{"id":21092,"date":"2019-11-26T20:30:49","date_gmt":"2019-11-26T18:30:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/?p=21092"},"modified":"2023-03-19T21:17:55","modified_gmt":"2023-03-19T19:17:55","slug":"lejonklou-sagatun-and-tundra-mono-and-stereo-pre-and-power-amps-part-1-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/amplifier-reviews\/power-amplifier-reviews\/lejonklou-sagatun-and-tundra-mono-and-stereo-pre-and-power-amps-part-1-3\/","title":{"rendered":"Lejonklou Sagatun and Tundra mono and stereo pre- and power amps"},"content":{"rendered":"

Review samples supplied by hexagonaudio.eu<\/a><\/h4>\n

Retail prices in the Netherlands (incl. 21% VAT):
\nSagatun stereo preamp: 3.300 euro
\nSagatun mono preamp (per pair): 6.600 euro
\nTundra stereo power amp: 3.200 euro
\nTundra mono power amp (per pair): 6.000 euro
\nLejonklou Slipsik MM phono stage: 1.200 euro
\nAudio Origami PU7 gimbal bearing tonearm: 2.950 euro<\/h4>\n

All the Lejonklou components were delivered to me in their latest incarnations and with the latest firmware. Both preamps were version 1.4, the stereo power amp was version 2.5 and the mono power amps were version 2.2. These components are all part of Lejonklou’s “Reference Series” and as such, they represent the best the brand has to offer.<\/p>\n

Sound Quality first<\/h3>\n

The components are well-made, look great, and have excellent ergonomics but Lejonklou really cares about sound quality first and foremost. In addition, the philosophy is to keep the prices at a relatively affordable level and to not make any expenses if they do not contribute to a better sound. As an example, you will not find esoteric input- or speaker connectors on the Lejonklou components. Anything not included is considered superfluous or even harmful for the sound quality. Very short signal paths and ultra-high-speed and high-reliability components are used. One can relax in the knowledge that if Fredrik found the improvement to the sound quality worthwhile, that component was included.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Above: Sagatun stereo preamp and Tundra stereo power amp<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Above: Sagatun mono preamp and Tundra mono power amps<\/em><\/p>\n

But minimalism only takes one so far and there’s much more to Lejonklou designs. It’s one thing to use components based on excellent specifications but Fredrik takes this much, much further. Some of the used components are intended for industrial use, not for audio, according to their manufacturers. But according to Fredrik, when selected into extreme tolerances and used properly, these components have a far greater potential than the standard ones used by most HiFi companies. The circuits are designed via endless trial-and-error and extreme attention to every detail. As he got closer and closer to the sound that he was aiming for, he found that nearly all details do matter. And as we all know, that’s where the devil is. The fact that more than 500 listening tests were conducted in the development of Sagatun will help illustrate this point. Another thing is that extreme levels of precision and transparency do not at all guarantee a musical delivery and Fredrik is well aware of this. While his designs measure well, it’s the aural result that matters in the end. For instance, there can be multiple components that measure identically but still give different sonic results. In this case, all the variants are added to a test circuit and the one(s) that achieve the most involving delivery are selected and used.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Above and below: test rigs built to determine the best-sounding components<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Fredrik is not afraid to use non-standard techniques such as a combination of three different regulatory techniques if that leads to better results. For example, the Tundra amplifiers use a mixture of different amplification techniques, pretty much all principles except for tubes! There are IC’s bipolar transistors and MOSFET transistors plus a number of unique techniques. Quite uniquely, the heat sinks are made of high purity copper which, according to Fredrik, cuts the music-induced variations in temperature in half in all critical areas. As he explains: “Less temperature variation means a more stable foundation for the music, adding weight and solidity as if the music is bolted down firmly instead of bouncing around”.<\/p>\n

