{"id":29834,"date":"2021-11-10T15:16:36","date_gmt":"2021-11-10T13:16:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/?p=29834"},"modified":"2021-12-13T11:58:31","modified_gmt":"2021-12-13T09:58:31","slug":"lejonklou-kalla-network-player","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/review\/digital-reviews\/network-player-reviews\/lejonklou-kalla-network-player\/","title":{"rendered":"Lejonklou K\u00e4lla Network Player"},"content":{"rendered":"

Review sample supplied by hexagonaudio<\/a>
\n<\/a>Retail price in the NL (incl 21% VAT): 5.900 euro<\/h4>\n

The K\u00e4lla (pronounced “Kijalla”) is a single-purpose network player with a built-in DA converter. Its appearance is simple and elegant. The unit contains no buttons and not even a status LED, requires no configuration, and there are zero options to choose from. In fact, it can only be connected in one way. Simply feed it power and a network cable and connect its outputs to a preamp, integrated amp, or active speakers, and that’s really all there is to it.<\/p>\n

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The K\u00e4lla’s primary intended use is to play from audio streaming music services such as Spotify, Qobuz, Tidal, and Apple Music. As a control point, you can use any device that runs iOS, iPadOS, MacOS, or TVOS, so basically, anything made by Apple.<\/p>\n

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The Apple OS automatically recognizes the K\u00e4lla as a compatible speaker on the network<\/em><\/p>\n

The decision to make the K\u00e4lla work only with Apple devices is made consciously because the designer’s aim was to keep it as simple and effective as possible while minimizing the potential for external influences such as 3rd party software updates to ruin the experience, or worse, the sound quality. By limiting the compatibility, the chance that every user achieves the same results is maximized. Think about it: the more services a device needs to be compatible with, the more software it must run and the more potential there is for dependabilities and cross-contamination. But the K\u00e4lla is not limited to streaming apps only. For instance, it also works with Roon which runs on Apple, Linux, and Windows operating systems.<\/p>\n

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The K\u00e4lla may be simple, small, and lightweight, but it is also beautiful in its elegance. But don’t let its minimalistic design fool you. Designer Fredrik Lejonklou is such a purist that he’s obsessive with all of the component’s details such as which casing, feet, connectors, and internal components to use or what to leave out. This fanaticism extends to details such as how many o-rings there need to be between the feet and the unit’s underside and even to the ideal tension to use for all the component’s cabinet screws. Also, the supplied power cable may look like any other standard freebie cable but even this part is specially selected to be ideal for the component. In short, everything added, or taken away, is done to maximize the musical enjoyment.<\/p>\n

The Lejonklou sound<\/h3>\n

As someone who has heard multiple Lejonklou components, I’d say that there are a few common traits such as refinement, resolution, neutrality, ease, and flow. As Fredrik puts it himself when asked: “There is no ideal sound and we did not evaluate the K\u00e4lla that way – only that listening to music with it should be more thrilling than with anything else. It should be a machine that you want to play music with all the time.” Well, that pretty much says it all, doesn’t it? Ultimately, all that matters is that you can get moved by the music or get lost in it.<\/p>\n

Review Context<\/h3>\n

I will be comparing the K\u00e4lla to various other digital music sources using a range of control devices and apps. The Aqua LinQ<\/a> is my current reference Network Player and as such it will be the primary source for comparison. The Grimm MU1<\/a> and the Antipodes K50<\/a> are my current reference Music Servers and these will function as secondary comparison material.<\/p>\n

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I know, the loudspeakers are too dark… this is the result of my having incrementally moved them forward beyond the reach of the overhead spots. But I’m working on installing a new light rail as we speak. The next setup image should be well-lit again!<\/em><\/p>\n

When comparing the K\u00e4lla with the LinQ, I also include the Formula xHD<\/a> DAC with V2 output board<\/a>, because the LinQ is digital-only. I should note that this is unfairly comparing a 6000 euro integrated network player to a network interface+DAC duo costing three times as much. Alas, the same goes for the comparisons with Music Servers which are respectively almost twice and almost three times as expensive as the K\u00e4lla.<\/p>\n

