I would tend to settle the tonal colours across the entire listening spectrum more on the silvery-cool side than on the golden-warm side, although overall it was characterized by extreme neutrality without pronounced individual sonic attributes. Clean rhythms and a certain playful lightness were further distinguishing marks that I ascribed to the KECES S4, as was also evident in "All I want is you" by U2 (Rattle and Hum, Island Records, 1988). This magnificent piece from U2's Joshua Tree phase is delineated by an incredibly intense inner tension and the KECES S4 managed to convey this in an excellent way.

In terms of quality, the MC and MM sections catch up with each other and the differences in the performances of the Ortofon Quintet Red and the Ortofon 2M Silver only differed in marginal nuances. At most, the finest ramifications in the high frequencies were rendered in a little more silky and subtle way through the MC section, while the MM section made use of a somewhat coarser brushstroke here and there.

Below the line, the KECES S4 steps up as an exceptionally good preamplifier in every respect, offering in my opinion an outstanding value for money. Such a mature sonic performance combined with great, exceedingly solid workmanship and such comprehensive, practice-oriented features are hard to find on the market for 4000 euros.