The selection of switch-mode power supplies is also controversial. I was expecting a lean and dry sound-based purely on the amps’ power supplies and I’m sure that I won’t be alone in this. But as always, a component or one of its sections is only as good as its application and, clearly, Fredrik knows what he’s doing. Not only do the power supplies work perfectly for the Lejonklou components themselves but they also do not seem to contaminate any of the other components, as has actually happened in some cases. All the Lejonklou components come with a manual and a leaflet labeled “the reason behind” in which Fredrik explains the reasoning behind the design of the components. The main theme throughout this is that the music should reach out and touch you emotionally rather than being merely technically perfect.<\/p>\n

Component placement<\/h3>\n

As the manual mentions: “The feet may appear simple in construction but are in fact carefully chosen for optimal performance. Tighten the feet using your fingers only”. While I have no problem with their appearance one needs to be ultra-careful not to stack the components on each other or on any surface that is not 100% smooth and sealed. The compliant rubber feet apparently contain an oily dissolvent that penetrates pretty much any material and will leave permanent stains. Marco already forewarned me about this and so I used pieces of paper in between but only days later I found that the liquid had penetrated the paper and still caused permanent stains on the Artesania rack. This is why you can see velvet or neoprene pads between the components in the pictures. On a related note, stacking components is never ideal for the sound and it is always best to allow each component its own shelf.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Interesting Options<\/h3>\n

The inputs on the preamps can be switched between Single Source or Normal operation. In Single Source mode, any signal on this connector goes directly to the volume control and then to the outputs. In this mode, the other inputs are not available. In Normal operation, four inputs are available, one of which can be set to unity mode for use with another device that has volume control or a surround system.<\/p>\n

Unusually, the preamp’s volume setting is not indicated with a led on a rotary control, a led-bar or by digits but by the color of a single LED. While it may seem weird at first, one quickly gets used to this and simply remembers that light blue is for easy listening, green is for enthusiastic listening and orange is blowing off the roof. As a reviewer, I prefer to know the setting exactly but as a music listener, all one needs to know really is that each step is 1dB.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The power amplifiers are straightforward in functionality: they can be switched on and off and that’s it. Well, almost. Uniquely, they also offer a user-adjustable Bias setting for the power section. Lejonklou calls this “Trim”. For this purpose, a digital multimeter is provided along with instructions. While I opted not to investigate this and listened to the amplifiers using the factory default settings, earlier experience tells me that one can usefully tweak the sound of an amplifier this way to be smoother and warmer or tighter and more articulate.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Above: the Lejonklou components were only stacked like this to make a nice photo, all listening was done with the components in the Artesania Modular rack<\/em><\/p>\n

System Context<\/h3>\n

All my listening was done using the CH Precision C1<\/a> DAC as a source and because my Origin Live turntable was away for an upgrade, Marco Oudheusden of Hexagon Audio<\/a> was kind enough to loan me his personal Linn LP12 Akurate with an Audio Origami PU7 gimbal bearing tonearm (12-gram effective mass version with Cardas 33ga internal wiring and super OFC external cable). Besides Graham Audio and Lejonklou, Hexagon Audio also has turntable arms in its portfolio, hence its inclusion on the Linn. The tonearm in this configuration is outfitted with a detachable Cardas OFC silver cable and Linn Silver interconnects. The interesting thing is that this particular LP12 sounds entirely different than the LP12 that I reviewed a few years ago<\/a>: smooth, warm, & relaxed rather than dry and forward. The player itself is pretty much the same version, differing only in terms of the tonearm. Even the exact same Linn Adikt cartridge was used so go figure how much of an influence the arm has! Along with the LP12. Marco also included the Lejonklou Slipsik MM phono stage. Positioned in the “Reference series”, and with the exception of the built-to-order dual-mono Singularity MC phono stage, the Slipsik is currently the best phono stage in the Lejonklou portfolio. Meanwhile, Lejonklou is working on a new and more affordable MC phono stage that uses the same circuits as the no-holds-barred Singularity, which will be called the Entity.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