Besides my own components, there are two review components that are also available for comparison which are the 8700-euro Grandinote Volta<\/a> and the 5400-euro COS D10 (review forthcoming). Of these two, only the COS with its optional network module sits in more or less the same price bracket as the K\u00e4lla. But, unfortunately, the COS can’t really serve properly in this comparison because it contains an analog preamp section that cannot be bypassed. Nevertheless, I will make references to it, where I think this is appropriate.<\/p>\n

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All the network players’ outputs are routed via Driade Flow Link Reference 808<\/a> RCA cables to an Audio-GD Master 1<\/a> preamp that is connected to the CH A1.5<\/a> power amplifier via Driade Flow Link Reference 808<\/a> XLR cables. The speakers are Magico S1 mkII, connected via Jorma Trinity<\/a> speaker cables.<\/p>\n

More details about the review system can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Given the option between UPnP and HQPlayer<\/a> in relation to the Aqua LinQ, I’m using the former for this comparison, as it allows me to directly compare the same Qobuz app and music source, streamed directly either to the K\u00e4lla or to the LinQ. Alternatively, I used Bubble UPnP on a Samsung Android tablet and jRiver Media Center on a Windows PC to play local music files.<\/p>\n

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Next: on bypassing the component feet.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Bypassing the component feet<\/h3>\n

To first get acquainted with the K\u00e4lla, I listened to it placed on an Artesania Rack’s Carbon Fiber\/Beechwood interface arms, thereby bypassing the K\u00e4lla’s feet. I am aware of the manufacturer’s recommendation for using the component’s own feet but I needed to start this way because it provides a level playing field to make comparisons with the other components which are also supported in the same way. In addition, I’m just wired such that I always like to do my own research. So, let’s dive in!<\/p>\n

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Sound<\/h3>\n

The K\u00e4lla has an engagingly crisp, fast, rhythmic, and upbeat presentation. It is exceedingly neutral and sounds very linear and transparent, with a fabulously high resolution of fine detail. Whereas such characteristics can sometimes lend a clinical feeling to the music, the K\u00e4lla actually strikes a great balance between articulate precision and expression on the one hand, and refinement, fluidity, and flow on the other. It doesn’t have much character of its own which is always a good thing while a very carefully dosed amount of gentleness makes it easy to listen to for hours on end. Don’t get me wrong – the Kalla is far from sounding smooth or warm, but while it is highly accurate and revealing, it is also not analytical in a negative sense.<\/p>\n

What I also noticed is that the K\u00e4lla is not only highly detailed, it is also great at discerning the various layer of which a soundstage is comprised. In terms of soundstage width and depth, it walks the middle road, not sounding exceedingly large or deep but neither small nor narrow.<\/p>\n

However, one thing that I did note after listening to it for some time, is that the K\u00e4lla is comparatively a little low on tonal saturation, something that is sometimes also referred to as bloom or richness. Or coloration, depending on your views. Of course, this also ties in heavily with the rest of the system, what cables are used, and how the K\u00e4lla is supported. But I’ll explain more about this later.<\/p>\n

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Using the component feet<\/h3>\n

In order to use the K\u00e4lla’s own feet, I slid a 36mm thick MDF panel between the rack’s Beechwood feet and the K\u00e4lla. Within a couple of seconds of starting the track, the case was already closed. There was no doubt about it, this was much better. The bass was now fuller and more sonorous, going some way toward filling in the tonal leanness while preserving the articulation and speed. Clearly, the manufacturer’s recommendations are indeed correct.<\/p>\n

This outcome also makes sense related to earlier experiments where I combined a wood or MDF support with compliant rubber feet. The big difference this time is that the balance is immediately spot-on, rather than having shifted a little too much to the smooth side and requiring further tweaking.<\/p>\n

