DE NETSPOREN (K)

Al "surfend" -zo heet dat nu eenmaal- over het internet, kom je soms stukjes tegen, waarvan je denkt dat ze wel de moeite waard zouden kunnen zijn voor de hifi-notes.com lezers. Daarom kwam ik op het idee om een rubriek "NETSPOREN" te maken en die te gebruiken voor stalling van die artikeltjes, nieuwtjes, testjes etc. Natuurlijk rust daar mogelijk op de een of andere manier allemaal Copyright op, maar een keertje zondigen heeft ook wel eens iets. Gaat het fout, dan gaat het fout. Dan maken we er wel net(ont)sporingen van. Overigens moet U ook de netsporen -net als alle andere recencies- met de nodige omzichtigheid beoordelen. Veelal nog minder als bij tijdschrift recensies is de persoonlijke en omringende sitiatie bekend! Een sterk punt blijft in de meeste gevallen wel, dat de schrijver het apparaat ook zelf aangeschaft heeft! De "netsporen" zijn overigens alfabetisch per merk gerangschikt en U kunt door klikken de sporen volgen. Als U wilt kunt U zelf ook een "netspoor" achterlaten

Krell FPB-200: "This is my newly upgraded amp from Mark Levinson No.331. Compared with the ML, FPB-200 is much more smoother and transparent. In my system, I feel that the FPB-200 has satisfied me more than enough though there are still the FPB-300 and 600. This is the most 'little' Krell in the FPB series but it doesn't sound 'little' at all! The soundstage, bass and control are world class performance. And of course, the warm mid-range where Krell amp is famous of! One more thing, you have to use balanced cable to get the best from this Krell."

Krell FPB-200: "I have a FPB 200 and love it. Have you seen the barrage of recent "reviews" about the FPB 300 in this section? It seems that some people are on a crusade of sorts. Puzzling. Without describing their whole systems, it is difficult to see the value in their ratings. I am sure that they are correct in so far as how it applies to THEIR audio desires. It is also evident that the auditioning process and selection of a reputable and fair dealer is important. My FPB 200 is a great piece. I A/Bed it to a Levinson 331 and chose Krell by a nose. Blah, blah, blah."

Krell FPB-300: "Powerful. Neutral. Effortless. The heart of the system. Pass is nice, CJ is pretty good, Levinson competes, Rowland is beautiful. But this Krell is like a Mercedes V8. Powerful, smooth and a blast to listen to."

Krell FPB-300: "I've had my FPB 300 for about two weeks. Every time I listen to it, I'm more amazed. The effortless grace with which it reproduces the entire audio spectrum is very impressive. This amp replaced a Levinson 331 which was no slouch. The Krell's soundstage depth is a little shallower than the Levinson but in every other characteristic I can quantify (and some I can't) the Krell is a far better amp."

"I don't want to know how they do it. I don't care if some people say tubes can do it better. This amp is "it" for me. Until I can afford a FPB 600 of course. Five stars for power, grace, detail, effortless bass, rich rounded midrange, overall excellence in construction. I also appreciate its utility as a furnace in the winter time as one other reviewer correctly noted."

Krell FPB-300: "You guys have missed some side benefits of owning a Krell FPB300:

1. You can turn the thermostat way down in the winter.
2. It's theftproof - too heavy to lift, and if they try the heat sinks will shred their fingers.
3. It doubles as a light dimmer.
4. When you use your airline card to buy it, you're halfway to a free trip."

Krell FPB-300: "Expensive but great sounding. However, surpassed slightly by Krell's own FPB 250 monos.Also surpassed in the midrange area by ARC or CJ amps but better overall".

Krell FPB-300: "I'm shocked by why anyone would defend there stereos. Its not like you guys designed this stuff, you just bought it. I have two systems in my homes. One consists of a Krell 300 with KRC pre and Levinson source driving a pair of Watt Puppys. I love it... I also have a Pass system with a pair of 2s and a P pre-amp and a ARC CD-2.driving a pair of AP Calderas... This also sounds great. Ive compared the Pass and Krell side by side. They sound Different, but, both sound great. I would givee the edge to the Pass amps because they dont exageratte the dyanamics as much, but who really thinks this stuff isnt great????? My last thought is... Why do you take a reveiw personally?"

Krell FPB-300: "Krell vs. Levinson vs. Classe' vs. Pass Aleph vs. Cello. This is the same as Single-Ended vs. Push Pull.or Solid-state vs. Tubes. Everyone seems to have an opinion to as who makes the best amplifier. There is no "best"amp. Some people prefer solid-state over tubes or vice-versa.I think that it is all a matter of  taste to as which sounds better to -you-the listener. It also comes down to system matching. Some people prefer the 3-D soundstage of tube amps, some people prefer the accuracy of solid-state amps. But what is accurate? Do we choose accuracy over musicality? It is up to us as listeners to decide what is best for our systems. We can only do this by carefully auditioning and choosing what we like for our own tastes what we like best for our systems. At least we agree that amplifiers do sound different from one and another."

