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Anyone hear of the Krell MD-20 transport?

I just put a deposit down on this transport, but can't seem to find any information whatsoever on it. I did several Web searches with different search engines, looked on Krells & Stereophiles web sites, even looked here to see that the value of it might be, but it is absent. Does anyone know anything about this transport? Why is there no information on it? Is it any good? How does it compete with using a modern universal player as a CD transport?

Thanks much
smeyers
yioryos's avatar
yioryos
723 posts
 
Sailormike
A digital lens is a device that was made by Genesis Technologies .Basically it captures a few seconds long of digital signal and then it de-jitters(timing errors),cleans and re-constructs it and passes it down to the DAC for conversion to analog.It can also upconvert 16 bit to 20.It gets installed between your transport and DAC.A used one will set you back about 450$-500$.A worthwhile upgrade in my humble opinion(I own one and speak from personal experience)
Go to www.stereophile.com and read the archived review on it.
George
ron_r
6 posts
 
Sailormike:
I had the MD1 / SBP32x combo; traded in the SBP32x for a 64x and felt the differences were very pronounced; smoother high end, but the bass with the 64x was incredible. I next tried adding a Genesis Digital Time Lens and really didn't feel there was much of an improvement to my ears. Not too long ago I traded the MD1 / 64x combo for a KPS-20i, which I absolutely love. There seemed to be a bit of an improvement with the bass using the 20i, but the treble was a vast improvement.
I can't speak for the KPS-25 or the Reference 64. Also, I don't believe that Krell offers an update from the 32x to 64x (at least they didn't when I owned the 32x).

Happy listening, Ron
jjh1425
10 posts
 
From the Krell MD-20 manual:

Transport:
Modified Phillips CDM-1 MKII with Hall effect motor, swing-arm design unicast frame.

Laser:
Single Beam with glass lens.

Output:
Digital only in industry standard SPDIF format.
1 FIBER OPTIC via standard interface
1 COAXIAL via RCA connector
1 AT&T via ST connector
1 AES/EBU via XLR connector

REMOTE CONTROL:
Wireless infrared

Dimensions:
19.0" wide
12.5" deep
6.0" high, cover closed
15.0" high, cover opened

WEIGHT:
20 pounds unit only
33 pounds in box

I purchased an MD-20 after doing a back to back listening test with a MD-1. The 20 had a better sound to my ear. I had a chance to do back to back listening test with an MD-10 and my MD-20. To my ear the 10 sounded better. I now have a 10. Krell made two versions of the 10 one with a CDM3 and another with a CDM4 Pro.
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