In this context, it’s worth noting that, in certain cases, it can be beneficial to be creative or to deviate from established convictions as well as the manufacturer’s recommendations. But it seems that Fredrik is acutely aware of these interactions and has tuned his devices to be used under particular circumstances. Following this, it only follows that I should take all of the Lejonklou recommendations very seriously.<\/p>\n

Power Cable<\/h3>\n

The default preferred configuration for power cables that I use for the majority of my components as well as for most of the products that I review is a Belden 19364 with Bals Schuko and Oyaide C-004 IEC connector. So far, the K\u00e4lla was also powered with such a cable, again, in the interest of creating a level playing field. Now, it is time to see what happens when swapping the Belden for the supplied and recommended power cable. As mentioned, the cable that comes with the K\u00e4lla looks like any other freebie cable but as I know from experience, there can be marked sonic differences among these cables, even if they appear to look very similar. Evidently, Fredrik is also aware of this, and he has selected the model that best complements the Kalla.<\/p>\n

With the cables swapped and the K\u00e4lla rebooted in 20 or so seconds, my first impression was very good. The supplied cable sounds nicely open and airy and at first, seemingly, with no losses in resolution. It’s fast, too, but it didn’t take long to note that it is also considerably leaner in the bass and tonally less saturated than the Belden. Besides sounding fuller and more robust, the Belden is also a little bit more expressive and dynamic, if perhaps comparatively dry for some tastes.<\/p>\n

The standard cable seems<\/em> to be more fluid but if I’m being critical, I feel that it actually glosses over treble detail while making it stand out a little bit, leading to a white-ish sound. So, here, I beg to differ with the recommendation. In many cases, a standard cable can actually work very well, but given the K\u00e4lla’s balance, I would suggest using a slightly fuller-sounding cable.<\/p>\n

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Network Switches<\/h3>\n

Being the detail fanatic that he is, Fredrik has specified the ideal network switch to use with the K\u00e4lla. A hotly-debated topic, for sure, but one that I can confirm has sonic merit, even if it might seem illogical. The switch that I use for the audio system is an ordinary Linksys unit that precedes the Gigabit versions that came later. But because it always works, I’ve not yet developed a desire to replace it, until now, that is. Hexagon Distributor Marco Oudheusden provided two Netgear switches for me to experiment with. The grey GS108T v2 switch is recommended as ideal while the blue GS108 v2 switch is still great but positioned slightly lower. With an open mind, I approached this test and just swapped all 8 Ethernet cables from my own switch to the blue GS108 v2 switch whilst also swapping my switched power supply for the blue GS108 v2 switch’s linear model. I kid you not, there was indeed a difference and I wouldn’t call it subtle! Frankly, it was as large as I have heard when swapping interlink cables.<\/p>\n

Judging from what I heard with the blue GS108 v2 switch, my own switch has a more upfront sound but it is also comparatively leaner and thinner, and tonally less saturated. The GS108 v2 sounds fuller, warmer, and more relaxed. Actually, that’s the only thing I miss from my own switch, which is its more explicit pacing.<\/p>\n

Moving on to the grey GS108T v2 switch that comes with a switches power supply, albeit a bigger model than that of my own switch, I was perplexed to find that the sound gained most of what I liked about my own switch while avoiding taking on any of its grayness and maintaining the blue GS108 v2 model’s fuller and more relaxed sound.<\/p>\n

As I know from earlier experience, merely swapping the switch’s power supply can also make a marked difference, so would the GS108T v2 switch’s model be simply better? well, using this switch with the GS108 v2 switch’s linear power supply did make the sound a little calmer but otherwise, I was still hearing the same overall sound as with its intended power supply unit. Clearly, the GS108 v2 model’s power supply was not the whole story.<\/p>\n

Since the\u00a0GS108T v2 switch made such a marked improvement, I retained it for my successive testing.<\/p>\n