"I like the Krell FPB300. It has great bass definition, a transparent mid-range, and a smooth treble. For my tastes, this is what I look for in an amplifier. I choose to put tubes elsewhere in my system. As for the guys that don't hear much of a difference between the FPB300 and their older Krell amps, this may be a good thing. They won't have to upgrade anytime soon. This proves that they can look elsewhere to upgrade their systems. This also proves that if the old Krell gear is competitive with the new Krell gear, they made a wise decision for themselves when they invested in the first place. I own a Krell KSA100s and couldn't be happier with the amp. I won't be upgrading the amp anytime soon. I don't see the need to go to a FPB300 it would be kind of senseless."

"I love the Krell FPB300 and would highly reccomend it to anyone looking for an amp.Is this the best amp out there? Who knows?I like it but someone else might not.Let the music do the talking."

Krell FPB-300: "You guys have way too much time on your hands.......The discourse is thought provoking, that is certain. However, what I find humorous and puzzling is that all you Krell bashers feel compelled to vent your frustrations (Because you bought something else) on a product you don't have. Add to that the FACT that only one of you has posted an actual REVIEW of a product that you did buy!"

"I have an FPB 200, KRC-3, Levinson #39 and Dynaudio 1.8s with all the balanced trimmings. I do not need the power of the 300. My living room is audio heaven. Pity that OUR common hobby doesn't give the naysayers more reasons to enjoy music rather than bash product."

Krell FPB-300: "I'm sorry to say that the new Mark Levinson stuff is really just a Harmon Karden reciever in a fancy case. Yeeeeeeee Fuuuuuuuung, Terance, Jason, and Larsare really stupider than anyone that I have ever seen. They even like Pass Aleph. They don't have a clue to what is going on in the world of Hi-Fi. They are the ones that probobly own BOSE and shop at The WIZ or Circut City. They probobly also support DIVX as well. How people like these guys even got involoved in HI-FI is beyond me. They either are deaf, dumb, blind, or stupid. How anybody can say that the Krell FPB300 sounds bad is beyond me. These guys probobly also worship the writings of Stereo Review. The gospel according to StereoReview is that "We didn't actually listen to the product, it just measured good, so it has to be good if it measues well".These guys probobly also love Corey Greenberg as well. For he is the man that loves Paradigm. If you likeParadigm, you have serious hearing problems. At least Corey loves Krell, this isat least a good start. Johnny is my man. He was wrong about his response about no dealer carring Mark Levinson and Krell but he is a Krell head just like me. This is cool. Wes Phillips is also my man. He is undoubtably a Krell head as well. Yeeeeeeee Fuuuuuuung Terrance and Aaron also probobly love Sam Tellig and his single-ended triode amps. These guys probobly also fell for the $1.20 tweak joke as well. As well as the toilet paper tweak joke this month. These dudes undoubtably tried these tweaks and actually heard a difference. Yes, Krell is the final stop on the road to audio nirvana. Turn it on, crank it up and blast off."

Krell FPB-300: "If you like rolled off highs, muddy bass, and not much in terms of sound stage, then believe the non krell dealer and buy anything but a krell. If any of the formentioned things interest you then buy a krell, match components that compliment the krell, and never look back. Don't believe the anti krell conspiricy brought upon buy unqualified dealers that were not given the privilage to carry the line! YeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeFuuuuuuuuuuuuuuung has been tricked by the most evil of all sales men ie:the classe' salesmen (those damn cunuks! :)) The canadians should stick to Moosehead!, Hockey and RUSH (the best audiophile band in the world!) Please stick a single ended interconnect up your ass! Balanced lives! which classe' products use a simple inverting amp circuit instead of true differential balaced signal path! Don't fall for the hype! Classe' stuff looks great, is built like a tank, but performes like crap. Moreso than their digital products than therir analog, nonetheless very ordinary. KRELL RULES MARS! Anything (mostly) that says krell is ok if not outstanding! Worth at least 5 times the asking price!"

Krell FPB-300: "At last! One Amplifier that matches the Apogee Major! Coupled with the Krell 20I CD player and a Krell KRC-3 pre-amp, hot damn, I can actually 'see' the sounds'. Enough said."

Krell FPB-300: "I have been a Krell (pre/power combination) owner for a number of years now. My newly acquired FPB300 presents a significant improvement over the previous generations of Krell block-buster amps. In my system (Sony XA7ES CD player, Krell KRC-3 pre-amp, Thiel CS3.6 speakers, Symo Reference/AudioTruth cables), the FPB300 is at the cutting edge of speed, definition, extension, pace, power and grace in the realm of power amplifiers. While not as "real" in the midrange as some of the super-tube amps (CJ Premier, Jadis, Audio Note etc), the Krell counters with the ability to be (relatively) neutral across all frequencies and into any conceivable load.In truth, there is still a slight "greyness" to the Krell sound but I prefer that to the up-front brightness of the competing Mark Levinson 333 sound. Besides, the 333 is seriously lacking in sheer guts!The FPB300 lower treble could get "tizzy" sometimes but I am still undecided if that is caused by the Sony or even the CS3.6 tweeters. The Classe and Rowland amps certainly sound "smoother" though with a little less definition (I think).While a S$15,000 power amplifier could never be called a bargain, the FPB300 represents true value for money. Fantastic amplifier!! No regrets!!"