At 2x 24 watts into 8 ohms, the Tundra is not very powerful by current standards. The manual states that the amp can drive almost any loudspeaker, just not to any level. I started my listening with the resident Martin Logan ESL15A<\/a> electrostatics speakers that are easy to drive but do have a nasty impedance drop that actually upsets most tube amplifiers. The Tundra, however, fared just perfectly well. In addition, I also used Kroma Audio Carmens<\/a>, Paradigm Persona B<\/a> monitors and a range of Graham Audio<\/a> loudspeakers for further comparisons. Other amplifiers that were available for cross-comparison besides the resident CH Precision A1.5<\/a> were the Electrocompaniet AW180 and AW600 Nemo<\/a> monoblocks and the Bryston 4B and 14B Cubed<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Listening<\/h3>\n

Coming from the CH Precision C1 DAC and A1.5 amplifier and changing the latter to the Lejonklou Tundra stereo power amp set up on the Artesania Modular Rack<\/a>, I’m greeted with a highly refined and very natural sound with a smooth and rich tonality. Slightly darker from the midrange up, less explicit than the CH and not quite as razor-sharp, the levels of detail and treble air were still remarkably good, better than I find with the average other amplifiers, including the Electrocompaniets and the Brystons. Actually, the Lejonklou sound reminds me in many ways of the classic class A\/B Jeff Rowland sound: utterly detailed but sweet and emotionally captivating and never offensive. Given the large price difference, that is quite an achievement.<\/p>\n

The bass is slightly round but nevertheless speedy and well-proportioned. Here I was, expecting a lean and gray sound, based on, what, exactly? Well, based on their switching power supplies and their small and lightweight enclosures, I guess. But appearances can be deceptive… Instead, the Lejonklou Tundra is an utterly grain-free, smooth, and highly refined amp that gets closer to my transparency ideal than I would expect considering its modest price point. How I love to be wrong!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Adding the Lejonklou Sagatun stereo preamp in normal mode (inputs selectable), while retaining the C1 DAC switched to fixed volume, the sound does not become soft and mushy, rather the inverse! First, the bass firms up. It\u2019s not only more solid but also still well-defined and well-paced and the entire delivery also gains more presence, while retaining the overall feeling of refinement. It isn’t an improvement across the board, though, and how could it be? Many manufacturers claim it and I’ve felt that some came close but I\u2019ve yet to encounter the first analog preamp that is truly entirely transparent to the source. The best preamp that I heard so far is the Jeff Rowland Corus + PSU<\/a> but, on balance, even that super-esoteric product could not keep me from removing the preamp from the chain entirely and going DAC-direct. Of course, the C1 is one of only a handful of DACs that are truly so great as to allow this without penalties in other fields, but anyway, let’s get back to the Lejonklou preamp. What’s lost, compared to the DAC-direct route, is a measure of Retina-like fluid crispness and precision – call it micro-resolution. But still, the sound is highly refined. In my book, resolution is not necessarily the same as refinement because the former can also lead to a dry and matter-of-fact sound while the latter can also describe a sound that is very gentle and fluid even if not particularly well-defined. Either way, the Lejonklou Sagatun preamp is clearly working highly synergistically with the Tundra power amp, in this case making for a subjectively better-balanced and more powerful delivery than via the DAC-direct route.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

As mentioned the preamp has traditional inputs as well as a Single Source direct input. This requires using physically different connectors on the preamp’s input- and output side which has the consequence that the other inputs cannot be used. But then, many systems have only one source so that may not be the sacrifice that it seems to be. Not really knowing what to expect I switched the cables and lo and behold – this brought back a significant portion of the crispness and precision that were reduced when the preamp was added to the signal path! Connected this way, a small impact on the DAC\u2019s transparency can still be heard but now it really is minimal. And, as I mentioned, no preamp that I heard so far, is totally transparent. Fredrik clearly is on to something here! Since the difference in sound was so profound, I chose to only use this input for the remainder of the review.<\/p>\n