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Fredrik provided the below schematic for getting the best sound from the K\u00e4lla. My review situation follows this for the most part, right down to using two different power outlets, the GS-108T switch, and 2,5m ethernet cables. The only exception is that I did not use the specified port 7 and 8 on the switch and that I also left 6 more ethernet cables connected for all my other components. It’s recommended to dedicate the switch entirely to the K\u00e4lla.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Next: Comparisons and Conclusion.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Comparisons<\/h3>\n

In many areas such as linearity, neutrality, articulation, and resolution, the K\u00e4lla (fed directly from the iPad Qobuz app) is quite similar to the much more expensive Aqua combo (from a UPnP stream either via Bubble UPnP and Qobuz), which is quite something to achieve by a single box unit that costs significantly less.<\/p>\n

Where the K\u00e4lla’s sound diverges most notably from the Aqua combo, is in terms of bass and the overall solidity. Whereas the Aqua components provide a more robust, and well-rooted sound in addition to being very linear, the Lejonklou K\u00e4lla has more of a light-footed approach. It focuses more on fluidity and flow than on achieving the maximum in terms of earthiness and solidity. Secondarily, the Aqua combo manages to represent the music with deeper tonal saturation while remaining every bit as neutral and linear as the Kalla.<\/p>\n

Although the K\u00e4lla appears a little lean in comparison to the Aqua combo, its bass is just as precise and articulate and actually remarkably well-formed with absolutely excellent mid-bass performance and good extension if missing a little pressure at the lowest frequencies. With the K\u00e4lla, there is just no overhang whatsoever which I personally feel is definitely preferable to the overt thickness or blur that plagues some DACs.<\/p>\n

By the way, as far as I can make fair comparisons, the COS D10 appears to have a more explicit and concentrated sound than the K\u00e4lla, with even tighter bass. From what I can discern by extrapolating the influence of the Audio-GD Master 1 preamp versus the COS D10’s built-in preamp, the latter is even more expressive and precise but is also positioned more on the analytical side of things. It’s important to note that the K\u00e4lla, for all its precision and neutrality, retains a sense of flow.<\/p>\n

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More comparisons<\/h3>\n

The Antipodes K50 server has a seductively lush and relaxed sound and majors in deep tonal saturation while being relatively less endowed in terms of articulation and precision. In many ways, and even with the ideal placement, switch, and power cable, the K\u00e4lla has a sonic presentation that could be said to be diametrically opposed to the Antipodes K50’s presentation. But as it follows, the K\u00e4lla majors precisely in the areas where the K50 is less accomplished, which are articulation, resolution, and overall precision.<\/p>\n

The Grandinote Volta offers a large acoustic with rich bass and a smooth and colorful midrange. Emotionally, it is immediately captivating and initially, it seems to offer a more satisfying experience than the Kalla. But it is also less linear and transparent, its bass is a little soft, and it has a definite character of its own. The K\u00e4lla, on the other hand, has more articulate and more precise bass, is more refined, and has higher resolution.<\/p>\n

Between these two network players, I’m actually hard-pressed to pick a favorite. On the one hand, my desire for linearity and precision, especially in the bass, leads me to the Kalla and it is, without doubt, the more neutral source. On the other hand, the Volta offers a less factual and harmonically richer presentation, even if it is clear that the unit has a definite character.<\/p>\n

The Grimm MU1, finally, is less lush than the K50 and the Volta and indeed more neutral while being more highly resolving than both. The server only works with Roon but offers the best sound quality that I have heard with RAAT. When comparing the K\u00e4lla (with the Qobuz app) to the Grimm MU1 (using Roon), both using the same Qobuz source, I was amazed at how close the K\u00e4lla comes in terms of the overall balance and tonality. Once again, it is clear that Fredrik’s painstaking tweaking has paid off. However, as well-balanced as the Kalla is, like the Aqua combo, the Grimm offers a more rooted sound with deeper tonal saturation, which ultimately leads to a more complete and convincingly realistic experience. But to be fair, the Grimm costs 10.000 euros and that excludes storage, and more importantly, a DAC!<\/p>\n