Krell FPB-300: "Krell FPB-300 is a very musical amplifier. I use it to drive B&W 801 III withgreat success. Compared it to other mid-fi amplifiers, the FPB-300 is much moremusical. It has a lot of juice in the midrange, very relaxing, very smooth,very rich, not dry (as many solid-state amps e.g. conrad-johnson, Ayre, McCormac...), tube-like,... Very deep and wide soundstage. Very good base. A very good match with the netrual speaker like 801. This is the most musicalamplifier that I've ever auditioned. I was not able to do a direct A/B with Levinsion 333 in my system. However, based on some auditioning on 331, I felt Krell is a more musical amp. 331 sound cold and lean -- typical Levinson sound."

Krell FPB-600: "Can see from reviews that everyone who listens to this amp agrees, except one unidentified writer, who obviously must have been listening to a different product. Or maybe it (or he) wasn't plugged in. Anyway, this amp rocks on any type of music. I have owned many amps, from tubes to solid state. This one is undoubtably the most powerful and musical. The soundstage is wide and open. The amp can be driven indefinately without any strain, except to the circuit breakers. No matter what volume or type of music the dynamics are unbridled and crystal clear. Not a sign of graininess. Will cause you to re-listen to many of your CD's, albums,DATs with mouth-opening awe."

Krell FPB-600: "Wow!!! The sound is unbelievable, the staging bold and transparent. I have never heard a better amplifier. I can't believe my speakers can sound so good. Expensive, yes. But well worth it. Don't spend your $$ on cables, D/A converters, stands until you have bought this amp. All you tubeheads can change your lightbulbs every two years and only hope to achieve this kind of sound. Enough writing, feel the need to listen to a little private concert."

Krell FPB-600: "I own Martin Logan speakers. I purchased Pass Aleph0 monoamps to replace an old pair of Harmon-Kardon monoamps, but was unhappy with the sound-stage and presence of the music. I switched to a Krell FPB-600 -- the difference was unbelievable. The soundstage and mid-range are more open than any tube amplifier or ss amplifier I have heard. The bass is rock solid. The timbre and localization of the instruments is perfect. Listening to Vivaldi brings tears to my eyes. The vocals on Big Head Todd's "Another Mayberry" are uncanny in their presence. Wynton Marsalis now lives in my house. I cannot imagine how any amplifier could sound better with so many varied types of music. The Martin Logan's have been taken to another dimension. Do yourself a favor and do not buy another amplifier until you have auditioned this amp or one of the FPB series. Anybody looking for a pair of slightly used Pass Aleph0 mono amps? Oh, and my circuit breaker does trigger when the amp is going balls to the wall--a 30 amp line is probably needed."

Krell FPB-600: "I have owned the FPB600 amp for more than one year now. It is far and away the best amp I have ever heard, let alone owned. One reason I consider it excellent is that it takes speakers to much higher levels. I had Thiel 3.6es when I got the 600 amp, and this rather average speaker was jacked up a couple notches for sure. I recently upgraded to Von Schweikert VR-8es, and yup, the Krell jacked the VSR to a level of transparency and musicality I had never heard from a VSR speaker (or most any other either). The S series of Krell amps was excellent, but the FPB series elevates the standard even more (dirty trick Krell played on levinson--ML struggled to release the 331, etc. series of amps to try and desperately hoped to match the S series from Krell, only to have Krell up the ante another several notches with the FPB series--now, how about the 1000 watt Krell monoblocks?)".

Krell FPB-600: "I was surprised at the sound quality from this amp. the salesman at Best Buy was very helpful with my purchase."

Krell FPB-600: "There is one important thing about FPB600 that I did not mention in my last reveiw. I think it's worth to mention it here again. FPB600 has a ability to present the soundstage and image with a lot of surrounding air and layers of depth. Each instrument is much easier to identifywith FPB600. This is very desireable sound effect for playing the classical and jazz music. The 3-dimension holographic effect is better present in FPB600 thanFPB300 and PFB200. The FPB650M has even bigger and upfront (less depth) soundstage but is not more dynamic. I also think FPB650M has more details".

"One more thing. FPB600 seems to be benefited more from a dedicated 30AMP power line than a dedicated 20 AMP power line (as suggested by Krell). The 30 AMP line open up the soundstage and deliver a liver sound."

"The differecne between FPB600 and FPB300 (my prvious amp) are the followings:1) Much deeper soundstage. The backgound is darker. 2) Stronger bass. Quality and quantity.3) Smoother midrange and treble."