Moreover, just as with the power amp, the Lejonklou preamp reminds me of the classic Jeff Rowland sound, in this case specifically the Synergy 2i. I’ve not got that preamp at hand for a direct comparison but I’d swear that the Lejonklou has a similarly smooth and refined delivery but is faster in the bass.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Speaker- and component pairing<\/h3>\n

Changing from the C1 to an analog source in the shape of the Linn LP12 connected to the Lejonklou Slipsik MM phono preamp, the sound is again refined and very natural but sweeter and even more relaxed. I hate to repeat myself but, again, I felt that the sound reminded me of a classic Jeff Rowland component, in this case, the Cadence phono stage.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

While beautifully saturated, entirely free from edge and flowing entirely freely I also feel that, with the Graham speakers and with some music, the sound can be too<\/em> relaxed and lacking PRaT. Switching to the Schiit Mani in this case made for a subjectively speedier and more articulate delivery but at the expense of the sound also becoming considerably soberer and drier. Of course, one can’t expect too much from a 129-euro phono stage and indeed the Lejonklou Slipsik makes a very clear case for spending the extra amount. But one should be aware that this phono stage sounds very relaxed and it may not be the ideal partner if the turntable\/arm\/cartridge combination, as well as the speakers, already sound very relaxed themselves.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

With the very lively and arguably relatively lean-sounding Thorens TD160 or TD125 with standard TP-92 arms and the Audio Technica AT150mlx, however, the Slipsik combined absolutely wonderfully. And when using the Paradigms or the Martin Logans, the LP12-Slipsik match was also great. In any event, when well-matched, either with a digital or analog source, the Lejonklous always convey the musical message and in such a fluid and non-grainy way that it becomes very easy to relax and sink into the music.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Although the Lejonklou amps are specified to not be used with speakers under 4 ohms, as mentioned earlier, they worked surprisingly well with the ESL15A’s. In spite of their active bass units, with a minimum impedance of 0.5 ohms at 20kHz, they can sound overly rounded and soft with some amps, especially tube amps. While not achieving CH-levels of tightness and articulation, the Lejonklou’s managed just fine. But with the Paradigm Persona B’s, the Lejonklou’s absolutely come into their own. These speakers are extremely coherent and transparent and they showcased perfectly just how well-resolved and super-refined the Lejonklou products are. It is with this pairing that I spent the most time and I have to say that, even if I am used to using much more esoteric equipment, this pairing I could absolutely live with.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Interlinks and speaker cables<\/h3>\n

All listening has been done using very neutral Siltech Paris MXT interlinks and Jorma Design Trinity speaker cables. Once all my impressions had been gathered, I also listened to the Lejonklou’s using Linn Silver “analogue interconnect” interlinks as well as Lejonklou speaker cables that are based on a solid core Linn design. Rather surprisingly, while there were differences in character, the Linn interlinks provided a wider soundstage and airier treble and the Siltechs the tightest sound with the most solid bass, I found that, in terms of musical satisfaction, the Lejonklou’s work pretty much equally well with both interlinks.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Because the Lejonklou amps only facilitate bananas and my favorite speaker cables, the Jorma Trinity<\/a>, have spades, I had to resort to adapter connectors. In order to create a level playing field, I used these adapters with all the other amps as well, so that they all had to deal with the same obstruction. While these adapters have proven to have a negative impact, mostly in terms of reducing the naturalness and adding an edge, I was still amazed at how great the Lejonklou’s sounded. At some point, I switched to a (no longer available) Lejonklou-modified Linn K400 speaker cable with banana connectors, as recommended by Lejonklou when it was still manufactured. The Lejonklou speaker cable provided a very different perspective. On the one hand, its delivery was more solid and concrete, on the other, it was darker, less articulate, and less refined than the Jorma. Between these two, the Lejonklou cable was more impactful and had a more acoustically convincing timbre. Otherwise, I found the Jorma to be better, in spite of the spade\/banana adapters. Especially the transparency and resolution, and the articulation in the bass, the ability to follow bass notes, was better with the Jorma.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Amp comparisons<\/h3>\n