Apps<\/h3>\n

Because there were already more than enough variables in relation to a device that is seemingly as simple as the K\u00e4lla, I’ve saved this section for last. As Fredrik indicates, the K\u00e4lla’s sound is influenced by the control point and app that it is used with. Without going overboard on this subject (apparently, one can go as far as to make distinctions between various models of the iPhone and iPad), I have tried the methods that were directly available to me.<\/p>\n

Qobuz app on iPad Pro 11 (first gen)<\/h3>\n

Right off the bat, I will unveil that the native Qobuz app on my iPad Pro 11 inch (first gen) sounded best to me and this is what I used for obtaining my impressions for this review. It is with this method that the K\u00e4lla sounded most articulate and robust, and most expressive.<\/p>\n

Spotify Premium on an iPhone 6<\/h3>\n

This produced a softer, less distinct, and less powerful sound than the preferred Qobuz method and was the least preferred method.<\/p>\n

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Apple Music on a Macbook Air M1 (first gen)<\/h3>\n

This is easily the second-best method, sounding considerably fuller and more robust than Spotify and being just as detailed, open, and effortlessly fluid as the preferred Qobuz method, yielding to it only in terms of ultimate solidity and dynamic impact.<\/p>\n

Qobuz web app on a Macbook Air M1 (first gen)<\/h3>\n

Interestingly, Qobuz sounded incredibly similar to the Apple Music app on the same device. The differences that I think I heard were too little to worry about. It seems that in this case the host hardware and its OS are more decisive for the end result than the streaming source or even the music file format.<\/p>\n

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Roon<\/h3>\n

Although the K\u00e4lla is not compatible with Roon, Roon offers compatibility with nearly every format out there, and it also works with the K\u00e4lla. In line with earlier experiences, Roon offers a superlative interface but it produces a sound that is fuller and richer yet also softer and less well-defined than when using the same streaming source directly via the Qobuz app. I would rank this method third best, better than Spotify but not as good as Apple Music.<\/p>\n

Stability<\/h3>\n

Strangely, at first, the Qobuz and Spotify apps frequently lead to stuttering and sometimes a track cutting out altogether, while Qobuz in Roon and Apple Music worked 100% stably. Interestingly, all the instability was resolved once I had swapped my own switch for the recommended Netgear switch. Peculiarly, I never had any stuttering before, but perhaps Roon RAAT and UPnP streams place different demands on the network. In any event, even if the notion of sonic differences<\/em> among network switches raises some eyebrows, it’s irrefutable that they make a difference in terms of stability and reliability<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Limitations<\/h3>\n

While the K\u00e4lla can be controlled using a wide range of Apple devices, and can even be used on Windows when using Roon, there are some limitations. The Spotify and Qobuz web apps and the Qobuz application on Windows did not provide any means of connecting to the K\u00e4lla. However, the Qobuz web app on the Macbook Air did work, and sounded really great, too!<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

With the K\u00e4lla network player, designer Fredrik Lejonklou made a very conscious decision to focus on Apple control points for the device’s native compatibility (although it also works with Roon which runs on Apple, Windows, Linux, and Android). The primary objective was to achieve the most involving and thrilling sound possible while minimizing the potential for external influences such as 3rd party software or necessary updates to ruin the experience or the sound quality.<\/p>\n

The K\u00e4lla has an engagingly crisp, fast, rhythmic, and upbeat presentation. It is exceedingly neutral and sounds very linear and transparent, with a fabulously high resolution of fine detail and it is great at discerning the various layers of which a soundstage is composed. Whereas high precision and neutrality can sometimes lend a clinical feeling to the music, the K\u00e4lla actually strikes a great balance between articulate precision and expression on the one hand, and refinement, fluidity, and flow on the other.<\/p>\n

Is it the ideal network audio component for everyone? My bet is that its simplicity will make it ideal for one group while not appealing to another group. Such is life. But no matter which camp you find yourself in, I can say with confidence that the K\u00e4lla is among the best-sounding network players that I have heard at its price.<\/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

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