| Heads up: Fans of the Demeter VTPB-201L and Alembic F1-X tube
preamps will love the Kern Engineering's IP-777. The Kern combines the Demeter's
brilliance with the Alembic's fatness -- and It has a special color all it's own. It's so
fat; in fact, that the first tone adjustment you'll probably make is to turn the the bass
control down. The IP-777 is the work of design engineer Henry Kern and
bassist/analog- instrumentation designer Les Plopa. Their goal? to produce a preamp with a
high-voltage design with audiophile concepts that are engineered for headroom and and
hi-fidelity performance. The result is an all-tube, Class A scheme with no transistors in
its signal path. Component wise it uses the best of the best: gold plated connectors,
Illinois Condenser
and Solen polypropylene capacitors. NTE flame proof metal-film
resistors. Crimson Audio "broadcast" quality transformers, ceramic tube sockets,
glass epoxy tag board, and CIS pots. Fans of vintage amps will also appreciate the
preamp's point to point wiring. It all adds up to one the finest-built boxes we've seen.
No presets here-- just a 3-band passive EQ section, Bright and DEEP switches,
and a TONAL BALANCE knob. The switches and passive EQ are clearly from the Fender/Alembic
school, and they interact depending on the control's position. Thanks to the TONAL BALANCE
knob, which adds detail to the top end without affecting the lows. It's easy to get great
tones fast. (If you have to spend more than 30 seconds with the Kern to get a sound,
consider playing a different Instrument.) The DEEP switch is also cool, as it can really
clean up the midrange when the BASS knob is set past 12 o'clock.
The IP-777 is loaded with other handy doodads, 10mW hi-Z Input jack for
connecting piezo-equipped instruments, a tube-buffered XLR
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output, a buffered signal-level effects loop, and a tuner-out jack.
Worried about the rear placement of the preamp tubes? [ See photo, page XX ] So were we.
Placing them at the rear of the unit allows quick replacement when the IP-777 is in a
rack, but the arrangement seems a bit accident-prone. ( Henry Kern responds, "In the
tradition of Altec Lansing and other equipment manufacturers, we have provided rear access
to the tubes, weighing the fragility aspect against serviceability. This placement also
reduces microphonics and allows the tubes to withstand vibration. So far we've had no
complaints of breakage, malfunction, or poor quality. If needed, future units may be fitted
with a bumper or nerf bar across the tubes.) We also frowned on the bulky AC wall adapter.
( Kern says, "Due to laws in certain parts of the country a "wall wart" was
the obvious transformer, despite it being our second choice. It does, however, isolate the
user from electrical shock and ground-induced hum.") Both of those observations have
nothing to do with tone, though. Installed in our reference rig ( Hafler
Pro 5000 power amp, Eden XLT 410, and SWR Goliath III), the Kern sound picks up where our
Demeter preamp leaves off. Although we love our Demeter's pure tight tone, the unit's low
end EQ leaves a bit to be desired. With the tone controls set at 12 o'clock, the Kern has
a dark, deep sound that makes blues, rock and reggae lines blossom. It can do the modern
thing, too: Hit the BRIGHT switch and adjust TONAL BALANCE and the IP-777 roars into the
"90s. Comments: "Has a color, but it's the right color." "Kicks you in
the butt." "Mids are in the perfect spot,." "Can do the Demeter
shimmer, but the Kern has mo' space." The Kern is so warm it made our MOSFET power
amp sound like it had tubes.
Scott Malandrone, Bass player Magazine Dec. 98
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