-07Mii and I would imagine the second generation would take my experience even further. I am going to be actively looking for the L-07Cii preamp to see if it would bring back some of the midrange but overall I am extremely impressed and will not be putting the AU-20000 back in for quite some time.... If these two amps were whiskeys I would say the AU-20000 is a fine bourbon and the L-07M is a fine scotch...happy to pour a glass of either.
 
dsmart705 said:
I finally got around to going through and doing a basic restoration on my L-07M's. I recapped and cleaned everything up and replaced all the mica's/grease. The build quality of these things cannot be understated...there was some serious engineering and effort but into the chassis design. After dialing them in I moved them into my main listening area and was blown away. Right now I am using a Yamaha C2a as the control amplifier but would like to get my hands on an L-07Cii and see what that combination sounds like. The amplifier that was shuffled out was my Sansui AU-20000 which has a thicker sound to it across the whole spectrum. Initially I noticed that the AU-20000 had a richer midrange but after afew hours with the L-07M's the control and clarity of the sound is outstanding. Granted I have not run the power amp section of the AU-20000 with the C2a so much of the difference could be in the pre-section.

I know this thread was more about the comparison between the L-07M and L-07Mii and I would imagine the second generation would take my experience even further. I am going to be actively looking for the L-07Cii preamp to see if it would bring back some of the midrange but overall I am extremely impressed and will not be putting the AU-20000 back in for quite some time.... If these two amps were whiskeys I would say the AU-20000 is a fine bourbon and the L-07M is a fine scotch...happy to pour a glass of either.
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The L-07C is better built, aluminum knobs vs what look like plastic cheap knobs.
 
THD said:
The L-07C is better built, aluminum knobs vs what look like plastic cheap knobs.
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I have not seen or touched either version of the L-07c preamp but based on the build quality of the both versions of the L-07M power amp I would be very surprised if the L-07Cii used plastic for the control knobs.
 
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dsmart705 said:
I have not seen or touched either version of the L-07c preamp but based on the build quality of the both versions of the L-07M power amp I would be very surprised if the L-07Cii used plastic for the control knobs.
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I have L-07C, let's find out what the knobs are made of on the II
 
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cultmax said:
I have both L-07C and L-07Cii. The buttons on the L-07Cii are also made of aluminum. The processing quality and the built-in components are sometimes even higher than with the L-07C.
View attachment 2176950
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Very nice, I would be happy with either but I do prefer the look of the L-07Cii. It seems to be an elusive item as I am always getting outbid on them!
 
Unfortunately, they have become very difficult to find, especially at a reasonable price. You have to keep your eyes open all the time, then you will surely find a bargain ... If the chance arises you should grab it you won't regret it. However, you should keep in mind that in most cases an overhaul is necessary to get the best out of it.
 
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