"I also compared the FPB600 to FPB650M (in the dealer's show room with 801s3 and KRC3, SFCD-1, not sure about the cables). The main difference is soundstage. 650M's soundstage is more upfront, wider and taller. 650M is also more dynamic. Other than that both amps share the same "Krell FPB" sound. Please note that I do not feel 650M has much more power (It's not). Also, I'm not so sure I prefer the upfront soundstage from 650M. The deeper soundstage from 600 is quite attractive to me for classical type of music. Giving 650M sold for twice of the money of 600, I (along with my dealer and Krell sell support) agree that Krell FPB600 is the best buy in the Krell FPB lines."

Krell KAV250a: "I seriously evaluated the McCormack DNA 1 and DNA 2, plus offerings from Sunfire and ARC before purchasing the KAV 250A. The Krell offers unparalled control of deep bass, plus a virtually unlimited amount of power in my system. The build quality is top-notch. This is one great amp!"

Krell KAV250a: "I was looking to replace my dated Bryston 3B, after looking at multitudes of amplifiers in my price range and repeated auditions in the local shops I made arrangements with three seperate dealers, each dealer allowed me to take one of their products home for the weekend to audition in my system. The amps that were tested are the: McCormack DNA-1 Standard Edition, Classe' CA150, Krell KAV-250a."

"Associated components:Cambridge CD-6Sonic Frontiers - Anthem Pre 1L, Pre AmpCardas Crosslink Interconnects - CD to Pre AmpCardas Microtwin Interconnects - Pre Amp to AmpCardas Crosslink speaker wire in a Bi-Wired configurationVandersteen 2C speskers."

"Please note that during testing that all amplifiers were kept plugged in to keep them warm, and were compared to the same refence standard recordings throughout the audition in my home. No other components were changed out of the system for obvious reasons."

"Actually the McCormack DNA-1 was in the system for one week, the first thing that I noticed about the McCormack was that "palpability thing", yes this amp offers more bass than my old Bryston but little else, midrange sounded smeared lacking detail and clarity. Very poor ability to produce a realistic stereo image. Once this amp was comparred to the other two amplifiers it's flaws were very appearent. Sorry Mr. McCormack but you'll have to go back to you're box for the rest of the weekend."

"The rest of the weekend was spent with a couple friends some beer an extensive selection of reference recordings, the Krell vs Classe'. Well this was a very difficult decision for me as both of these are fine amplifiers but for very different reasons."

"The Classe' CA150 is a very well manufactured piece of audio equipment and has a very nice sound to it, it's soundstage presentation is much more forward than that of the Krell, definately more bass than that of the Krell, less focused in the midrange with less ability to produce detail in my system."

"The Krell KAV-250a is the Amplifier for me this time around. It produces a soundstage that is further back without being to far forward, the bass is very controlled and the midrange is detaied open and airy . The sound that it produces is unbelievable, my 10 year old Vandersteen 2c speakers have never sounded better, they absolutely disapear if the source recording is up to the task."

"I realize that each link in the audio chain affects the other, and that the combinations are absolutely astronomical. It can be very difficult to put a good system together but with a bit of work it can be done."

"ps. Beware of the Audio press, they had me fooled regarding the rating they gave one of these amplifiers. Use you're own ears and be the judge, what sounds good to someone else's shell shocked ears may not sound good to you."

Krell KAV250a: "I've had my krell 250kav for 3 months. It was chosen after reviewing bryston, arcam , audio reaseach, rotel and acuras. The krell effortlessly drives the magnaplanar 3 .5,s with a stunning accuracy and detail . Its given a new depth of sound stage to my old cd's bringing out stuff I had no idea was there. Many more of the inst. sound more realistic and recognizable. I would suggest auditioning on a detailed speaker like the magnapans or martin logans."

Krell KAV250a: "I have had my KAV 250 p/a for 5 months and find the sound detailed, clean and full of power when needed. I drive Martin Logan SL3s and the combination is stunning. Before buying I did very careful comparisions and unlike several of your reviewers I heard a very real difference between the 250's and the KAV 300i. The difference was very noticable and sufficient enough for me to justfy the price difference. I continue to enjoy the sharp, clean , detailed sound every time I listen. I wholeheartedly recommend the system."

Krell KAV250a: "I have had the KAV-250a for 4 months now. I find the amp to be accurate, detailed and loaded with lots of clean power. It is powerful yet smooth and defined. I am driving a pair of Vonschweikert VR-4's. This seems to be a wonderful combo. The amp is very revealing so make sure your other equipment is up to the task. The unit is quiet and runs fairly warm... but not hot. The unit seems to be biased to claas A operation which may be the cause for the extra warmth. So if you want a good clean detailed sound at a very reasonable price...The I highly recommend this unit."