Although I had four different power amps from Bryston and Electrocompaniet available for comparison, I left the bigger ones out of the equation simply because they are incomparably different and much more powerful bridged designs. The Bryston 4B Cubed<\/a> provides an interesting alternative perspective. Smooth and relaxed and not at all cold or clinical, the 4B did not deliver the Lejonklou’s resolution or its subtle finesse and fluidity but, as expected, it was considerably more powerful in the bass and more concrete and very energetic overall. I quite like the Bryston’s neutral and vivid presentation but after having listened to the Lejonklou Tundra for a week or two now also found that I was missing a certain “je ne sais quoi”. Maybe it’s the utter nuance and harmoniously perfectly balanced delivery of the Lejonklou’s that makes it very easy to connect with the music emotionally, but in any event, there’s something special going on. However, even if less dreamy and more straightforward, I find that the Bryston’s solid and dynamic delivery also trigger an emotional response in me, just a different one at that. They get me in a party mode. What can I say? Humans are complicated in the way that they respond to music.\u00a0 Something similar happened with the Electrocompaniet AW180’s<\/a> which are less smooth and refined than the Brystons and quite matter of fact, when matched with the Paradigms but have a certain communicative quality in the midrange especially with the Grahams that makes them a very exciting listen. What it basically comes down to is that the Lejonklou’s excel at making gentle and nuanced music come across captivatingly beautifully while Brystons and Electrocompaniets excel more at creating a “live” atmosphere and are better for harder-hitting rhythmically-oriented music. Another way of putting this is to say that the Lejonklou’s are more dreamy and ethereal and the Brystons and Electrocompaniets are more earthy. Naturally, there is a lot more to say about this but this is what it basically comes down to. For more detailed descriptions please refer to the Electrocompaniet review<\/a>. In conclusion, I find all these deliveries to have their respective quality and I’m just glad that such different options exist. After all, there is no pleasing everyone and a lot depends on the combination that is made, so much is clear.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

From stereo to mono preamp<\/h3>\n

This brings us finally to the top of the Lejonklou Liga, where the components double up and each unit takes care of a single channel to comprise a no-compromise version. Indeed: not only the power amp can be doubled but also the preamp. Don’t worry, the latter has its two independent channels linked via an optical cable so that you only have to operate one and not carry out each setting twice. And when using the remote control, both respond perfectly simultaneously. The difference between the Sagantun stereo and mono preamps is not one of the internal component quality or even the circuit design. The actual difference between the stereo and mono models is that even better performance is possible due to the separation of channels and their respective ground planes and of course the power supplies which have been further tweaked to precisely match the single channels.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Above: Sagatun mono preamp<\/em><\/p>\n

Going from the stereo Sagatun to the mono version makes for a slightly darker and calmer sound that’s subjectively less propulsive but the less hurried delivery also provides more room for subtle reverbs to decay more fully and more clearly. I also note a slightly more solid bass and lower midrange and the soundstage is a little less forward but also wider allowing vocals to be more freely positioned between the speakers. The overall change seems relatively minor at first but when going back to the stereo preamp after hearing a few songs it becomes more obvious that the mono version really does add some subtle but worthwhile differences. Overall, however, I feel that the decision between the two comes down more to taste than to absolute quality. The stereo version is a little snappier and more prominent in the midrange which I personally find quite attractive. Conversely, the mono version’s subtler presentation might be preferable especially if the system’s current sound tends to be bright or forward or if one simply prefers the sound to be as nuanced as possible.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

