After many years of trying out various speakers trying to upgrade my trusty Kudos Super 20s - I finally took the leap and ordered the Kudos Titan 606. These showed up in my drive way in two massive boxes about a month ago - along with Tyler - the US distributor for the Kudos range. He’s in shape alrite. Manhandling speakers keeps him fit, I think.
Looking back over the years - I’ve been through a bunch of Totems (Forest, Forest Signature) - PMC 20.23s, 25.23s, Regas, Ovators - oh and Harbeths the tiny ones, the C7s and the monstrous shl5+s.
From the first notes …. hmm - no jaw dropping.
Yeah - they take a little time to pressurize. Something to do with the isobaric design. Never mind.
Yup. These are not the ones that try to impress you with a few cheap tricks. These are all steak - just the right amount of natural sizzle. (Apologies to my vegetarian friends - see - its just an expression - I don’t eat red meat myself - or rather I try not to).
How do I describe these? These pull off one trick. Something that I’ve never seen any other speaker pull off so well. A trick to rule them all.
These sound sweet. Sweet? surely - that’s something the harbeths can do better. Yeah - but they sound sweet at the expense of dynamic range/dyamic swings. And please - don’t mention the Harbeths - those are positively depressing speakers. I always end up in a melancholy mood when I hear them. Those are probably awesome if your electronics suck - but enough of that. This is not about the Harbeths.
Ok - sweet. The PMCs sound sweet too. Yeah! but they were super boring. As my friend Chris Bell said. Two minutes into the 20.26s. Boring speakers move on.
Ah - so - sweet. And engaging. At the same time. Not an easy task.
There’s more.
Sweet sounding. Not harsh. And just enough tension to be supremely engaging.
To me - it’s really not about what the speakers sounds like. It’s more about the emotional impact - and how I feel after I’ve been listening to music. The Harbeths - depressed. The PMCs - or worse - random speakers - several the end of Rega system - downright bored.
These? Super engaging. Addictive even. Can’t move from in front of the speakers. Transfixed. One more song. One more please. Crap! Getting late for work. Again. Screw it. They can wait. It’s not like I’ll be able to leave work before 8PM anyway. Doesn’t matter what time I get in.
Oh yeah - speakers.
Dunno - can’t really say more. Super sweet sounding. Super detailed. No sign of harshness. None whatsoever. These swing! Sweet - but not slow as cold molasses. Nope - blistering fast. Naim fast even. Time like a $$ - dunno - insert your own simili. Or is it metaphor?
Yeah - and here’s the key - Super engaging. Almost as engaging as the Rega RS5s - which were super engaging - most engaging speakers ever - but would get on my nerves within a tune or two.
These - god! Engaging. Sweet. Super Detailed. No harshness. Listenable. And you know what - these get out of the way and you’re just listening to awesome music.
Do these sound real? Do cymbals sound like cymbals? Does a snare drum sound like a snare drum? Does a Trumpet sound like a trumpet. You know - i don’t know and I could care less. Probably. or Probably not. All those instruments certainly sound like they should.
I’m not an audiophile. I like the way music makes me feel.
Running at the end of the ND555/2x555DR PSUs/552/500. End game.
A big shout out to Tyler for being brave enough to carry these in the US. I like to believe I had something to do with it - over the years the one constant in my system were the Kudos Super 20s. Those got better at every upgrade - from SN2 through 282/250 to 552/250 to 552/300 all the way up to 552/500. With all the chop and churn Kudos were one constant. And finally - someone to expertly do a setup.
Oh yeah - gone is the treble spike that sometimes used to annoy me on the super 20s.
Contemplating an upgrade to the Super 20s? Do it. Now. The titans 606s are it. Nope. Forget the PMC Facts. Or the Totem Metals. Earths. Or the other US made ones - the Sasha or the Puppies. Don’t want aliens in the house.
And the finish is a sight to behold. Walnut.
And don’t be shy - try some Ansuz too. Nope. Doesn’t sit on the music. Doesn’t throw the timing off. Stop reading stuff on the forums. And don’t be so neurotic. Just go listen to some music.
I promise to leave a more sensible review at some point over the next few months. 