Krell KAV250a: "Okay, I'm just getting started with this higher-end of the audio spectrum and am so far loving what it can do for my ears. I have only had my KAV-250a for about a month and it has performed great so far. The bass is deep and clean. The high-frequencies sound great as well. This unit does not seem to be challenged easily no matter what kind of music I throw at it. For the price, I feel that it is a great value."

Krell KAV300cd: "The KAV 300CD is a top-notch unit. The bass is superb, and the music totally envelopes you. The build quality is unsurpassed. Having the option of using balanced outputs is an added plus"

Krell KAV300cd: "Brings fidelity to previously unreachable levels. I'll spare you the tired industry adjectives. This product is magical. I have Krell KAV300i int. amp and Dynaudio Contour 1.8 speaks. Previously used Cal Audio Ikon CD player. When I tested the Krell CD ,with Balanced outputs, my jaw dropped on the spot. $3,500 MSRP is a little spendy but this purchase produced 110% buyer satisfaction."

Krell KAV300cd: "Brings fidelity to previously unreachable levels. I'll spare you the tired industry adjectives. This product is magical. I have Krell KAV300i int. amp and Dynaudio Contour 1.8 speaks. Previously used Cal Audio Ikon CD player. When I tested the Krell CD ,with Balanced outputs, my jaw dropped on the spot. This purchase produced 110% buyer satisfaction."

Krell KAV300cd:"Outstanding sounstage image, some of the cleanest bass I've listened to and superb detail. I'm hearing stuff on my favorite CD's I never knew was there. This Krell is an outstanding product!"

Krell KAV300i: "The Krell 300i is one of the most praised and awarded amplifiers in the industry. It is truly awesome. Strong, powerful sound with power reserves that for the most part stay untouched in a reasonable sized room. Looks and build quality to die for. There are one or two integrateds that can even come close and a only a handful of separate Pre-amp/amp combinations that could equal or surpass this Krell, and they are 3-5 times more expensive. Definitely, a bargin when you consider the playing field at which this 300i bats."

Krell KAV300i: "An excellent product for the price, probably the cheapest Krell that's worth buying. I found the midrange to be too boomy at times but the overall sound is pleasantly warm and dynamic. I don't think there is a better integrated amp for rock/rap fans. Those looking for transparency may want to look elsewhere."

Krell KAV300i: "This is one great product - outstanding bass slam coupled with fine detail and imaging. It seems that maybe the 150W (into 8ohms) rating might be perhaps a tad high, but so what? It still has enough power to drive my Martin-Logan Quests. I also have found the the "Theater pass-through" makes it easy to integrate into a HT set-up. Not the equivalent of one of their FPB models, but at the price, it is a steal."

Krell KAV300i: "The 300i is a great sounding piece at a good price. It smokes allany comparable gear (even the McCormack combo). I just couldn't spend my money an anything else. Give it a listen, I think you'll agree that it's hard to beat for the money. No Doubt, 5 stars!"

Krell KAV300i: "Well I think Krell makes an excellent amp, It surpasses most I know.  Its an excellent "toy"."

Krell KAV300i: "The KAV-300 was the first item I bought to create my dream system. After extensive conparisons with other amplifiers I found that it not only sounded as good or better than the others but it also cost a fraction of the price, $3600!The next job was to find matching componants. The KAV-300 is a very versitile little amplifier as I found out. Martin Logan CLS IIz were the speakers that were really wanted for the type of listening to be done. At first, the Martin Logan sales person (who did not sell Krell) feared meltdown for the krell if the little Krell was hooked up to the CLS full range electrostaics (these have a 1.4 ohm load which is practically a short circuit). After my persistance he wired them up and he and myself were completely baffled at the openess and impact of the sound.The Krell needed a hint of valve warmth and the CD player which was the best was Sonic Frontiers new SFCD-1 which has a valve output stage.The KAV-300 kept up with it's much more costly partnering equipment with awesome results. The Little Krell is a giant killer!"

Krell KAV300i: "Okay, so maybe the Krell KAV-300i isn't the last word in transparency, detail, bass slam, imaging, or resolution. However, there is not a single area in which it is lacking. This is quite an accomplishment for an integrated amp, albeit an expensive integrated amp."

"From the outset, I knew that this amp was special when I auditioned it at my local dealer. I'd auditioned the Bryston B-60, Copland CSA-14, and YBA Integre and was favourably impressed, but was not totally enthralled by any of them."

"However, when I brought the Krell home for an audition, it substantially bettered my Cyrus in every area of performance. Even with a Sunfire sub and the powered subwoofer sections of my Infinities, I'd always thought that my system was lacking bass (I think that the Cyrus is rolling off the lowest octave). With the Krell, the bass was quicker, more defined, and went deeper."

"The midrange was much clearer, as if a veil had been lifted. Female vocals such as those of Diana Krall were "more there" and less sibilant and the system could now play much louder without strain. Imaging was no longer constrained to the speakers and the middle of the soundstage, but was on a continuum from outside one of the speakers to the outside of the other and well behind both."

