B&W Matrix 801 Series II

Very good post, Ct0517. You have me again thinking about those local Krell 350mcx monos. I can bring them home for a test drive and I will look up the Krell 600 as soon as I finish this post. What tube pre do you suggest for the Krell amps?

I will acquire the BAF filter as soon as I can locate one. Thanks for stressing the importance of it.

I will keep it fun and I am enjoying learning something about audio. I have acquired several new pieces lately and I am enjoying it all. Adding the two Mac pieces increased the quality of my system dramatically. I am taking some good steps forward and enjoying every minute of it. I really do appreciate everyones input. It is a bit hard for someone as ignorant about audio equipment as i am but I am getting better. It is starting to sort out for me. I am getting familiar with some of the gear out there. Now, to look up that Krell 600...

Wemfan, I think you missed my point. Your Parasound, based on the info I have read, is $3000 and is generally considered a solid performer. If I wasn't clear: my point was simply that if you compare your Mac to what the best tube amps have to offer, you might find that it is probably about as far from that as what your Parasound offers relative to the best solid state amps; so, much of the difference that you are hearing is the intrinsic differences in sound between the two technologies. As someone who considers himself a "tube guy", you may want to focus on what exactly that means to you. More importantly, and especially for someone who admits to "not knowing much" about this stuff, it's important to remember that price is not necessarily the best determinant of ultimate quality. To my way of thinking, if you prefer the sound of tubes, trying a tube amp with adequate power is the next logical step.

Which brings me to the subject of money. You have jumped to considering amps in the $10-12,000 range!! In all lack of shyness, my advise at this point is to take a deep breath and slow things down. Building a truly satisfying system, as has been suggested many times so far, is about balance and synergy (of various sorts). Ultimately, all the well-meaning advise that we can offer you cannot replace the homework that all experienced audiophiles have done by way of trying different gear and forming one's own sense of what "synergy" means in the context of your own sonic priorities. Good luck.

The Krells are no slouches. Definitely give them a try. What do you have to lose?

Hi Wemfan

I will acquire the BAF filter as soon as I can locate one. Thanks for stressing the importance of it.

I have a BAF available - if you are not able to source one I can sell one. You can contact me at

bcpguy(at)bell(dot)net

if interested.

What tube pre do you suggest for the Krell amps?

If a tube pre as long as the outputs have capacitors coupled to them.

What are you looking to improve on with your current preamp? Any problems with it ?

I would keep it for now and not change it out until after you hear how it sounds with the amp/s you're thinking of getting.

No problems on the current pre amp but that goes with the MC275 and Klipsch system. The 801s will be its own complete system. I read about the K 600 and it appears to be a killer amp. I read that it weighs 182 lbs.!!! Damn, I may not be man enough to own one. Maybe the wife can move it around for me...

Frogman, My Parasound is the A31 which is a 3 channel amp. The same amp but in stereo is the A21 and it is a $2000 amplifier.