From stereo to mono power amps<\/h3>\n

The amplifier’s power supplies are of the same type as in the stereo model, but in Tundra Mono they only have one channel to drive. Although the output stage is identical, the driver stage is much more powerful, allowing the mono amplifiers to sound more forceful without paying a penalty in terms of fluidity and the amp’s lyrical abilities. Fredrik did experiment with more output devices but while they did make the amps sound more powerful, inevitably they decreased the musicality so that was a no-go. Instead of the single copper piece heatsink in the stereo Tundra amp, the mono amp uses two pieces of copper, between which the output transistors are clamped. The pressure is set with a leaf spring arrangement that keeps it constant during the variations in temperature. There are a couple of other tweaks and changes, but overall, the mono amplifiers are very similar to the stereo version.<\/p>\n

Just like with the preamp, the sound delivered by the Tundra mono’s is slightly more sonorous and the soundstage a little wider than with the stereo amp. Overall, the sound is slightly more energetic and more assured. Whereas the change from stereo to mono preamps is subtle, the change from stereo to mono power amps is more obvious. Of course, with 40 watts into 8 ohms compared to 24 watts for the stereo version, the mono models offer more power which is a clear benefit.<\/p>\n

The Paradigm speakers are not very hard to drive, and here, there was not really a perceptible difference in terms of power. But when more difficult speakers are used, the case for the mono amps becomes ever stronger. For instance, with the Graham Audio LS5\/8<\/a> monsters, the mono amps provided not only the aforementioned improvements but their separate power supplies evidently also provided better control over the bass units, resulting in tighter, better-articulated bass which is especially noticeable with very compressed or crowded mixes.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

Lejonklou as a brand was entirely invisible to me until this review and I’m glad that I did get around to hearing these remarkable components. Forget the dogmas about switching power supplies and lightweight materials, because what these components achieve is something very special. Smooth, fluid, transparent and extremely finely detailed, they relay music with a degree of finesse and lyricism that is rare in generic and in this price class in particular. They thread a very fine line between unforced smoothness and PRaT and while the power amps won’t match entirely ideally with every<\/em> speaker on the planet, they never fail to deliver the musical message. The Sagatun preamp, in particular, surprised me to such an extent that I asked Marco if it could stay a little longer to be used with a range of other reviews. Such is its musical finesse and transparency that it absolutely never becomes an obstacle when reviewing other components. It worked superbly in literally any combination that I tried and it did not matter if the speakers were very relaxed like the Grahams, inherently full and rich like the Kromas or super-clean and transparent like the Paradigms. In case it wasn’t clear: I like the Lejonklou components a lot and unreservedly recommend them.<\/p>\n

\"\"
\n(Sagatun Stereo and Tundra Stereo)<\/p>\n

Associated Equipment<\/a><\/p>\n

External Links<\/h3>\n

Distributor for the Benelux, UK, and Germany: hexagonaudio<\/a>
\nManufacturer’s website: Lejonklou<\/a><\/p>\n

\r\n
Related Posts<\/div>\r\n
\r\n\r\n
\r\n
\r\n \r\n\r\n \"\"\r\n\r\n <\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n Playback Designs SPA-8 Stereo Amplifier – Quick Impression <\/a>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n
\r\n
\r\n \r\n\r\n \"\"\r\n\r\n <\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n LAiV Harmony GaNM <\/a>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n
\r\n
\r\n \r\n\r\n \"\"\r\n\r\n <\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n WestminsterLab Quest preamp and Rei mono power amps <\/a>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n
\r\n
\r\n \r\n\r\n \"\"\r\n\r\n <\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n NuPrime AGM STA-SE stereo power amplifier <\/a>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n
\r\n
\r\n \r\n\r\n \"\"\r\n\r\n <\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n Halcro Eclipse Stereo Power Amplifier <\/a>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n
\r\n
\r\n \r\n\r\n \"\"\r\n\r\n <\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n NuPrime Evolution STA stereo power amplifier <\/a>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n
\r\n
\r\n \r\n\r\n \"\"\r\n\r\n <\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n CAT (Convergent Audio Technology) JL5 Black Path <\/a>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n
\r\n
\r\n \r\n\r\n \"\"\r\n\r\n <\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n NuPrime AMG-PRA with 2x AMG-STA power amplifier <\/a>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n \r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n