"The sound was full and rich, yet still detailed with plenty of low level resolution. In this respect the KAV-300i sounds like more expensive separates. Okay, so maybe this amp won't drive some of those huge, low impedance loudspeakers like the bigger Krells will, but hook it up to a more reasonable pair of 4 or 8 ohm speakers and you'll still get that wonderful Krell sound."

Krell KAV300i: "Compared to seperates up to $6000. The music sounded...."quicker" on the Krell. I finally understood what reviewers met by "timing" and "rythym." Needless to say I bought one, along with the Krell CD player, and have constantly been amazed at what emerges from my system. One word of advice; I used to use MIT cables, and thought it was a good match. It was. But I switched to Transparent Cables, and it was simply a superior set-up to my ears. Wish there was a 6-star rating option!"

Krell KAV300i: "All I can say is, it worth the money I paid for this product."

Krell KAV300i: "I must say I was very impessed with this product. Bass is very good on my Boston VR-40s. I bought one. Good job Krell!"

Krell KAV300i: "I think that this time, I am going to describe this one as brief as I can."

"Over the last week or week-and-a-half, I have been seeing a lot of reviews of the Krell KAV-300i, so naturally, curiosity had to set in at some point. Last night, I finally had a chance to seriously listen to Krell KAV-300i integrated amplifier. I had to see what all the buzz was all about. After a hour-and-a-half of serious listening, I finally found out myself why my fellow listeners, audiophiles, and "Stereophile" rate this amplifier so highly."

"Comparing the KAV-300i to my prospective preamp/power amp combination (the McCormack TLC-1 Preamplifier and the Power Drive DNA-0.5 Power Amplifier), the KAV-300i exhibits a top-end that is airy, extended, and sweet sounding without sounding too edgy, the midrange was all so neutral and transparent and just plain natural sounding, and the bass response was extended and tight and compared to the TLC-1/DNA-0.5 combination, more slam. When it comes to soundstage presentation, the KAV-300i has depth, resolution, and transparency in spades (I would go as far to say that it has a tad more dimensionality than the McCormacks). I would say that the KAV-300i has a tad more depth than the McCormacks, but it would be ranked ditto in the areas resolution and transparency. As far as flaws are concerned, the only flaws I could find is that on some recordings, the KAV-300i tends to make percussions sound slightly subdued, and in the upper midrange, the transients sounded rolled-off sometimes. Other than that, I would rate the Krell KAV-300i a first-rate amplifier. I would at the moment, rate it over the McCormacks (but only by a slight margin). The Krell has admittedly edged out the McCormacks in a couple of areas, but in complete fairness, it was also equalled by the McCormacks in others. Right now, the jury is still out in the sense that the McCormacks will be acquired in their standard versions now, only to be upgraded to deluxe versions later on. I then would like to listen to the Krell KAV-300i again, to see how these two amplification systems would compare to one another. I guess that in the end, it will come down to preference. I prefer to take the separates route and will purchase the McCormacks, but I will say that if your're looking for a high perfomance amplifier and want it in a very efficient space saving chassis, I would recommend highly that you audition the KAV-300i. Believe me, you won't be disappointed. I will conclude, only to say that the KAV-300i is one hot amplifier. If it were a such giving a product more stars than the ratings would suggest (i.e. six stars out of five), then I would give it to this Krell."

"Five Stars!!! (without reservation)."

Krell KAV300i: "Once again, Krell serves up amazing performance in a low price package. Bass is excellent!"

Krell KAV300i: "Great product! Deep and spacious soundstage, transparency and clarity are amazing. Bass is very, I repeat, VERY strong(regardless of what other people may think, like Jim in particular). One of the most smooth units I've ever heard for under $6000. I think everyone should listen to this amp to see just how good a one box amp can be! A monstrous improvement over my Bryston B-60!"

Krell KAV300i: "I still can't get over how late I was to hear this, I am the last audiophile on the planet to hear this unit. Anyway, I heard it with a pair of Martin Logan Aerius', a Rotel RCD990(the one and only) and MITerminator 2 speaker cables and MIT MH330 interconnects."

"Wow. I did an a/b of the Krell KAV300i and the McCormack Micro Line Drive and DNA 0.5 combo. After listening to the McCormacks and then hearing this, I thought I had earplugs in my ears while I was hearing the McCormack setup. I thought the McCormacks were good, jeez, this thing blew up the soundstage a mile. The one thing that I noticed was 100% better was the clarity and transparency, not a touch of distortion came out of the MLs. More defined bass, musical accuracy was better, there was nothing wrong with this component. I like the remote control too. I have heard many, many units in this price range and all, I mean ALL, were inferior to this unit. Unhesitantly, sincerely, 5 stars."

Krell KAV300i: "This Krell amp provides excellent sound quality for the price."

Krell KAV300i: "I bought one. For the price its the best solid state amp I've heard. But always audition new audio gear in your own system before buying - or else you'll never quite know how a product will sound when you get it home."

Krell KAV300i: "I was looking for an under $3K pre-power amp combo and stumbled on the Krell Kav300i. I auditioned more than 10 integrated amps and pre/power combos in my home. Nothing came close to the Krell. It excells at everything but it's timing and rythem is what sold me on it. It plays music as well as any amp I've heard under $5K."

Krell KAV300i: "I loved the bass quality of the amp, my Mission 753 needed a gutsy amp to drive it well, with 150 watts to spare, I felt as if my room was going to blow. Nonetheless, I cranked the volume up, and dreamed peacefully into the music. Imaging is superb, I could pick up every little detail that could possibly come out of my speakers. Tonal quality is sweet, bright at times. Bass is the best component of the amp, my Missions lacked bass when I partnered it with a Copland CS14, or the Mission Pre/Power combo. Even I tried the Myriad Integrated / Biamped, nothing could sound as good as this single integrated amp. Overall, with this amp, you get a taste of Hi-end sound without the high-end price... Could be well named: "Bargain of the Year"."

Krell KAV300i: "Krell, popular for making good power/pre amplifiers, did not fail to keep up its reputation with this new integrated amplifierKAV-300i. When Krell had released its first integrated amplifier under $2,500 (or 2,500 pounds in UK), audiophiles seemedto react in two ways. One side of audiophiles thought that their dream came true, while the other wondered whether it couldreally keep up with its expectation; "Is that amplifier good?" Now that I auditioned the KAV-300i, the aforementionedamplifier (and bought one for myself), I would want to assure the audiophile in doubt that this amplifier was a great performerwhich deserve to have its family name on its face plate : Krell AV."

First Impression:

"KAV-300i has a Hey-I-Am-A-Hi-End-Gear look. It has a nice face plate that is similar to those of the Krell amplifiers. It isslim, but it does not look anywhere close to "cheap." It is a little heavy considering its size. It does not have too many buttonsor knobs. In fact, it does not have any knob - everything is digital control, in a word, buttons. (This may appeal to somepeople, while some other people may not like this idea too much.) Yet, this integrated amplifier does not go crazy with buttonsand controls. A button for switching the amplifier on and off, four selector buttons for selecting sources, one for tapemonitoring, and two buttons for volume control. It does not have controls for treble or tone, which I liked being a purist. Thereis a Krell Audio Video emblem placed on the face plate nicely finishing the whole appearance of the amplifier."

Sound Quality:

"Briefly speaking, I was impressed!"

"First of all, the imaging and timing - KAV-300i had definitely nice imaging and timing ability that helps speakers reproduce amore realistic sounds very much. I tried KAV-300i with those speakers that reproduces great imaging, and the result wasmore than what I have expected. Very nice imaging, timing, and even 3-D reproducing."

"Secondly, it reproduces a nicely organised sound. The midrange was very nice and realistic while it had some bass. The basswas not too punchy or rocking as someone was expecting from a typical Krell power amplifiers. While KAV-300i was nothinglike Krell FPB 600, the Full Power Balanced Power Amplifier that supplies 600W per channel, you would not be able to buythose FPB 600 with a matching preamplifier for $2,500 (or 2,500 pounds in UK). For an integrated amplifier for such a price(not that I am saying that an integrated amplifier costs $2,500 or 2,500 pounds is cheap - most integrated amplifiers cost lessthan the KAV-300i. Yet, I am thinking of an integrated amplifier as a matching combination of power/pre amplifier.). The basswas realistic, however, as the midrange. Someone suggested that the speakers I have tried were not the best speakers to testlower frequencies and bass. I agree to that argument to some degree. Maybe I would try KAV-300i with those speakers thatreproduces the lower frequencies better to get much better result. Yet, I hope there is no miscommunication ormisrepresentation - KAV-300i reproduced a NICE, TIGHT BASS. It's just that some people may have expected more fromthe name "Krell"."

"Thirdly, it reproduced a quite uncoloured, natural sound. Though I could hear a little style in the midrange, the overallimpression I have gained was very neutral."

The Final Verdict:

"Based on the sound quality I have heard, and based on its price, I give a rare grade A+. This amplifier, in my opinion, was notonly worth every penny it cost: it was worth more than how much it actually cost.. One last word: I bought one for myself."

Grade: A+

Krell KAV500i: "Just upgraded from the 300i to the 500i. Along with more power than the 300i, the preamp section in the 500i is fully balanced, unlike the 300i. I was totally unprepared for the AMAZING sound difference between the two. Irrespective of the power difference, the 500i is smoother up top, more refined. Subtle musical details are now very clear. There is much more space, depth, and "air" to my music. Definately a huge step up from the 300i. If you think the 300i is good, wait till you hear the 500i! "

Krell KAV500i: "I spent almost 2 hours playing with 10 CDs on this player. KPS-25s is an integrated CD player with line amplifier. It takes line inputs as well as digital inputs. It has a volumn control knob on the front with digital displayof the volumn. It has a glass cover which can be open up manuallly. Once the CD is inplaced one call just close the cover and it will close gradually by itself.The system include B&W 801sIII and Krell FPB600. Simply said, KPS-25s is the best digital front end I have ever heard on this system. It's extermely smooth and details. All harshness and digitis on the CDs are gone. Instead I was rewarded with music. Pure music. I can listen to it whole day without fatigue. This is everything I need for a music system.For $20K listing price I shall never able to afford it. Is it 10 times betetr than an average hi-end cd player? I don't think so. Yes, it's a great player but I think an average hi-end cd player shall give you 80 to 90% of the KPS-25s.For performence I will give it 5 stars."

Krell KRC-3: "Someone needs to step in here on this KRC 3 vs. Krell KRC HR comparison and bring some reason to the converstion! The KRC HR is better than the KRC 3 in all ways but two: bloom and depth of sound stage. The HR has far better bass and far better definition, top to bottom. Compared with the HR, the KRC 3 sounds a good deal like a tube product: soft, smooth, forgiving -- very un-Krell actually. It is hard to believe these two preamps are both Krells. There probably are better preamps than the HR once you're up in the $7k+ range: ARC Reference, maybe the new C-J Premier 16 for openers. If you like the tube sound and want a well-made solid state, ergonomically excellent preamp, the KRC 3 is fine. But don't buying it expecting state of the art definition and bass."

Krell KRC-3: "The KRC-3 is superb. It has unsurpassed build quality. The bass is deep and strong, but not boomy. There may be better preamps out there, but in my opinion nothing comes close at the KRC-3s price."

Krell KRC-3: "I'm updating my system after 10 years and took the time to audition several preamplifiers. The Kell KRC-3 won hands down in my system. The Krell is very natural, but everything is there - including clean extended bass. I'm using balanced inputs (Purist Audio Design Colosus) from the Krell KAV-300cd and the combination continues to draw me into the music with detail I didn't realise was there on some of my favorite CDs. The KRC-3 is one of the better bargains of the high end. I give it 5 speakers."

Krell KRC-3: "Very transparent, and open sounding. It is much more dynamic sounding with balanced interconnects, than with single ended. Build quality is among the finest I've seen.It really brings out an appreciation for the musicians artistic talent. it's like listening to the music for the first time. What higher compliment is there?"

Krell KRC-3: "I've compared the KRC-3 to the KRC-HR and found only a small difference in the bass reproduction. It is definitely a worthy product considering its performance versus its price since the KRC-HR is twice the price and one gets 95% of its performance."

"I have listened to various other preamps such as Audio Alchemy and Bryston but found this to have the best performance for the price. I would definitely give this product 5 speakers rating."

Krell KRC-3: "This is an excellent preamp. Build quality is first rate...as expected from Krell. Dead silent, trouble-free and bullet-proof! Sonically, it istransparant, v. dynamic and smooth as silk...no treble grain or harshness.AAB'd it to a SF Line 2 and Classe CP-60. The SF was harsh and lacking indynamics. The Classe was a bit smoother, but the Krell beat it out. Thebass was slightly better and soundstage was bit more focused. Build qualityseemed better and hey it was cheaper. Also, it was a better mate to my amp."

Krell KRC-3: "The beauty of Krell engineering (thanks, Dan) lies in the ability of a product of one generation, to meld with a Krell product of later production.In short, this piece is a bargain. My "old" Krell KSA-100S amplifier has never sounded better in all parameters. Stage, resolution, transparency, and all other definitions nameable, are enhanced by this incredible piece of audio jewelry. I've no complaints."

Krell KRC-3: "This is also my newly upgraded preamp from Mark Levinson No.38. Compared with the ML, it is much more transparent. A great match for the Krell FPB-200 amp. You can do a little bit better at much more higher price. Soundstage width and depth are one of the best I have ever heard. Remember to use balanced input if possible to get the ultimate performance that you can ever ask for!"

Krell KRC-3: "I would recommend the KRC-3 preamp to anyone seriously considering upgrading preamps. The price is very reasonable for a preamp of this caliber. Extremely transparent with an excellent soundstage and totally neutral. A big step up from a Stereophile class A rated Threshold FET 10 H/L I had been using. The KRC-3 is being used with Krell FPB300, Krell 30i and Transparent XLR Reference cables throughout. Remote and ease of use is excellent."

Krell KRC-3: "The Krell KRC-3 Preamplifier is the budget minded Krell preamp and although the price is small the performance isanything but small.This is one of the most seductive preamps on the market. It is almost the match of the highly regarded KRC-HR, the KRC betters theKRC-3 only in the bass. The KRC-3 is no slouch in the bass, it is tight and well defined, just not good as the KRC. Very neutral, dynamicare well served, and transparency is outstanding. The KRC-3 is an ergonomic joy, few competing units even come close to the KRC-3when it comes to day to day use.Considering cost I rate this unit with 5 stars. On an ultimate scale I rate the KRC-3 with 4 stars."